Tile Adhesive
ISO 13007 standards for adhesives and grouts were established by the International Standards Organisation (ISO), they are used by more than 160 countries worldwide including Australia. A number of key ISO standards have an Australian equivalent. The standards are designed to permit architects, designers and industry practitioners to quickly select the right material for a specific project.
The Standards use an alphanumeric classification system, using simple letters and numbers.
For example, letters are used to describe the chemical nature (type) of an adhesive – (C, D & R), and any special characteristics e.g. F = Fast Setting, E = Extended open time. Numbers are used to determine if a product has Normal (#1) or Improved (#2) characteristics. Products classified as normal can be used where the bond strength is required to adhere floor tiles in environments where light to medium traffic loads are expected. Where heavy foot traffic is expected an improved product should be chosen.
Our leading manufacturers of adhesives used to install tile and stone products include ISO 13007 classifications and or relevant Australian Standards on packaging and related product literature to indicate the suitability of a product for a specific project. Competent tile retailers and fixers should be aware of these classifications and their relevance in regard to recommending the right products.
These standards provide consumers, specifiers and industry personnel with an opportunity to use the right product to install their wall and floor tiles.
Tried and tested adhesives are available to fix every kind of ceramic product ranging from tiny mosaics tesserae to giant 3000 x 1000 x 3 mm panels of porcelain.
Advice Regarding Special Characteristics
F = Fast Setting
In many instances early access to the tiled floor is desirable. For example, in a private residence with one toilet, or in a commercial environment where other tradespersons need to cross the floor, or work in that location, some adhesives set in two hours allowing early use of the floor. In normal circumstances tiled floors cannot be walked on or grouted for 24 hours.
T = Slip Resistant
In recent times popular wall tile formats have considerably increased in size and subsequently the tile’s weight, to the point where 300 x 600 mm tiles are a common wall tile format. In these instances, the letter ‘T’ indicates that the adhesive in question has high ‘grab’ properties, which will hold larger tiles in place, preventing tiles from sliding down the wall. This permits tile fixers to position spacer
pegs between the tiles and adjust each course of wall tiles ensuring that it is aligned correctly.
E = Extended Open Time
Adhesives which have an ‘E’ classification, boast a longer open time, a benefit which can be useful in conditions (hot days) when adhesive may dry rapidly and/or ‘skin’.
On very hot days tiling should cease when the temperature becomes excessive. Additionally, if the tiler spreads more
adhesive on the substrate than the manufacturer recommends the adhesive starts to ‘skin’ and dry, and lose its capacity to grab and create an effective bond with the installed tiles. It is critically important to follow the adhesive manufacturers’ instructions (published
on the product packaging and online) in regard to how much adhesive is applied.
The Standards use an alphanumeric classification system, using simple letters and numbers.
For example, letters are used to describe the chemical nature (type) of an adhesive – (C, D & R), and any special characteristics e.g. F = Fast Setting, E = Extended open time. Numbers are used to determine if a product has Normal (#1) or Improved (#2) characteristics. Products classified as normal can be used where the bond strength is required to adhere floor tiles in environments where light to medium traffic loads are expected. Where heavy foot traffic is expected an improved product should be chosen.
Our leading manufacturers of adhesives used to install tile and stone products include ISO 13007 classifications and or relevant Australian Standards on packaging and related product literature to indicate the suitability of a product for a specific project. Competent tile retailers and fixers should be aware of these classifications and their relevance in regard to recommending the right products.
These standards provide consumers, specifiers and industry personnel with an opportunity to use the right product to install their wall and floor tiles.
Tried and tested adhesives are available to fix every kind of ceramic product ranging from tiny mosaics tesserae to giant 3000 x 1000 x 3 mm panels of porcelain.
Advice Regarding Special Characteristics
F = Fast Setting
In many instances early access to the tiled floor is desirable. For example, in a private residence with one toilet, or in a commercial environment where other tradespersons need to cross the floor, or work in that location, some adhesives set in two hours allowing early use of the floor. In normal circumstances tiled floors cannot be walked on or grouted for 24 hours.
T = Slip Resistant
In recent times popular wall tile formats have considerably increased in size and subsequently the tile’s weight, to the point where 300 x 600 mm tiles are a common wall tile format. In these instances, the letter ‘T’ indicates that the adhesive in question has high ‘grab’ properties, which will hold larger tiles in place, preventing tiles from sliding down the wall. This permits tile fixers to position spacer
pegs between the tiles and adjust each course of wall tiles ensuring that it is aligned correctly.
E = Extended Open Time
Adhesives which have an ‘E’ classification, boast a longer open time, a benefit which can be useful in conditions (hot days) when adhesive may dry rapidly and/or ‘skin’.
On very hot days tiling should cease when the temperature becomes excessive. Additionally, if the tiler spreads more
adhesive on the substrate than the manufacturer recommends the adhesive starts to ‘skin’ and dry, and lose its capacity to grab and create an effective bond with the installed tiles. It is critically important to follow the adhesive manufacturers’ instructions (published
on the product packaging and online) in regard to how much adhesive is applied.
General Types of Tile Adhesive
Cement Based adhesives use a mechanical bond to attach a tile to a substrate in that when mixed with water the cement sends “hooks” or “anchors” into minute holes in the substrate and the tile and ‘holds’ the two together.
(Cement based adhesives should not be used on walls over white set plaster as it reacts with the plaster to create salt crystals that ‘grow’ that can eventually force the tiles off the wall.)
Standard Grade
In its basic form a Standard cement based adhesive consists primarily of cement and small amounts of other ingredients such as water retentive agents or plasticisers to improve the workability of the adhesive and reduce the amount of water required to give a workable mix.
Generally, Standard Cement Based adhesives are suitable for porous tiles laid onto concrete or cement render type substrates.
“Super” Grade
Super Grade adhesives are a mix of cement with polymer or latex additives providing a significant part of the mix to improve curing of the adhesive under ambient conditions and to allow limited flexibility. Super Grade adhesives are a premium grade cement based adhesive formulated to produce an extra high strength bond for the fixing of less porous tiles onto rigid surfaces.
“Flexible” Cement Based Adhesives
To cater for the ever increasing density (vitrification) of Ceramic Tiles premium grade off white flexible adhesives have been developed to fix tiles onto a variety of surfaces.
‘Rubber’ Based adhesives use a chemical bond to fix Ceramic Tiles to a substrate. Rubber based adhesives generally consist of a water based organic polymer (liquid) to which cement (powder) is added and mixed together to form the adhesive.
Two Part, rubber based adhesives are generally flexible and waterproof and are designed to withstand some vibration or movement of the surface where conventional cement based adhesives are too rigid.
(Cement based adhesives should not be used on walls over white set plaster as it reacts with the plaster to create salt crystals that ‘grow’ that can eventually force the tiles off the wall.)
Standard Grade
In its basic form a Standard cement based adhesive consists primarily of cement and small amounts of other ingredients such as water retentive agents or plasticisers to improve the workability of the adhesive and reduce the amount of water required to give a workable mix.
Generally, Standard Cement Based adhesives are suitable for porous tiles laid onto concrete or cement render type substrates.
“Super” Grade
Super Grade adhesives are a mix of cement with polymer or latex additives providing a significant part of the mix to improve curing of the adhesive under ambient conditions and to allow limited flexibility. Super Grade adhesives are a premium grade cement based adhesive formulated to produce an extra high strength bond for the fixing of less porous tiles onto rigid surfaces.
“Flexible” Cement Based Adhesives
To cater for the ever increasing density (vitrification) of Ceramic Tiles premium grade off white flexible adhesives have been developed to fix tiles onto a variety of surfaces.
‘Rubber’ Based adhesives use a chemical bond to fix Ceramic Tiles to a substrate. Rubber based adhesives generally consist of a water based organic polymer (liquid) to which cement (powder) is added and mixed together to form the adhesive.
Two Part, rubber based adhesives are generally flexible and waterproof and are designed to withstand some vibration or movement of the surface where conventional cement based adhesives are too rigid.
