Heavy Duty Mortar Beds and Renders

The use of Heavy Duty Mortar Beds and Renders in 

modern-day tile and stone installation

With the tile and stone installation industry forever evolving, it is essential that the installation materials and methods develop accordingly. There are a number of contributing factors that can lead to a failure of a tile and stone install, however one of the largest causes of defects is incorrect surface preparation. With the weight and size of tile installations on the rise, it is critical that the surfaces adhered to be prepared with the correct products to ensure a successful and lasting project.

As technology and fashion dictate a greater use of large format and thinner ceramic & stone tile,  dimensional tolerances, and other surface preparation requirements increase. For without such tolerances and preparation, it is difficult to successfully install these tiles from both a technical and aesthetic prospective. 

Throughout the years a common method of installing renders or mortar beds has been with the use of sand and Portland cement mixes. Typically these mixes are done on-site at a ratio decided by the contractor, with minimal water added to make the material formable. There are a number of issues that lead to failure from this material being used in modern-day installations. They include but are not limited to; 

    1) Inconsistent and/or poor quality of raw materials;

    2) Poor blending of powders and;

    3) Application of the material in areas subject to load-bearing or heavy-duty wearing. 

There may be circumstances where a sand and cement screed mix may suffice, however, it is important to understand the situations in which you need to move to a stronger alternative.

The more traditional method of dimensionally correcting surfaces with non-proprietary screeds and renders has its technical limitations and time delays. As well as variation in the raw materials delivered to site and site mixing variation, once produced they may not be structurally sound enough for the proposed installation category, have the ability to work in thin section or be able to be worked over in relatively short periods of time.

At LATICRETE, we offer two products to provide lasting results for your mortar bed or render. 3701 Fortified Mortar Bed, is a polymer fortified blend of carefully selected polymers, Portland cement and graded aggregates. Without the need for a latex admix, 3701 Fortified Mortar Bed simply mixes with water for an exceptional strength mortar bed or render.

Furthermore, the use of 226 Thick Bed Mortar mixed with 3701 Mortar Admix is the complete solution for lasting stone and tile installations. When mixed with 3701 Mortar Admix, 226 Thick Bed Mortar boasts an impressive compressive strength ranging from 33.8 - 34.5 Mpa. Without the use of onsite blending of powders, LATICRETE premixed mortar beds ensure a consistent and strong mix. These products are both designed to withstand extra-heavy duty installations, even when applied to as little as feather edge thickness.

Understanding the product needed for your project is fundamental in creating a lasting installation. Click here for more information on LATICRETE Thick-Bed Mortars & Screeds.

For more information on LATICRETE trouble-free installation products, training, or technical support, contact your local LATICRETE Representative on 1800 331 012 - or email: sales@laticrete.com.au.