What glue to use when working with porcelain stoneware?

Many owners like to make repairs in the apartment with their own hands, but do not always know how to handle building materials. If the glue for porcelain tile is chosen incorrectly, the lining can quickly fall off - and instead of the joy of a job well done, a person will get disappointed. Previously, there were no such issues; all facing products were fastened to cement and held so firmly that it was very difficult to dismantle them. If you do the same with modern materials, decorative elements may fall off the very next day, because the liquid of the solution is not absorbed into the ceramic tile lining and does not create a strong fastening.

Porcelain glue requirements

Since the plates must be firmly held on the base, it is very important to choose the right adhesive for porcelain stoneware, which will fix the lining and prevent it from falling off. Much depends on where you want to arrange the finish: inside a constantly heated room, frost resistance and moisture resistance do not matter, but when facing facades, you should pay attention to this quality.

The adhesive should have the following properties:

• good adhesion to the tile and base;
• water resistance;
• ductility;
• high strength;
• environmental safety.

If you are going to clad stoves, fireplaces, then pay attention to the heat resistance of glue. The composition should be elastic, do not change the volume with temperature changes. If the solution shrinks, the tile will crack and all work will have to be redone. The same requirements must be considered when choosing materials in order to arrange a warm tiled floor. Read the instructions, it should indicate that the composition is suitable for hot surfaces. When facing structures inside, make sure that there are no asbestos fibers in the composition. This material is hazardous to health and is prohibited for internal use. Remember that tiles cannot be glued on hot surfaces. Do not heat stoves and fireplaces, turn off the heating of the underfloor heating, wait until the base cools down, and proceed to work. Only when the adhesive for porcelain stoneware is completely dry can the heating system be switched on.

Tip

When you buy glue for porcelain stoneware for outdoor use, look at the packaging. There should be a letter F, indicating frost resistance, and numbers showing how many frosts and defrosts the composition will withstand.

When buying a dry mix, pay attention to how long you can use the prepared solution. If you take up work for the first time, install the plates slowly, and the composition needs to be worked out in just one hour, then during this time you will have time to install just a few tiles - and you will have to prepare a new mixture. Choose a brand with a life time of up to 8 hours. Do not chase compounds that quickly harden - when the mortar is set, you will not be able to fix a badly installed tile.

What to consider when buying glue?

Adhesive consumption should be indicated in the instructions. Usually 1 m² 2 to 5 kg are required. To install thick heavy slabs of material, more is required, since for reliable fixing the composition will need to be applied in a thick layer. The smoother the surface of the base, the less mix you will need. Be sure to take all materials with a margin, especially if you are doing this kind of work for the first time. It will be very annoying to interrupt the process and run to the store for a new batch of materials. In addition, there is no guarantee that this item is still on the counter.

Porcelain tiles weigh a lot, the fastening must be very reliable. The thicker the facing material, the stronger the brand of glue is required. If you will work at an ambient temperature below + 15⁰C, take a composition that dries quickly. If it is warm in the room or on the street, choose a material that sets more slowly so that you not only have time to finish, but also inspect the work and adjust the lining.

The basis of many adhesive mixtures for porcelain tiles are Portland cement and sand. If you mix the mixture of these two components with water, you will get the usual mortar for plastering or masonry work. As already mentioned, for surfaces that do not absorb water, this option is not suitable.

In order for the composition to adhere well to a smooth plate, special additives are introduced into it:

• methyl cellulose ether reduces setting speed so that you can straighten uneven slabs;
• starch ether does not allow the solution to deform;
• polymer powder improves adhesion of porcelain stoneware to the base, increases the ductility of the compound;
• cellulose fibers retain moisture, help fix the lining in the right position, prevent cracking.

You will not be able to apply the solution in a perfectly even layer, all the same, there will remain pits and elevations in which air bubbles form. It is advisable to buy a spatula with glue, which imposes the solution in strips in the form of cavities and ridges. Such a surface will allow the cladding to be glued evenly, without cavities, due to which cracks appear and the tile may fall off. To choose the right tool, look at the recommendations for the adhesive composition, the spatula number should be indicated there. Do not forget to purchase grout for joints. Choose a finishing mixture of the same manufacturer as the adhesive for porcelain tiles, then there will be no problems with the compatibility of materials.

Which glue is better?

Often the buyer consults with the seller and asks which glue for porcelain tile is the best, buys the recommended brand and remains satisfied. Friends and neighbors ask him for advice, acquire the same material, but they will be disappointed. The fact is that each composition is good for a specific purpose, it is necessary to take into account both the structure of the base and the conditions in which the cladding will be operated. For example, friends put facing materials on Knauf and are very pleased with the results of their work. Do not run to the store for material of the same brand, first look at how their tiles look. Small squares of no more than 30x30 cm in size will fall well on this glue, but if you are going to install huge heavy blocks, the manufacturer will not give any guarantee that they will hold.

If you do not want to dilute the solution, purchase a ready-made one-component composition. It is available as a paste, has good elasticity and does not set for a long time. The two-component mixture is prepared on a polyurethane or epoxy basis. It is recommended to glue porcelain tiles with such mixtures on a wooden, metal, plastic or drywall base.

Every professional is used to working with a particular brand of mixtures, so their advice often contradicts each other. You can choose any type you like if you follow the basic rule: you need to buy materials only in a specialized shopping center. Usually there are no fakes and substandard goods. If you are having difficulty, qualified managers will give the necessary advice and explain how one staff is different from another.

The most famous brands

• “Cerezit SM-11” can be used for finishing wet rooms.
• Hercules is a very strong adhesive for porcelain stoneware; it can be used when installing large-sized plates, with good quality, the price is lower than that of similar imported compounds.
• Eunice Granite can be used in the installation of heavy elements both inside the building and on the facade.

Choosing the right adhesive for porcelain is easy. Before going to the store, carefully measure the structure that you are going to revet, write down all the requirements for the material: frost resistance, heat resistance, moisture resistance. Be sure to tell the seller which base the tile will be mounted on. You can read the data on the packaging yourself or contact the manager for help. Your case is not unique, the necessary goods will certainly be found.