Tiles cannot be stuck to the concrete floor directly with proprietary tile adhesive as the flatness is not assured while the slab is poured. So, invariably you will need to create an additional base with sand and mortar to obtain a flat levelled surface for fixing the tiles.
Cement slurry has been conventionally used for fixing floor tiles. Cement is mixed with water to obtain a honey-like consistency and this slurry is spread on the freshly laid CM screed and tiles fixed tamping with a wooden or rubber mallet.
This methodology of installing floor tiles is well suited for Ceramic Tiles due to its porous body. Ceramic tile is made from clay and sand and a ceramic coating on the surface. The porous structure of the ceramic tile is sufficient for the cement gel to create a mechanical bond with the substrate and tile.
With technological advancements, vitrified tiles have gained popularity as it offers plenty of benefits over a ceramic tile. They are more durable and scratch resistant, consistent in size, shades and thickness. Also, Vitrified tiles have very less water absorption as they have very low porosity. Vitrified tiles are manufactured through a process called ‘vitrification’ which gives them their low porosity. This low porosity inhibits the ‘mechanical’ key bonding of the tile to the substrate and could result in debonded/loose tiles.
To overcome these problems, instead of the traditional cement paste, it is recommended to use a polymer modified slurry adhesive, in slurry form as a ‘wet-on-wet’ application over the freshly laid screed. This will ensure a strong bond between the screed and the vitrified tiles.
Advantages
- Fast and efficient – has long open time enabling larger spread areas
- Non-shrink adhesive
- Easy to use, only mix with water
- Better bonding strength
- Can be grouted within 24 hours without waiting for the moisture to evaporate
S 15 C is a polymer modified, high strength, grey cement-based adhesive used in slurry consistency for fixing vitrified tiles, ceramic tiles and stable natural stone installation.
S 15 C, mixed to a soft, wet slurry consistency is applied with a flat side of a trowel over the plastic, semi-dry mortar bed. The slurry is usually just 1 mm – 2 mm thick. The tiles are placed in the wet slurry and “beat-in” with a rubber mallet
Image caption- S 15 C polymer adhesive used for slurry consistency
Key features are:
- Longer working time compared to cement slurry
- Economical: Suitable for tiling on fresh screed
- Suitable for vitrified tile installation, ceramic tile installation and stable natural stone installation.
S 15 C is provided by ARDEX ENDURA India. They develop products you can trust and rely on. The comprehensive portfolio of products encompasses Tiling & Stone Care products.With the guidance and support from the ARDEX group, ARDEX ENDURA remains the quality leader in the industry, offering excellent building chemicals with supreme processing reliability. With 31 branches all over India and strategically positioned state-of-the-art manufacturing plants,
For more details of the product, visit https://www.ardexendura.com/s15c/
