Rapid set - TOO RAPID SETTING!! - TilersForums.co.uk | Tile Forums

thegwads · 15-01-2008

hi all
doing a little floor today, bathroom upstairs, boarded out and screwed corrctly etc... anyhow using granfix 1 part flexi rapid set which i just used on a 55sq. meter floor no problems - although that house was cold so took a decent amount of time to go off.
any way, today first mix went off in about 15 minutes, 2nd mix which i did on the wet side took about 20 minutes to go off. using clean buckets, clean water etc...
turning out to be a ball ache on 5sq. meters with bath, loo, sink in the way.
can anyone suggest an adhesive, flexi, which doesn't set so quickly. need to be grouting same day, so need rapid set, but could do with a slightly better pot life!!
any suggestions
basically i will probably dry lay all of it tomorrow, cuts etc, then just mix up small amounts at a time, but really winding me up now!!!
cheers

john32145 · 15-01-2008

how do m8, i done a small floor today, i used bal rapidset flex, i was getting between 20-30mins so wasnt 2 bad cos had drylaid it first, £26.67 for 20kg from CTD, hope this helps if not just take no notice

**grumpygrouter** · 15-01-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegwads

hi all
doing a little floor today, bathroom upstairs, boarded out and screwed corrctly etc... anyhow using granfix 1 part flexi rapid set which i just used on a 55sq. meter floor no problems - although that house was cold so took a decent amount of time to go off.
any way, today first mix went off in about 15 minutes, 2nd mix which i did on the wet side took about 20 minutes to go off. using clean buckets, clean water etc...
turning out to be a ball ache on 5sq. meters with bath, loo, sink in the way.
can anyone suggest an adhesive, flexi, which doesn't set so quickly. need to be grouting same day, so need rapid set, but could do with a slightly better pot life!!
any suggestions
basically i will probably dry lay all of it tomorrow, cuts etc, then just mix up small amounts at a time, but really winding me up now!!!
cheers

Have a look at Ardex 7001, specially designed for board floors. has a pot like of 30mins, mixed very thin to get 100% coverage, can grout in 2 hours. About £27 a bag though.

Grumpy

**pjc** · 15-01-2008

quite a few manufactures have been having a problem with flash setting over the last couple of years they tell me its to do with the European regs had to change the cement not sure i believe them but tell them because if you don't they wont know a few of the companies have slowed it down to 3 hours because of the problem :Pete ps i have seen some go off in less than 5 mins

15-01-2008

funny you should mention new regs - the granfix i got today was in a new bag to the last batch i used, literally finished big floor 10 days ago, picked up bag today and totally different bag although the tile shop assured me it was the same stuff, but damned if i believe them - this stuff went off so quickly!! 2nd mix actually went off from perfect consitency to unable to trowel it at all in about 10 mins!!!
i am not the quickest man around, but finding it very tricky with this rapid set - convinced it is made with different stuff!!
even dry laying all but the intricate (wet) cuts, i am guessing 3 or 4 small mixes is the only way i'll be able to do it!
wishing i'd used dunlop ready mixed stuff now and told the customer they gotta stay out the room for 2 days - but just not feasable. probably gonna be a bag or 2 out of pocket now due to wastage!!

**pjc** · 15-01-2008

please don't forget to phone them and let them know that tilers have been talking about the problem on this tile forum or they wont know and therefore all those poor guys and girls out there going mad and losing money

thegwads · 15-01-2008

pjc - that was me posting last one, logged out for some reason!!
so - you have the same problem then?
in hindsight, even allowing for atmospheric conditions, the first granfix batch took easily 45mins, if not longer to go off on the really big floor i did.
the new batch, in a different bag etc... definitely took less that 20 mins to go off. the house was not that much warmer, although the room was a lot smaller when it went off quickly, which may have something to do with it, but how can 20mins be acceptable - especially in a cramped bathroom!!
must have got fewer than 5 tiles down on one mix!

Pawelzik · 15-01-2008

Hi mate. May be you´ll have more fun using an adhesive for marble, check it´s times. Example: I manufacture the Nordas Marmorflex (available in Germany only), my marble and granite customers wanted it not to fast as they can´t tile big areas then, so I make it with a pot time of ~ 1 hour and a setting time of ~ 6 hours before grouting. That is how they wanted it and I think in the UK adhesive dealers can provide something else like that. Martin

**brian c** · 15-01-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered

funny you should mention new regs - the granfix i got today was in a new bag to the last batch i used, literally finished big floor 10 days ago, picked up bag today and totally different bag although the tile shop assured me it was the same stuff, but damned if i believe them - this stuff went off so quickly!! 2nd mix actually went off from perfect consitency to unable to trowel it at all in about 10 mins!!!
i am not the quickest man around, but finding it very tricky with this rapid set - convinced it is made with different stuff!!
even dry laying all but the intricate (wet) cuts, i am guessing 3 or 4 small mixes is the only way i'll be able to do it!
wishing i'd used dunlop ready mixed stuff now and told the customer they gotta stay out the room for 2 days - but just not feasable. probably gonna be a bag or 2 out of pocket now due to wastage!!

good news for the customer if he is a guy,er excuse me m8 but you will have to go to the pub for a pee or a number2 because you cant walk on your floor for 2 days.

PCI-FLEXI RAPID SETgreat stuff no problems at all with this ever.

wayne · 15-01-2008

try the toppfix rapid. 3 hour set time and good pot life. i use this on walls as you have a bit longer to work with it.

**pjc** · 15-01-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayne

try the toppfix rapid. 3 hour set time and good pot life. i use this on walls as you have a bit longer to work with it.

Wyane thats what i mean 3 hrs set time

**Dan** · 15-01-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegwads

hi all
doing a little floor today, bathroom upstairs, boarded out and screwed corrctly etc... anyhow using granfix 1 part flexi rapid set which i just used on a 55sq. meter floor no problems - although that house was cold so took a decent amount of time to go off.
any way, today first mix went off in about 15 minutes, 2nd mix which i did on the wet side took about 20 minutes to go off. using clean buckets, clean water etc...
turning out to be a ball ache on 5sq. meters with bath, loo, sink in the way.
can anyone suggest an adhesive, flexi, which doesn't set so quickly. need to be grouting same day, so need rapid set, but could do with a slightly better pot life!!
any suggestions
basically i will probably dry lay all of it tomorrow, cuts etc, then just mix up small amounts at a time, but really winding me up now!!!
cheers

If you're adhesive is going off while it's in the bucket never add more water and mix it again, throw it away and clean the bucket a bit and make a new mix as and when you're ready.

Also, be sure to prime when you need to.