Selecting the right tile adhesive
Before you start your tiling project it is important to select the correct type of tile adhesive for the tiles that you are fixing. There is not one single tile adhesive that can be used with all tile and all substrates.
Never purchase a tile adhesive because it is cheap and steer well clear of the combined tile adhesives and grout as these products are normally much less effective than a separate tile adhesive and grout.
There are a few major manufactirers of tile adhesives, Popular brands include Dunlop, BAL adhesives and Ardex. These adhesives can vary in price depending on where you purchase them from, it is often best if you can purchase adhesives from tile shops or builders merchants rather than DIY stores as they can often offer a much better price.
If you are going to be tiling onto wood, then you will require a flexible adhesive, so that it will not crack and break free from the floor when it expands or contracts.
Be extremely careful when fixing natural stone tiles such as Marble or Granite. It is of vital importance that when fixing these types of tiles that you get an adhesive that is a similar colour to the colour of the tile that you are fixing and so if you were fixing black granite tiles you would choose a black or dark grey coloured adhesive. These types of tiles should always be fixed using a solid bed trowel, if you were to use a serrated trowel you may see the trowel marks through the marble.
Natural stone tiles such as marble are very easily stained and great care must be taken when fixing or handling them. You may also have to seal the tiles before you can grout them or you may stain the tiles with the grout.
Rapid or fast setting adhesives sound like a good idea, but you have to be quick when using this type of adhesive as it sets really quickly. Mix rapid setting tile adhesive on a hot day and you may find that the adhesive has set before you have fixed the tile!
