What layer of tile adhesive should be applied

When planning to lay tiles with their own hands for the first time, beginners are faced with the question of which layer of tile glue to apply. Experienced craftsmen know: the larger the tile, the greater its weight, which means the more glue will be required for high-quality and durable cladding. In general, the manufacturer specifies the required thickness of application for each material, but it is useful to familiarize yourself with the general recommendations. 

Tile SizesWe have already found out that the more the tile weighs, the greater the layer of glue must be applied to the base.

Specialists often focus not on the weight, but on the size of the tile, which is generally consistent with the rule described above. For example, high-quality cement-based tile adhesive Teknofay C1T is optimally applied in this way:

• medium—sized tiles up to 10 cm - 2-3 mm layer
• up to 15 cm — 4 mm
• 20, 25 cm — 6 mm
• large plates of 40x40 or more will require at least 7 mm of glue layer.

FootingNaturally, these data are also very conditional.

For example, when gluing ceramic tiles, the layer can be reduced by 1-2 mm, but when facing with granite, on the contrary, it is advisable to use a thicker layer. The same applies to the place of facing: you should not make too large a layer of Teknofay C1T glue on the wall, because it is resistant to rolling, which means that the excess will only interfere with work. At the same time, the thickness of Teknofay C1T can be slightly increased when facing the floor. 

The surface quality deserves special attention when laying facing materials. Ideally, the floor or wall should be perfectly smooth, without the slightest cracks and irregularities. In practice, such a quality of the plane is very rare. It is better to seal large cracks with special cement-based repair compounds, for example Teknorep. However, if the master decides to align minor irregularities with tile glue, the application layer naturally increases. 

Water absorptionDo not forget about the absorption rates of tiles and the surface where the cladding is planned.

The moisture content of the solution should be appropriate, otherwise, after the glue dries, the tile will simply fall off. Naturally, the wet solution is somewhat wider than the mixture after drying, which means that when applying glue, it is worth correcting for this criterion. In simple terms, after drying, the layer will have a slight shrinkage.