In order to enjoy undamaged and visually attractive tile floors and walls for a long time, the right product selection and professional tile installation play a key role.
Tile adhesives are used to securely and permanently attach tiles to various types of substrates. Today, you will find a wide range of different products in the shops that take into account the requirements of the application, the types of substrate and the surrounding conditions. Quality and properties are always crucial to the final result.
The European standard EN 12004 sets standards for tile adhesives. The standard thus helps professionals to ensure that products meet the required quality standards for specific projects, applications and enables the selection of the right adhesive. The standard covers various properties such as bond strength, workability, flexibility and water resistance.
Adhesion: this is the ability to adhere to the surface of the tile and the underlying surface. This ensures that the cladding stays in place.
Moisture Resistance: tile adhesive must be moisture resistant because areas such as bathrooms and showers often come into contact with water.
Flexibility: the adhesive should be flexible enough to compensate for surface irregularities and minimise the risk of tiles cracking.
Drying time: if the adhesive is fast-drying, it allows work to continue without waiting. Conversely, slow-drying adhesives allow large areas to be tiled at once.
Type of material to be bonded: The adhesive should be designed and suitable for specific types of tiles such as ceramic, porcelain or glass.
When using tile adhesive, it is important to follow the manufacturer's specifications and application instructions to ensure a permanent and safe tile installation. Incorrect application of the adhesive can lead to problems such as chipped or cracked tiles or cracked and gouged joints etc.
