Tile adhesives

It is where we practically wake in the mornings and refresh ourselves at the end of a busy workday. As a result, the furnishing, the colours, and the quality of tiling used have an ever stronger emphasis. This is one of the reasons we are calling it the bathROOM. In order that the tiles and accessories installed serve us “unseen” and for as long as possible, apart from their being high quality, the use of appropriate tiling materials has a very important role as well.

Due to the extremely wet environment, during the construction it is important to apply a layer of MAPEGUM WP to the surrounding area of the shower enclosure and the bathtub. This so called liquid foil will protect the walls and tiled areas from damages caused by water seeping through the almost invisible capillaries. Due to this important and very useful characteristic, it is advisable to use them in upstairs bathrooms, and in the case of the floors of houses built with lightweight construction technique. For surfaces prepared as such ADESILEX P9 adhesive should be used while for large or special tiles the use of KERAFLEX adhesive is the best option. For places without water-proofing and where the quality and the water absorption of the tiles make is possible, the use of the high quality KERABOND adhesive – that is a viable option for indoor gres tiles as well – is highly advisable. In the case of minimal construction and utilization requirements – e.g. faced walls or water absorptive tiles – the use of KERASET adhesive can be an ideal option.

Due to the size, quality and diverse surface characteristics of the base available recently it is getting more and more important to choose an adhesive most suitable for the task at hand. Following the installation, these products “stay in the background” i.e. cannot be seen during everyday use. In order to avoid them “coming in the foreground” later it is inevitable to always pick to correct one. Long life and problem free use can only be expected from products with perfect technical characteristics.

Grouts and sealers

Filling the visible joints either KERAKOLOR or ULTRACOLOR grouting mortar must be used. In the case of the previous 10 while the latter 26+3 modern tones are available, making it possible for the user to pick the colour most closely matching that of the tiles laid – all of them blending with the tones of modern sanitary-ware as well.

In the case the water-proofing is also applied into the system, the use of ULTRACOLOR is a must.

Tips and advises for grouting

Grouting plays a vital role in the overall aesthetics of hard-tiled surfaces. As such it is very important to pick the grouting material very carefully.

There are several different types of joints: thin, wide, sunk, aesthetically dark or light, blending with the tone of the tiles or contrasting them.

When choosing the grout, please consider the following:

• will it be used indoors or outdoors
• what type of tiling it will be used with
• what width of joint would you prefer
• is floor heating installed
• will there be continuous chemical load

The classification of grouts can help when choosing the proper grout:

CG1 – grouting mortar containing cement for normal stress
CG2 – grouting mortar containing cement for increased stress
RG2 – grouting mortar containing synthetic resin for increased stress
In the case the grouting mortar is to be used outdoors, with liquid foils indoors and outdoors, and where floor-heating is installed, it is advisable to use class CG2 grouting mortar.

A little help for picking the right colour:

• It is advisable not to use a too light tone for the floor, because it dirties faster and will require more frequent cleaning.
• It is good to know that light tone will enlarge the space, they create a wispy and youthful environment.
• Dark tones can be overemphasizing.
• Warm tones create a cosy interior.
• Always check the colour samples of the actual grouting mortars before making a purchase. The colours as represented on flyers and printed colour-cards could be different from the actual colour due to the limitations of printing techniques.
• Grouting materials used immediately next to each other must have the same manufacturer issued serial number.
• The Aqua icon found on the packaging means that the mortar has water-repellent characteristics.