Interesting Article by Fred Gray

Surface Preparation and the Specification of the Surface Profile 

by Fred Gray, LATICRETE Technical Service Manager

The below is an extract directly from the published article in Tile Today, Issue 84.

"Over the years, I have read many articles outlining the preparation requirements of concrete surfaces prior to the installation of a tiling system, including self-levelling underlayments and membranes. I have even penned one or two myself. The reoccurring themes of these outlines invariably provide good advice about the virtues of ensuring a proper, sound surface to tile or attach a membrane to. Surface preparation is a key element in the success of a tiling installation. After all, the job is only as good as the surface we are working on. This is something that can never be understated, as we all know.

There articles have concerned themselves with many of the desirable characteristics required for the installation of a tiling system – adequate structural integrity of the surface, correct flatness and surface planarity, and the right moisture content, to name but a few. 

Performance requirements are nearly always assigned to these characteristics by specifiers. To be able to comply with these requests by determining and measuring performance values is important and necessary. For instance, we can do tensile tests to determine the surface strength of concrete and we can put straight edges across a floor to measure its desired flatness before tiling. We can even insert probes into concrete slabs to measure moisture or humidity levels to ensure we meet the moisture content requirements of the various tiling system components." 

Click here to continue reading this interesting but yet informative article. 

Call 1800 331 012 for technical support or contact us here.