Buying the Right Tile Adhesive
Tiling a floor seems to be a pretty straightforward job. Just place the mortar on the substrate, apply the tiles, then finish off with grout. Unfortunately, many people fail at this kind of home improvement project. One of the main reasons of failure is that they used the wrong type of adhesive for the tile they are using. If you are about to lay down tiles on your own, then follow these guidelines when shopping for tile adhesive.
First, know what type of tiles you are using because this aspect, to a certain extent, determines the type of adhesive you should use. For instance, if you are installing white natural stone tiles, you should use a white adhesive.
Next, determine the surface where you are going to lay the tiles on. If you are tiling onto a wooden surface, choose a flexible adhesive so the tiles will not crack as the substance cures or when the floor flexes. If you are tiling on concrete in which the surface is hard and rigid, a standard adhesive is sufficient. If you intend to install an underfloor heating system, purchase a flexible, heat-resistant adhesive.
Next, pick the right colour of your adhesive. The standard one is coloured grey and can be used on many tiles. However, you might need to pick the right colour for certain types of tiles. Just like in the example above, choosing a grey adhesive over white natural stone tiles will allow the colour of the adhesive to soak through the tiles, ruining their finish. Finally, buy the right-sized trowel, which allows you to control the thickness of the adhesive application. This is important because if the adhesive is too thin, the tiles will shift and crack. Too thick an application can create an uneven surface.