Lupe EMO - European Mortar Organisation

Tile adhesives and grouts


Today, tiles are laid over the entire surface using the thin-bed method. Basically, a distinction is made between cementitious and non-cementitious tile adhesives, whereby within these two categories there are again different variants. 

  • Cement adhesive; usually consists of a cement-sand base and various additives and are available as dry mixtures in bags or buckets. To be ready for use, the powder only needs to be mixed with water to form a lump-free mortar mass. The adhesive effect is created by hydraulic curing.
  • Flex adhesive; a cement adhesive to which plastic additives are added. As a result, it remains relatively flexible even after hardening and compensates for vibrations that occur, for example, when a floor is walked on.
  • Natural stone adhesive; a cement adhesive that binds water more quickly than conventional adhesives to prevent discolouration of the natural stone. In addition, the adhesive is usually white or transparent.
  • Fluid bed adhesive; cementitious tile mortar that is easy to apply over a large area, levels out small irregularities and adheres well to the undersides of the tiles.
  • Dispersion adhesive; ready-mixed product that arrives on the construction site in buckets. It consists of plastic particles finely dispersed in water. When hardened, a dispersion adhesive is more flexible than cement mortar. However, it requires a longer drying time and is not suitable for outdoor use.
  • Reaction resin adhesive; adhesives based on epoxy resin or polyurethane resin which must be mixed with a hardener before use. They are flexible after curing and are characterised by high adhesive strength.

Grout is a building material used to fill joints between building materials such as tiles, stone or concrete. It is an integral part of the installation of tiles and other floor coverings and contributes significantly to the stability and appearance of the finished floors.

 

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