Old floors of Jaipur: where to see historic tiles and terrazzo
Some of the city’s best floors are in its palaces, museums and old havelis. A half-day route for anyone planning a floor of their own.
Timing a tiling project around a Jaipur summer and monsoon
Heat, dust and rain all affect how tiles are laid and how well they set. When to start, what to avoid and how to plan.
In Jaipur, the season you tile in matters almost as much as the tile you choose. Many of our customers plan renovations for the summer holidays, which is often the hardest time of the year to lay a floor well.
From April to June, daytime temperatures climb past 42°C. Cement mortar and tile adhesive dry too fast in that heat, before they have bonded properly, which can lead to hollow tiles that ring when you tap them. If you must tile in summer, ask your fitter to work in the early morning and late afternoon, soak cement tiles before laying, keep the room shaded and closed, and mist the floor gently while it cures. Dust storms in May also mean covering fresh grout.
The monsoon, from July to September, brings the opposite problem. Humidity slows drying, sealers on cement tiles and terrazzo do not cure properly, and deliveries to sites with open ground can get stuck. Exterior and terrace tiling is best avoided entirely in these months.
The best window for most work is October to March. Temperatures are moderate, materials set evenly, and fitters are easier to find after Diwali. If your project is planned for the winter, place your order in August or September. Terrazzo custom mixes take five weeks, and stock of popular cement tile patterns runs low before the wedding season, when many families renovate.
