Using Proper Tile Setting Materials.......

I'm sure this has been written a thousand ways.............
But choosing the right setting material for your job is very important.

there are certain types of adhesives used to set various types of tile.

The most common used material is thinset. thinset mortar is a blend of
portland cement, finely graded sand and a water retention compound
that allows the cement to hydrate.

There are many different types of thinset out there in grey and white color, multi purpose, polymer modified, un-modified, sanded, un-sanded, fast setting or high quality latex modified thinset mortars like flex and super flex.

With advancements in thinset there are also types of thinset coming out
now to deal with various situations like cracks and soundproofing.
Laticrete's 125 is a lightweight, superior crack prevention and sound
abatement mortar for ceramic tile and stone.

There is even Ditra-set by Bostik/Durabond/Hydroment.
which is a excellent non modified thinset for setting ceramic, porcelain,
and stone tile over Schluter-DITRA and Schluter-KERDI.

Each one has a special place when doing a certain type of tile work.
so be sure to either use a Qualified, Educated Tile Contractor,
or do a good amount of research prior to tackling a tile project.
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Ameris Bank Tile Project in Jacksonville, Florida

The Tile was Ergon Engineered Porcelain Tile Alabastro Evo spec'd by
the Ameris Bank & Architect and purchased through Virginia Tile Co.
The Builder was Auld-White Constructors.

Laticrete thinset was used on this project.
255 Multimax on the walls and 252 Silver on the floors.

TEC AccuColor XT #933 Standard Grey was spec'd and used on walls & floors.


**Click on Picture to Enlarge**





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Follow Ceramictec on Twitter........

I cant say enough good things about Laticrete's SpectraLock Epoxy grout...

I have been using Laticrete products now off & on for nearly 20 years.
But I cant say enough about the SpectraLock grout.

Yeah cement grouts have came a long way with TEC's Accucolor, Custom's Prism and Laticrete's PermaColor.

But when you want to get right down to it and make sure you have a 100% stain proof grout, you need to go with SpectraLock. It's by far is the best epoxy grout
I have used.

Even with all the horror stories of the epoxies being a pain to get off and
with the haze, it isn't much of a factor with the SpectraLock.




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Florida Exterior Tile Deck Leak Failure

We looked at a job a few weeks ago. deck over occupied space.
slate tile on a pitched to a center drain, not so good.

owner said water puddled in a few area's and to the right of the drain,
but that wasn't the main problem...............

seems like the builder had some not so good primary waterproofing under it.
the tile sub sealed the slate and thought that would keep the water out of the mud, well it didn't and rain water saturated it. the drain was not a clamping ring drain and no thought was put into this deck or where water would go if and when it got into the mud bed.

within a year the grout showed efflorescence everywhere
and the drywall ceiling below came crashing down on his lanai.

The homeowner was sold on Schluter Ditra as an uncoupling
membrane and a mud waterproofing to stop the mud from getting
saturated and to also stop efflorescence.


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so we gutted slate, mud & cut out up the wall a little.
fixed plywood decking, sistered some rotted beams.

re waterproofed with ProtectoWrap as a primary roofing waterproofing.



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did the mud bed next.


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then we did the Ditra, Kerdi-band & Tile.


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Grouted and finished.
stucco & painters will finish wall above tile base.



Finished shot.



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Welcome To Ceramictec's Blog

This informational portal is to provide a informative flooring tips for Florida homeowners interested in “Quality Tile Installations".

We also strive to help homeowners explore the many options available in flooring by featuring quality products from only the best manufacturers.

Remember Do-It-Yourself can sometimes be more trouble than it’s worth, always consult a professional flooring contractor before attempting to DIY.

it can save you lots of time and money and your safety it also paramount.

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What to look for when hiring a Tile Contractor

I have recently came across a lot of homeowners only looking at the bottom dollar amount when hiring a flooring contractor.
Would you rather spend $2000 and it may last a year,
or spend $3500 and get a lifetime of enjoyment out of your purchase?
You would be wise to do your homework when choosing your contractor. In the past few weeks Ceramictec has torn out 2 showers, that have leaked within the year of being completed. One shower was installed by a concrete contractor.
I think he figured putting thin set under the tiles or pouring concrete was about the same.
The homeowners aren’t thinking so now. Just because they did a nice job on your floor, or kitchen back splash, don’t take it for granted that they can do the same with your shower.

Make sure you ask questions.

Ask them if they put a preslope in?
How do they waterproof the shower?
What type of adhesive do they use?
Mastic or thinset?
How do they keep the weep holes around the drain clean?
How do they fasten the liner on the curb?
How many inches above the pan are they nailing the liner?
Are they using drywall or cement board?

These are just a few simple questions that can save
you a lot of Time, Money & Grief in the near future.