Sometimes your customers may have questions about certain tiling techniques or challenges. On this page, you’ll find the answers to a number of the most common queries.
How do I ensure 100% adhesive coverage?
100% adhesive coverage is essential in wet areas, on floors and whenever a customer plans to use large format tiles. In order to achieve this, the following guidelines should be followed:
- Use a trowel to ensure a solid bed fixing
- Do not spread adhesive over areas greater than 1m
- Use a thickbed adhesive
- Spread the back of the tile as well as the wall/floor
- Lift a tile periodically and check 100% coverage is being achieved
Why has my grout joint cracked?
There are a number of reasons why grout joints crack. Some of the most common include:
- Movement in the background
- Incorrect product being used
- Tiles not being adequately bonded to the background
- Grout joints not being filled underneath
To reduce the risk of cracked joints, you should advise customers to always check that the background is fully dry and suitable for tiling. The risk of cracked joints can also be minimised by achieving 100% adhesive coverage on the back of the tile, by using an adhesive with enhanced flexibility and by ensuring joints are thoroughly filled with a suitable grout.
Why do I need to prime?
It is beneficial to prime any surface prior to tiling as it creates a clean, dry surface that allows the tile adhesive to work more effectively. Priming is particularly essential when using a powder based adhesive on plaster, plasterboard and timber floors.
Can ready mixed adhesive be used with porcelain wall tiles?
The short answer is ‘no’. By their nature, porcelain tiles are impervious to the passage of water and so the moisture in a ready mixed adhesive has nowhere to go. Instead, it will remain behind the tile and the adhesive will not dry. A powder adhesive works on a different chemical reaction and does not require permeability to dry.
Why do I need to tank showers and wet rooms?
Many backgrounds can be damaged if subjected to regular or continuous wetting. Tanking provides a waterproof coating that protects against this damage and that reduces the risk of leaks.
What are movement joints and when do I need them?
Movement joints are essential when tiling walls as they prevent a tiled surface being damaged by a building’s natural movement and settlement. They should be placed wherever different walls and the wall and the floor meet and should consist of a 6mm gap, which is then filled with a suitable sealant.
Other questions?
If your customer has a question not covered by the above our Technical Helpline can help. Manned by a team of tiling experts, it provides free guidance and advice covering all aspects of tiling installation and responds to over 50,000 queries every year. It can be reached on 01782 591120
