Tilers keep recommending ready-mix adhesive - Tile Advice

[jtg90]

Hi All,

I have had several tilers quote for tiling our bathroom using 100x300x8mm ceramic tiles + some areas with 200x200x8mm patterned ceramic tiles. This includes tiling inside a tanked shower cubicle (with pumped shower). All the tilers so far have said they will use tubbed ready-mix adhesive.

This surprised me because reading this forum and others - most people seem to recommend a powder adhesive.

One of the cubicle is a ~2m 'wing wall' i.e. only supported on one side and at the floor (doesn't go all the way to the ceiling. It is well secured to the wall and floor so there is hardly any movement but if you hit it hard the top corner will vibrate slightly - I mentioned this to each of the tilers too, thinking a flexible adhesive would be best but they still each said it would be fine with basic ready-mix adhesive.

Is ready-mix ok in this situation given that they are only small tiles or should I insist on using a powder adhesive e.g. Keraflex?

It's only quite a small job (about 10 m2) so maybe they feel it's not worth mixing up powder adhesive for this size job??

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

 

[Dan]

Most of the guys on her will used cement based (powder) but for a small area if the walls are pretty good and as it's only ceramic (so light in weight) ready mixed adhesive is fine IMO.

 

[jtg90]

Sorry, forgot to add. The walls are tanked aquapanel in the shower, moisture resistant plasterboard elsewhere except for the back of the wing wall which is 18mm exterior grade ply for added rigidity

 

[WetSaw]

If it's tanked tubbed addy won't set for ages if at all.

 

[jobdone]

Is the ply sealed on all faces?
Best to over lay the ply with a backer board before tiling

 

[jtg90]

The ply is not sealed on the back (i.e. the side against the studs, is that needed? I have some SBR so could seal the exposed surface although I assumed the tiler will do this. Can you not tile directly onto sealed ply?

 

[Matt Bott]

Get them to use water resistant mix up adhesive on ceramic that size will go of fine on tanking and other areas it goes rock solid something like Bostick showerproof is good I prefer mix up over premix because you can bed the tiles in easier but it should be fine.

 

[Matt Bott]

And you might want something more like bal white star onto ply

 

[Flintstone]

Any half decent tiler will not want to use ready mixed adhesive in a bathroom. It's ok for those tiles but not ok over tanking, and it's inferior to cement based adhesive. Is the floor tiled? They can't use it on the floor

 

[GAZ5518]

Tub adhesive fine for those situations where there is no moisture.. But would not consider using it in a Bathroom and certainly not in a shower / wet area... Flexi Powder all the way for me

 

[GoneGuy]

Same as above, I wouldn't used ready mixed adhesive in bathrooms as there will be a lot of moisture which could potentially lead to to tile bond failiure

 

[Bathfix Bob]

I want to sleep at night and want to go on holiday without fear of phone ring with people saying there are tiles coming loose. Why whould you not use only the best adhesive?

 

[man of kent]

I want to sleep at night and want to go on holiday without fear of phone ring with people saying there are tiles coming loose. Why whould you not use only the best adhesive?

You're so right Bathfix Bob, maybe there are lazy tilers out there who either don't know how to mix a good quality cement based adhesive or they don't mind paying for the manufacturer to put the 'lubricant' to help apply in the material in at a cost dearer than water???