Gres De Valls General.pdf

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INSTALLATION
When choosing ceramic tiles and the types of materials to be used in
their installation, the following factors must be taken into consideration:
- Wall and floor tile characteristics.
- Characteristics of the installation substrate.
- Characteristics of bonding materials.
- The expected structural perfomance of the surface on which installation
will be performed.
- Ambient conditions to which tiles will be exposed to.
- The use to which tiles are to be put.
In drawing up these recommendations, we have based ourselves on THE
CERAMIC TILE GUIDE.
The purpose of this guide is to promote quality in building practices, and
it provides information about the proper specification in each phase of
the process, as well as about ceramic tile installation and use.
GDV recommends that you request information about adhesives and
grouting materials from your regular supplier, who will best be able to
help you.
INSTALLATION SYSTEM AND BONDING MATERIAL:
In order to determine what installation system is used, it will be necessary
to take into account the data previously defined in the selection process
such as tile type and format, whether tiles are installed in interiors or
exteriors, and the prior considerations pertaining to the substrate.
There are two installation systems to be considered: the thick-bed system
and the thin-bed system.
Thick-bed installation:
This is the tradiotional system, whereby tiles are placed directly on the
substrate, although type-1 sand bedding needs to be laid for floors. For
thick-bed installations, traditional mortar, pre-mixed mortar or additiveenhanced
cement is used for the preparation of the mortar (CM).
This is the most affordable system. It allows for the compesation of
greater defects in planarity. It does not require preliminary substrate
preparation.
Thin-bed installation:
Installation is performed on top of a regulating layer previously applied
to the substrate, whether on parge coats (walls) or mortar screeds
(floors).
This system is suitable for use with all types of tiles and is compatible
with all types of substrates. There are adhesives designed for each type
of installation and they are easy to use. Their use prevents the need for
on-site mixing and they have a high degree of adjustability. They allow
for greater deformability in the substrate and have a higher degree of
bonding strength.
With the thin-bed method, cement-based adhesives, or glue-mortars,
paste adhesives and reactive resin adhesives are used.
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· Cement-based adhesives (glue-mortars):
These are composed of a hydraulic binder (Portland cement), sand and
polymeric and organic additives.
Several types are available:
1) Conventional glue-mortar (A1)
2) Glue-mortar especially for plaster (A2)
3) High-performance glue-mortar (C1). It has greater bonding strength
than conventional mortar.
4) Glue-mortar with mixed binders (C2). Belonging to this group are
those glue-mortars containing a high ratio of polymeric resins (latex),
and which have a high degree of adherence and elasticity.
· Dispersion adhesives (Adhesive pastes) (D):
These are made up of a binder in aqueous polymeric dispersion, sand
and organic additives.
They have a paste-like consistency and ready to use.
· reactive resin adhesives (R):
They are made up of a reactive resin (epoxy or polyurethane), a hardener
(polyamines or polysocianate) and a mineral load (silica sand).
Hardening is produced via a chemical reaction; these are generally twocomponent
products.
CHARACTERISTICS OF BONDING MATERIALS:
- An essentials characteristic:
In choosing a bonding material, a very important factor is the adherence
or bonding strength established between ceramic tiles and the substrate.
This may be of two types:
· Mechanical adhesion: this is based on the penetration of the gluemortar
or adhesive into the pores of the materials to be bonded together.
Mechanical adhesion predominates among cement-based adhesives.
· Chemical adhesion: covers the formation of chemical bonds between
the adhesive and the piece. Chemical adhesion predominates among
polymeric resin-based adhesives.
- Other characteristics:
· Deformability: in installations on substrates where an average to high
degree of movements is expected, or which are exposed to strong
vibrations or thermal changes, the following measures should be taken;
the use of a deformable adhesive, the selection of a tile format smaller
than 30 x 30 cm, increased installation joint width, and an increased
number of expansion joints.
· Resistance to permanent contact with water.
· Open time: the maximun time interval after the application of the
adhesive, during which tiles may be installed without the adhesive losing
its proper degree of bonding strength. Exceeding an adhesive´s open
time is a frequent cause of tiles becoming detached. It is recommended
not to spread the adhesive in sections greater than 2 m 2 and to regularly
check the stickiness of the adhesive by prising up an already installed
tile.
INSTALLATION SYSTEM BONDING MATERIAL ADHERENCE DEFORMABILITY RESISTANCE TO CONTACT WITH
WATER
Thick bed CM - Cement mortar Low Slight Average
Thin bed
A1 - Glue-mortar Average Slight Good
A2 - Glue-mortar special for plaster Average Slight Average
C1 - High-performance Glue-mortar Average-High Slight Very Good
C2 - Glue-mortar w/mixed binders High High Good
D - Paste Adhesives High High Slight
R - Reaction resins Very High Average Very Good