Tile adhesive.

[Screech20]

Hey guys,

I am just planning my new bathroom, and the tiles we've been looking at for a while came up half price, so picked them up a couple of weeks ago.

They are 300 x 600 porcelain.
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Eden-Grey-Glazed-Porcelain-Floor+Wall-Tile-300x600mm/p/143344

The packaging has no recommendation for adhesives, but I have spoken to wickes who said this is the recommended product

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Mapei-Mapeker-Rapid-Set-Tile-Adhesive-Grey-20kg/p/102976

I've been doing a lot of research recently regarding this project and 2 top names for addy are BAL and Mapei, so i think we are on the right track.

Only thing is, how rapid is rapid set? It says 3 hours, but whats a realistic pot life?
I've got no problem mixing in small batches, as i know i will be working slow in the evenings after work.

Other thing is, this addy states maximum coverage of 2.5m2 - for a 20kg bag that doesn't sound right to me, surely??


Cheers

 

[vinn]

Return & exchange the bag(s) for ordinary grey, if possible dont use rapid set unless its absolutely necessary.
For your purpose you can open and close the bag for each use.
Keep the opened bag in a dry environment & clean your tools immediately after use.
Coverage depends on adhesive thickness - 1kilo @ 1mm thick will cover about 1M square.

 

[Screech20]

I haven't actually got any adhesive yet. Don't want to get it until I know I'm close to needing it, due to shelf life.

I have been looking around, but can't actually find a suitable adhesive that isnt rapid.
The one I have seen specifically says not for use on porcelain...?

Cheers

 

[cjard]

As a newbie I've been advised not to use rapid set either, as apparently the mapeker lives for about 30 minutes on a good day. It's for pro's who want to get in, get grouted same day and get gone. Apparently the colder the water, the longer it lives, same for the room - some comments from pro tilers that In winter they have to use rapid just to get it to set at all. Topps do a slowset if you have time to wait. I already bought all my mapeker (before getting this advice) for 8 quid a bag, so I'm gonna give it a go with ice water before considering lugging it all back and buying something for twice the price. Will let you know how I get on

 

[L95]

Return & exchange the bag(s) for ordinary grey, if possible dont use rapid set unless its absolutely necessary.
For your purpose you can open and close the bag for each use.
Keep the opened bag in a dry environment & clean your tools immediately after use.
Coverage depends on adhesive thickness - 1kilo @ 1mm thick will cover about 1M square.

1 mm bed of Adhesive? The BS I believe is 3. If a tiler used a 1 mm bed of Adhesive he'd be off site quicker than a cat out of a hot pan. Now as I say this, unless the package explicitly stated that 1 mm is acceptable then I will gladly be corrected.

 

[Gteuk]

with it being a flexible tile adhesive I assume it is on a suspended floor,, The price is expensive from wicks and to be honest in this weather I would never recommend a novice use rapid set,, above 20 degrees C the adhesive can go off in as little as 10-15 minutes dependent on whether it is a winter batch or summer batch.

Adhesive manufacturers change the Additive amounts seasonally. Use a standard set flex but make sure you got good bathroom arrangements, CFTA seems to be a good alternative and used a lot in hotter climates as it has a longer pot life.

As a novice only mix small amounts to start just so you have less wastage.

@L9 I think the ethos of the calculation 1kg = 1mm per 1m2 so obviously 3kg would be 3mm per 1m., as flexible tile adhesive is usually used with underfloor heating it would be an 8 to 10mm notch hence the calculation of 2.5m2 per a bag. The Adhesive bed also depends on the size and thickness of the tile itself. I would suggest that a novice uses a 5mm notch trowel to allow for adjustment.

 

[L95]

@L9 I think the ethos of the calculation 1kg = 1mm per 1m2 so obviously 3kg would be 3mm per 1m., as flexible tile adhesive is usually used with underfloor heating it would be an 8 to 10mm notch hence the calculation of 2.5m2 per a bag. The Adhesive bed also depends on the size and thickness of the tile itself. I would suggest that a novice uses a 5mm notch trowel to allow for adjustment.

The usual is about 5 metres for a floor of BAL Rapid set. And flexible is ideal for a 2nd floor in any case. The one guy I know who did use a non flex ended up with a blown floor 4 weeks later. But I do get the ethos behind it.

 

[vinn]

L95,
1mm is not the bed: as any professional would know.
1mm is the coverage: thus 3kilo would give 3mm/m depth coverage as Gteuk says above.
L95, perhaps you will now be able to understand what is written on powder bags and why its there?

 

[L95]

L95,
1mm is not the bed: as any professional would know.
1mm is the coverage: thus 3kilo would give 3mm/m depth coverage as Gteuk says above.
L95, perhaps you will now be able to understand what is written on powder bags and why its there?

On the bags I have come across most of them refer to the mix as a water : powder ratio along with a standard guideline of trowel type by bed depth so I haven't ever really looked at in the way being discussed. I would also point out that I took your original post not as you intended but as you saying 1mm was the coverage per kilo used. Which, to me at any rate, came across as you were saying that the op could get more with a 1mm bed. Again, sorry for the confusion.