no doubt this question has been asked loads of times but still. Ive always used ready mixes for walls if i dont complete all the tiling in a day then prime whats left and use bagged ady the next day then grout. Got to tile on tile this week so going to have to leave for 48 hours before grouting if i use ready mixed. so might be better if I use a bagged ady. Whats best? I mean ready mix always has a good grab but would the bagged stuff not grip as well under those conditions? cheers

Bagged addy for me, Could use a rapid to speed things up

Bagged for me 9 times out of ten although i do sometimes use tubbed on small wall jobs in dry area's.

so the advantage of bagged ady on a wall is ? would you use standard slow set most of the time then?

I'm using SPF on a bathroom this week. Wish I had used rapidset flexy instead. SPF takes longer to get a good solid hold of the tiles so cleaning has to wait longer as you have a danger of moving the tiles. Rapid setting stuff means you can clean after about 30 mins with much less chance of dislodging something.

Depending the amount of m2, If theres a lot of area then slow set but if you only have a few metres then rapid to speed the job up

Just to add on, If the job was on external work would use a rapid set

Thanks for advice lads. white rapid flexy is dear but I guess in a tile on tile situ ( 30 x 20 ) at least i can grout the next day. Plus its makes you work faster and no chatting and tea. But if you get to areas with cuts your stuffed ady goes off. I'll give it a go. Guess you have to prime the tiles first ?

Rapid is dearer but if you have a topps card theres some good deals on at the moment, Also CTD are very good with their prices from what I've heard

I've only used tubbed like 3-4 times, all kitchen splashbacks. Bagged gear gives you more control imo, and even high end bagged gear is ALOT cheaper than mid range tubbed gear per sqm. Atleast over here.

Mapei slow set white for me now-a-days.

Originally Posted by groucho

Thanks for advice lads. white rapid flexy is dear but I guess in a tile on tile situ ( 30 x 20 ) at least i can grout the next day. Plus its makes you work faster and no chatting and tea. But if you get to areas with cuts your stuffed ady goes off. I'll give it a go. Guess you have to prime the tiles first ?

No Groucho don't prime the tiles, just wash them with sugar soap and fix onto them when dry. And if you do your cuts and number them, you can mix addy and fix 'em in one go....Gaz

I agree with Gaz, do your cuts THEN mix the addy!

Same here mate do the cuts, number them on the back and the wall / floor as you go along mate to help remember which fits where and then stick em all in one go. I find this much quicker in any case than doing a cut, sticking it, then going back and doing another cut etc. Easier on the knees and back aswell less getting up and down

I've been using tubbed for walls but fixing 10x8 tiles.

In future I may use bagged as opposed to tubbed.

Originally Posted by cornish_crofter

I've been using tubbed for walls but fixing 10x8 tiles.

In future I may use bagged as opposed to tubbed.

Im assuming thats 10" x 8" mate so if my maths is upto scratch thats 254mm x 203 approx, I personally wont fix anything over 250 x 250 with tubbed although i think you can go to around 300 x 300, purley because of issues with tubbed addy setting by evaperation and not setting in the middle of the tile properly or quickly enough due to the size trapping moisture in.

I won't and haven't gone above 300 x 300 because of the same reason.

Having said that I have had issues with tubbed addy not drying with smaller tiles if I've been stupid.

This forum is tempting me away from tubbed addy in general but the problem is it's so damned handy.

On the drying note, I find that tubbed addy dries really quickly on hardibacker, so quickly in fact that I was checking batch codes on the tubs!

I use tubbed for splashbacks. Bathrooms use powdered gear, usually some brand of SPF. Client supplied Technik this week, not too fond of it at the best of times, but there is loads of grit in it and its really pi55ing me off.
Got it tiles yesterday and today so its just to grout and im onto the next customer

I find the mapei keraflex has a good grip and great tub life.

Tubbed v Bagged for walls .....most opinions favour bagged over a certain size tiles....just what size is often the big question....substrate, cuts, speed, all play a part.....its a bit like blonde v brunette ......and everyone has an opinion !

Me ......i married a redhead !!

groucho if you can get it use PCIs nanolight spf for tile on tiles , or mapeis keraflex it has excellent high grab, but i would go for the nanolight its non slip even on tiles...

very rarely stick anything under 600x 300 nowadays, so bagged for me!

Yes andy-p your so right Pci nanlight is the dogs nuts but dont stock it anywhere in southampton. Ive done the bathroom and I have to say bagged gear is better. Ok you have to mix but theres no guessing about wonder if its gone off yet. sometimes when work gets busy you may of grouted before you should do ( as if we would ) peace of mind. I used bal standard spf £22ish from CTD ( 20kg). Which against a tub of ready mixed (ardex d20 ) £13.50 CTD is dear but using a 6mm trowel is the sqm coverage better? I normally get about 5 sqm a tub. what would you get from a 20kg bag? cmon all you bag tilers tell. with a whisk 7/8? So maybe theres no price difference. In which case Bagged it is. Ta groucho