The group of materials for tiling includes adhesives for gluing tiles to the base and compounds for filling joints (other names are grouting for joints, solutions for pointing joints, jointing).
AND
IN
FROM
D
Fig. 1
If the flooring is exposed to high mechanical stress or temperature fluctuations, it is especially important to carefully install the floor tiles without empty space underneath.
The adhesive for laying ceramic tiles guarantees adhesion between the laying surface and the material to be laid. The different characteristics of the offered adhesives are caused by the different needs of the base surfaces of the material to be laid, the thickness of the layer to be created, the purpose of the use of the room.
The widespread practice of using cement-sand mortar for installing tiles and grouting does not ensure the durability of the coating. Firstly, having a low compressive strength, the underlying cement-sand mixture gradually collapses under the influence of mechanical loads, and secondly, under the influence of water and aggressive media, the inter-tile grout is destroyed, the liquid penetrates to the underlying layer and base and destroys them. The adhesion is broken and the tiles begin to fall off one by one. After a while, the process of floor destruction takes on an avalanche-like character..
Therefore, for gluing tiles and grouting, it is necessary to use specialized mixtures, which can be cement-polymer (with the addition of acrylic dispersions or water-borne epoxy resins) and polymer (usually based on filled epoxy compounds). Usually, cement-polymer compounds are used when installing tiles in dry rooms, and polymer compounds are used when installing tiles in ‘wet’ industries and / or in the presence of aggressive environments.
AND
IN
FROM
Fig. 2
Laying ceramic tiles on stairs
The formulation of special additives determines the consumer properties and cost of tile mixes. The special formulation of some quick-setting adhesives allows them to be used for installing tiles on difficult substrates, such as painted surfaces, old tiles, plastic panels, gypsum boards. Note that not all tile mixtures are absolutely water-resistant and resistant to antibacterial additives (including chlorine-containing ones), that is, not every glue is suitable for facing with ceramic tiles in swimming pools, shower cabins, etc. When laying tiles on surfaces subject to cyclic temperature influences – fireplaces, heated floors – it is also necessary to select special adhesives.
Dry mixtures for grouting (grouting) joints between ceramic tiles are made, as a rule, on the basis of white cement, natural fillers, modifying chemical additives and pigment. Polymer additives avoid the tendency to form shrinkage cracks, give the material strength and moisture resistance. Note that moisture resistance does not always imply the suitability of a particular composition for use in swimming pools, food and dairy industries, etc. In such cases, it may be necessary to use epoxy based grouting materials, which are also available from many manufacturers.
What are the recommended materials for laying ceramic tiles?