Tile adhesive is the substance used to hold the tiles to the setting bed. Typically there are two major types: organic mastic and thin-set adhesive. Organic mastics are made with either latex or petroleum and are ready-to-use.
Thinset adhesives are powdered and need to be mixed with water before they can be used. While organic mastic is much more convenient to use, thin-set adhesives actually have a higher bond strength as well as weight/load-bearing strength.
What is the main function of the Tile Adhesive?
Tile adhesive is used to prevent crazing and shedding of tiles. It is very easy to use, as ready-made bags are available and only water is to be mixed. Pre-mixed tile adhesives are also now available in the market. They are also used to fix or prevent seeping of water underneath the tiles. The entire process gets completed after applying Tile grout in order to achieve uniformity and aesthetics.
Tile adhesive and mortar –The basic difference
Cement is made of many materials, such as limestone, shells, silica, etc. all ground into a fine powder. It is activated by water and dries solid when the water evaporates. Mortar is a combination of cement and sand, used as a bonding agent for bricks and tiles. Tile Mortar, typically has polymers added to give more flexibility and crack resistance. Concrete is a combination of cement, sand, and aggregate (small stone chips and shells), and is more structurally sound as a stand-alone building material. Tile/Laminate/vinyl flooring adhesives are almost completely polymer (basically glue).
First and foremost, the difference between the two is the purpose for which it is used. Tile Adhesive is used to fix tiles on floors/walls while mortar (in general parlance) is used to fix bricks/blocks for constructing a wall. Even though the base raw-materials used to formulate the two are majorly the same, their proportion and the polymers used to formulate them differ widely, but since the purpose of the two varies, using one for the other can be very risky.
Since the purpose is the difference, the required properties of the two also differ widely. For tile adhesive (wall application) parameters such as Open Time, Correction Time, Sag Resistance, Shear Adhesion and Tensile Adhesion strength are very important while for a mortar, Split-Tensile Strength and sometimes even Compressive Strength are of prime importance.
Applying tile adhesive with notched trowel provides full spread on the back of tiles and will reduce many problems like broken tiles esp. on the corner, water seeping, and stain or efflorescent. Full contact of the adhesive on tiles’ back and substrate provides strong bonding strength and long-lasting tiling work.
Flooring is an important part of any building, as it adds the beauty and charm to every room and ultimately to your home. Tiles are the most commonly used material for flooring as they are very durable and available at a cheaper price. Tile adhesive is a special type of glue used to fix tiles all around the home. Tile adhesive is a ready-made mixture made from Portland cement, polymers such as epoxy and selected aggregate particles with some additives added in it to improve its property for laying tiles.
Tile adhesives are used for fixing tiles on the walls, floors, swimming pools, etc., which may have any type of substrate such as cement, wood, glass, etc. They are primarily based on cement, epoxy and polymer. Here we have tried to give a brief on the tile adhesive and its types, which a homeowner should know before laying tiles on floors. Various polymers such as acrylic, latex, epoxy, etc. are added for improving its adhesion properties.
Tile Adhesives— Know your product more…
Acrylic makes tile adhesive moisture resistant. It is generally used for fixing tiles of small sizes. Ceramic tiles, vitrified tiles, natural stone tiles, etc. can be easily fixed by it. Latex makes tile adhesive more flexible. It is ideal for exterior use where some movement is required. Epoxy helps in increasing hardness and strength of adhesives. Epoxy modified adhesives may be used internally or externally as they are resistant to oils, water, dilutes acids, alkalis and most solvents. Epoxy is the most expensive and strongest tile adhesive. Epoxy modified adhesives has industrial applications, such as fixing tiles which are chemical and corrosion-resistant.
Tigonis Tile Adhesive is a ready-to-use premium quality adhesive with exceptional bonding strength and is made of polymers and modified grey & white cement for fixing all types of ceramic and vitrified tiles on floors, surfaces and walls. It is widely available all across eastern India. For more details please browse through our website.
