Adhesive For Tiles

[ltdknowledge]

I have been to purchase some tiles to day as a few on our drive have started to crack and loosen. I put this down to the fact that they had used cement and not packed the ground properly.

I'm under the impression that the adhesive is much better and stronger, as when i tiled my own house back in the UK the tile would break before the adhesive. I need this for the bathroom too. Is this something that is not used here as the tile wholesaler told me just to use cement.

Thanks

[tutsiwarrior]

bring in some local workmen and supervise them and you will get the job done properly.

for the life ob me I don't unnerstand why falangs insist on DIY in Thailand when local labor is competent and cheap...

[chownah]

We had some tile work done although I prefer to do it myself and I am certainly not going to try to explain to tutsiwarrior why I prefer to do it myself....anyway.....for the floors they did thick set mortar about 1 or 2 cm thick made from one part cement (not portland cement...the cheaper stuff that sets up more slowly and is used for floors and mortar) to about 2.5 parts coarse sand. For the walls they used thin set mortar made by mixing the same cement as described before and just enough water to make a thick paste...that's all....a very thick cement paste. Seems to have worked fine...none have fallen off in over a year. You need to remember to wet the tiles so that when you install them they are damp...not dry and not dripping wet. He set the tiles by positioning them and then tapping them repeatedly with the HANDLE of his hammer.

Chownah

[tutsiwarrior]

We had some tile work done although I prefer to do it myself and I am certainly not going to try to explain to tutsiwarrior why I prefer to do it myself....anyway.....for the floors they did thick set mortar about 1 or 2 cm thick made from one part cement (not portland cement...the cheaper stuff that sets up more slowly and is used for floors and mortar) to about 2.5 parts coarse sand. For the walls they used thin set mortar made by mixing the same cement as described before and just enough water to make a thick paste...that's all....a very thick cement paste. Seems to have worked fine...none have fallen off in over a year. You need to remember to wet the tiles so that when you install them they are damp...not dry and not dripping wet. He set the tiles by positioning them and then tapping them repeatedly with the HANDLE of his hammer.

Chownah

you don't haveta explain nothin' to me mate...we's pals...

[Gary A]

As Chowna has said, they trowel on mortar and tap the tiles in place with their hammer handle. They tend to leave a low spot where the middle of the tile will be to give the excess mortar a place to go. If you tap on the tiles after they have set you will hear a hollow sound near the center of each tile. They stick pretty good. I put a shelf under the bathroom sink so the water wouldn't lay there. Actually it's not a shelf but 4 inch blocks laid flat with tile on top of the blocks. After the guy started I heard a lot of hammering. He was actually taking up the old tile. They were chipping off a little piece at a time. I told him to just put the new mortor right on top of the old tile. Why he was trying to take up the old tile is a mystery.

[ltdknowledge]

bring in some local workmen and supervise them and you will get the job done properly.

for the life ob me I don't unnerstand why falangs insist on DIY in Thailand when local labor is competent and cheap...

Because i enjoy DIY, and from what i've seen. No need to explain.

[nikster]

bring in some local workmen and supervise them and you will get the job done properly.

for the life ob me I don't unnerstand why falangs insist on DIY in Thailand when local labor is competent and cheap...

Because i enjoy DIY, and from what i've seen. No need to explain.

LOL indeed.

I agree with the "cheap" part. As for competent -... well TIT, the standards are a little bit different over here. I am far north in the country and I built a contemporary concrete house, and despite being very kreng jai it was a battle... and don't look too closely at the finishings.

[tutsiwarrior]

get yerself sum nice rattan furniture that folks can admire an' no one will notice the crummy finishings...worked a treat for me...

my house is adorned with beautiful, brown, sprawling long legged adolescent thai girls (the step daughter, nieces and their friends) so folks wouldn't even notice the furniture...

no need for interior decorators...

[excaliber]

I have been to purchase some tiles to day as a few on our drive have started to crack and loosen. I put this down to the fact that they had used cement and not packed the ground properly.

I'm under the impression that the adhesive is much better and stronger, as when i tiled my own house back in the UK the tile would break before the adhesive. I need this for the bathroom too. Is this something that is not used here as the tile wholesaler told me just to use cement.

Thanks

Unfortunately most tile applications in Thailand are done the old fashioned way as described by Chownah. The sad part of this process is that there is little to no adhesion putting tiles directly on concrete. In addition, repairs are messy, noisy and lengthy with this process, and this process usually leaves voids or large air pockets under the tile where eventually the tiles above the voids will break.

The Proper method is first:

Pour a proper concrete slab, wall, curb, etc., making sure it drains properly, 1/4" to the foot in the west, 1cm to 1.00m here, semi-smooth finish with a steel trowel. Allow the concrete to dry for minimum of 2 weeks. For a large slab, 28 days is the proper time to allow concrete to reach it's maximum strength. The process is called hydration. On small areas you can usually apply the tiles the next day or so without any problems, although, contrary to Thai methods, always use as little water as necessary to apply the concrete, same with the thinset. Somewhere along the line someone forgot to inform the Thai workers that after the water evaporates, air takes its' place....

Then applying the tiles using Thinset (poon tokay) with a notched trowel. Utilizing joint spacers if you want a near perfect job and if the joint is large than 1/4", mix fine "clean" sand in with the grout or commonly known here as "yahnell"

I'm in Isaan and thinset (poon tokay) is available up here in just about every building material shop. It cost about 120 baht for a 20kg bag. If you are near a Global Supply you can get imported poon tokay in several different qualities. Even some for applying tiles to wood or gypsum and it's totally waterproof.

The second method I've described will make repairs quicker, easier and less noisy.

Remove the broken or cracked tile, scrape the poon tokay off until the concrete is smooth again. Re-apply the thinset with a knotched trowel (if available), allow it to dry several hours, then fill in the joints with grout. Make sure and keep some from the orignal tile job so the color remains consistant.

You can also mix in with the grout, an additive that resists most chemicals and impurities from well water or city water (nam prapah); manganese, calcium, etc., etc. The additives are also available at Global and most probably HomeMart.

Good Luck...

[macb]

Hope your taking notes there could be a written exam later

And if its an objective exam in Thai none of the answers will relate to the questions