Glue for tiles in the bathroom - which one to choose?

Ceramic tile is one of the most popular and common materials for the bathroom. Of course, the financial costs are serious, but the result is worth it. Even domestic products of the middle price segment look great, not to mention the collections of Italian premium masters. Let's talk about how to determine the quality glue for tiles in the bathroom, which one to choose so that it looks beautiful and soundly.

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Features of choice

The tile is a hard but brittle material, so the first glue that comes across should not be used. These tips will help you to choose the right adhesive. The choice is complicated by the fact that the humidity in the bathroom is high, and not every glue can withstand such an aggressive microclimate.

So, which tile adhesive is best for the bathroom? The following requirements apply to the adhesive for ceramic finishing material:

• High adhesion. The mass of tiles made of porcelain stoneware or just bulky items is quite large. Good glue instantly fastens the finish to the wall, preventing the tile from falling off after a while.
• Elasticity. It is essential that the adhesive be applied easily to the tiles or to the floor. If the glue is of high quality, then it does not flow even when applied in a thick layer.
• Good flowability. This is an important point, since a composition with good spreadability fills all the voids, chips and roughnesses of the base.
• Slow cure rate. This allows you to correct mistakes made when laying tiles, to correct flaws in time. If the glue dries quickly, you have to prepare it in small portions and lay the tiles quickly, not paying attention to quality. The slower the polymerization of the composition, the better the quality of installation.

Important! Not only the strength of the joint depends on the quality of the composition. Using bad glue can cause ceramics to crack from the smallest exposure.

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Tile adhesive for the bathroom - which is better?

All adhesive substances used for the installation of ceramic tiles, depending on the type of substrate, can be divided into such groups.

Cement

The cost of cement mortar is low. Tile adhesive in the bathroom is sold as a dry mix. The main advantage is the possibility of wall cladding without prior alignment. A skilled craftsman, adjusting the thickness of the layer, reveals the walls with filigree accuracy. Another positive feature is the relatively simple disassembly using a hammer drill.

Acrylic (artificial resins)

The dispersion adhesive contains thickeners and synthetic resins. They realize a ready-to-use composition in plastic buckets. Acrylic adhesive is easy to use, but the walls must first be leveled and plastered.

Important! Great for cladding drywall constructions. The disadvantage is the relative high cost.

Natural resins

If you are looking for waterproof tile adhesive in the bathroom, this is exactly what you need. Epoxy adhesives are used to create mosaics, as well as in saunas and pools. The minus of adhesives on natural resins is that it is very difficult to dismantle the tile, it comes off with parts of the base.

Important! The packaging indicates the chemical composition of the product, as well as recommendations for use.If you have to clad a concrete, drywall or wooden surface, be especially careful, because not all compounds are suitable for interaction with these surfaces.

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Criterias of choice

Sales consultations are not always true. Therefore, one must have certain basic knowledge on this issue in order to choose the best option. Here's what to consider when buying:

• Facing material. Cement mortar is optimal for concrete, dispersion for drywall construction.
• A kind of tile. If we are dealing with heavy, plastic tiles, then glue with increased ductility and adsorption is needed.
• Place of laying. Compositions intended for floors and walls differ from each other. For the floor, experienced craftsmen use cement compounds, which make it possible to bring out a completely flat floor without preliminary preparation.
• Color. It all depends on the type of tile. Glue of gray color is suitable for ordinary tiles; when laying mosaics, the composition of white color is more suitable.
• Dimensions of a tile. The larger they are, the better adsorption of the adhesive should be.
• Additional requirements. The use of antiseptics or fungicides makes the surface unattractive to pathogens. True, you will have to pay extra for this.

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How to calculate the flow?

This is an important point. Agree, it is annoying if it turns out that the glue was not enough during the installation process. For this reason, as such, work must be preceded by calculation. When calculating, it is necessary to take into account such moments:

• Curvature of facing surfaces. If the size of the irregularities is not more than 0.3 cm or the surface has been leveled from the very beginning, then the consumption of glue is minimal. If the floor and (or) walls are not aligned, then the flow rate of the solution will increase significantly.
• The structure of the back side of the tiles. The presence of grooves for better adhesion on the back of the tile leads to increased consumption of glue.
• The size of the tiles. Everything is simple here. To hold a larger cladding on the wall, more glue is required.
• Tile thickness. This is true for those who use tiles from different manufacturing companies. To level the difference in height, you will have to spend more glue.

Important! The approximate consumption of the adhesive can be calculated as follows:

• The consumption per square meter of wall indicated on the packaging, multiply by the area of ​​the lining.
• The result should be increased by 1.5-2 times. This is necessary, as a correction for the weight and dimensions of the cladding, as well as for the curvature of the walls.

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Stock footage

Armed with the necessary knowledge, you can safely go shopping to pick up the best tile adhesive for the bathroom. Have a good shopping and enjoy your work!