Setting Material
Did you know that porcelain tile requires specific setting material?
Porcelain is virtually impervious making it difficult to adhere to substrate. Because of this, porcelain tile requires a modified thin-set. Modified denotes that it contains a polymer, such as latex, which will create a bond, allowing the tile to adhere.
We carry modified thin-sets: Schluter All-Set, Laticrete 253 Gold series, and Mapei Ultraflex LFT (suitable for Large Format Tile).
When setting ceramic tile, we recommend different setting materials determined by where the ceramic tile is to be applied. Tile applied to floors or wet areas, such as showers, we recommend Laticrete thin-set which requires mixing. If large format tile is to be used, we recommend a thin-set that is specific for large format tile.
When ceramic tile is to be applied to walls, and areas where no water exposure will occur, we recommend Mapei Type 1 mastic. Mastic does not require mixing, and can be applied right out of the bucket.
Thin-set, white or gray?
Most thin-sets are available in white and gray, and should be chosen based on the grout and tile color to be used. This is because thin-sets can transfer through into the grout, and when lighter colored tiles are used, thin-set color can also transfer, (although, uncommon). If intending to use a dark grout, gray thin-set should be used, while light-colored grouts require white thin-set. Marble should always be set with white thin-set. White thin-set is more expensive than its gray counterpart, because it is more expensive to manufacture.
