Do you always need the highest quality flexible ceramic tile adhesive, or is a standard tile adhesive sufficient, given its much lower cost? When is flexible adhesive necessary?
When building or renovating, expenses can quickly exceed your budget. This often stems from the natural desire to purchase higher-quality materials. This applies to tile adhesives as well.
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Today’s market offers a much broader range of ceramic tile adhesives compared to previous years. Manufacturers provide a wide variety of products for different applications. A common issue is that contractors usually advise purchasing higher-quality adhesive. This is understandable since it makes their work easier and ensures they can guarantee their work.
Moreover, modern flexible adhesives offer extended working time, allowing contractors to work longer and more comfortably with one adhesive mix, offering more time for adjustments.
When a contractor suggests using flexible adhesive, few people understand the details or are willing to take risks. After all, ceramic tiles are meant to last for many years, and most people don’t want to compromise quality for savings.
When Flexible Adhesive Isn’t Necessary
Sometimes, flexible adhesives simply aren’t required, especially considering their higher cost. When installing absorbent ceramic tiles, top-quality flexible adhesive isn’t needed because the tile backs form an excellent bond with standard adhesives.
To clarify, absorbent tiles are usually more affordable and made from baked clay. Their reddish backs and inner structure absorb moisture and bond well with standard adhesives. When installing such tiles on mortar or concrete, using flexible adhesive would be an unnecessary expense.
When Flexible Adhesive Is Needed
Flexible tile adhesives are required for more demanding applications. When installing granite ceramic or porcelain tiles, the backs of these tiles do not absorb moisture and require higher-quality adhesives. This is particularly true for outdoor tiles exposed to temperature changes (day-night, winter-summer, sun-rain).
Underfloor heating systems don’t present significant thermal stress issues since the temperatures they produce aren’t high. The most significant thermal stress arises from sunlight. After a cold night, the sun heats the tiles rapidly, more quickly than the substrate below, especially if the tiles are darker in color. Thus, a flexible adhesive is necessary to compensate.
The same applies to large-format tiles. These large tiles expand and contract with temperature changes, so they need an adhesive that can accommodate this without detaching from the substrate.
Flexible adhesives are also recommended when installing new tiles over existing ones because the old tiles don’t provide an ideal surface for adhesive bonding.
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