How we supply it: Tile adhesive is arranged through a partner tile and sanitary dealer who quotes, supplies and bills it and pays us a referral commission. If your floors need a sand-cement screed first, the M-Sand comes from us by the load and can arrive a week ahead of the tiles and adhesive.
In one line: Tile adhesive is a factory-blended mix of cement, graded sand and polymers that is mixed with water and combed onto the surface in a thin bed to bond tiles.
Adhesive or sand-cement mortar?
| Point | Tile adhesive | Sand-cement mortar |
|---|---|---|
| Bed thickness | 3–6 mm, more for large tiles | 20–25 mm typical |
| Grip on vitrified tiles (water absorption 0.5% or less) | Strong | Weak; hollow tiles are common |
| Takes up an uneven base | No, needs a flat base | Yes |
| Weight added to the slab | Low | Higher |
| Speed and mess | Faster, cleaner | Slower |
| Where the sand comes from | Pre-blended in the bag | M-Sand or P-Sand by the load |
What is in the bag
Tile adhesive is a factory-blended mix of cement, graded sand and polymers that is mixed with water and combed onto the surface in a thin bed to bond tiles.
The polymers are what let it grip dense vitrified tiles. Plain mortar bonds mainly by soaking into a porous tile back, which vitrified tiles do not have.
Adhesive classes on the bag
| Class | Meaning | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| C1 | Normal cementitious adhesive | Ceramic tiles on indoor floors and walls |
| C2 | Improved adhesion | Vitrified, large-format, exterior and tile-on-tile |
| T suffix | Reduced slip | Wall tiling laid from the bottom up |
| E suffix | Extended open time | Large areas and hot weather |
| S1 or S2 | Deformable | Bases that move: boards, facades |
Bags per square metre
Typical estimate: ; consumption depends on notch size, tile back profile and how flat the base is.
- 6 mm notch (wall and small floor tiles): about 4–5 kg per m², so a 20 kg bag covers about 4–5 m² (45–55 sq ft)
- 10–12 mm notch (600 × 600 mm and larger floor tiles): about 6–8 kg per m²
- Back-buttering large tiles adds roughly 1–2 kg per m²
- Mortar-bed alternative: a 25 mm bed in 1:4 uses about 0.045 MT of M-Sand per m² plus cement
Laying with adhesive
- The base must be sound, clean and flat; screed uneven floors first.
- Mix with the water quantity on the bag using a slow drill paddle, rest five minutes, remix.
- Spread with the flat side of the trowel, then comb with the notched side in straight lines.
- Within the open time, press each tile in with a slight slide across the ridges; back-butter large tiles.
- Lift a tile now and then to check contact; floors and wet areas need near-full coverage.
- Grout after the waiting time printed on the bag, usually the next day.
Bond checks
- The bag shows the class (C1 or C2 with any T, E or S), the standard and the packing date.
- Powder runs free; reject bags that have hardened.
- Touch the combed bed after a few minutes; if it no longer sticks to your fingers, the open time is over, so scrape it off and re-spread.
- Once set, tap tiles with a coin or handle; a hollow sound means a void underneath.
- Check lippage between tiles with a straight edge.
Storing adhesive
- Store bags raised, dry and covered, exactly like cement.
- Use them before the shelf life printed on the bag.
- Mix only what can be used within the pot life and never re-temper with extra water.
Fixing mistakes that cause hollow tiles
- Dab-fixing tiles with spots of adhesive at the corners, leaving voids that crack under load.
- Spreading a big area and letting the open time pass.
- Mortar under vitrified tiles, which later sound hollow and pop.
- Adding cement or sand to the adhesive.
- No movement joints at the room edges and at intervals across large floors.