How to choose correct tile adhesive for your home or commercial place?

Whether wall or floor tile needs to stick firmly to its base surface. Tile Adhesive is expected to Grasp the tile in place not just for years but for decades—without anyfail. Tile adhesive has evolved to a point where all of those demands from clients can be successfully handled. Choosing the right tile mortar can be simple than you might think. In most of the cases, the tile application – where tile is being installed, clearly required the best tile adhesive or mortar and sometimes the type of tiles we choose determines the weather it will stick or not.

Thin set Tile Mortar

Thin set mortar is your default tile mortar for most indoor and outdoor applications. Thin set is a mortar that is made of Portland cement, silica sand, and moisture-retaining agents. Thin set tile mortar has a smooth, slippery consistency, like mud. It is applied to the substrate with anotched trowel

Standard and Pre-Mixed Thin set

Standard thin set comes as a bagged powder that is mixed with water. The mortar begins setting once it is mixed, so you must use up the entire batch or discard any excess.

Premixed thin set comes in bag and is ready to apply right out of the package. Even though it is heavy to carry and more expensive than dry mortar mix, the ease and convenience of premixed thin set mortar makes it ideal for do-it-yourselves.

Use premixed mortar for spaces such as small bathrooms, mudrooms, or utility rooms. If you are dealing with multiple spaces, then you may want to consider a dry mix to save money.

Thinset Mortar Pros and Cons

Thin set tile mortar provides a strong bond and is resistant to moisture and mild growth. Thin set is also heatproof, so it will not lose its grip in hot environments. Because it is cementitious, thin set is dimensionally stable—it will not shrink or contract.

Another advantage of thin set is that it allows you to level uneven surfaces to some degree. You cannot level wildly out-of-level surfaces, but you can bridge gaps and compensate for slight level changes.

Because thin set is not affected by moisture, it is best for floor tile and any tile in wet areas, including shower floors, walls, and ceilings and tub surrounds.

Since thin set tile mortar may crack, you may wish to mix it with a special latex additive to increase its strength.

Epoxy Tile Mortar

Epoxy tile mortar comes in two or three separate components that must be mixed by the user right before use. Relative to thin set, epoxy mortar sets quickly, allowing you to get to the grouting of the tile within just a couple of hours. It is impervious to water, so it does not need any special latex additives, as does some thin set

Epoxy mortars work well for porcelain and ceramic, as well as for glass, stone, metal, mosaic, and pebbles. Epoxy mortars can even be used for installing rubber flooring or wood block flooring.

Epoxy Tile Mortar Pros and Cons

Epoxy-based mortars have high compressive strength and stick well to resin-backed stones. These mortars are simple to use and to maintain. Mechanical strength is strong, so they hold the tile firmly in place and resist compression. Pigmented epoxy mortars do not leak onto ceramic or porcelain tile. Epoxy mortars are resistant to a wide variety of chemicals.

Temperatures must range between 60 and 90 F for proper installation. Warmer temperatures speed up curing time; cooler temperatures slow it down. Installation can be made on a damp surface, but new concrete must cure for at least 28 days before adhering tile.

On the downside, epoxy mortar is more expensive than thin set and has a strong smell while it cures. Additionally, epoxy mortar sets quickly. This can be a deficit because it provides only a short window of time to make changes. Pot life for most epoxy tile mortars is about 45 minutes. After pot life expires, the product is unusable.

Due to the difficulty in mixing and working with epoxy mortars, they tend to be used by professional tile installer more than by do-it-yourselves.

Leave a Reply