Off topic from xrayx - Page 2 - Ceramic Tile Advice Forums

Tesara · 05-27-2013, 09:36 AM

There are many conflicting standards by the industry and not all instructions are of in sync to devise a single linear view of the standards... And every couple of years, the standards change... Examples would be fabric versus liquid waterproof versus liners, etc...

On this forum I recall one manufacturer which was instructing a soupy thinset... Mastics are not disapproved for usage in areas of kitchen and bath when not getting soaked with water and the instructions indicate that so how can their usage be substandard...

As far as I am concerned instructions are fine but they can not enforce integration of different products in all situations because there is no single way of doing it... That's when expert opinion is good because they can be more specific as what usage would be a disaster even when instructions are not violated....

Sometime violation of expert opinion would be hacking it but not necessarily substandard too.... because the code is not getting violated... because standards are not conforming to each other... and time is changing the standards... There are not many plywood constructed houses where I live and they engineered wood flooring and they lay tiles on and these houses which are brand new houses according to some standard... so it is confusing..

gueuzeman · 05-27-2013, 09:37 AM

Ray- it's the rules, and it's not your sandbox. You also need to type in words, it's as bad as these others that type in "Texan."

Melissa. don't houses burn down with out of spec electrical installs?

Omnigrip- both indusrty standard AND manufacturer approved for use on shower walls. Just sayin', it is true. Read the spec sheet.

Of course, I am a no talent hack that doesn't mud walls or use panliners, one of the reasons I don't give advice in the shallow end.

.

XrayX · 05-27-2013, 09:49 AM

Don't use mastics or your house will burn down.

Tool Guy - Kg · 05-27-2013, 10:21 AM

There you go, Ray. Here in the Pro's Hangout, that kind of comment will be taken in jest. In the shallow end with DIY'ers who are earnestly trying to sift through all the murky information they're given by every Tom, Dick, and Harry, it's not so welcome.

I'm not much of a fan of mastic. But Gueuze is absolutely right. Type 1 mastic is industry and manufacturer approved for use in showers, provided you follow their exceptions that the exceptions of the other materials' manufacturer's exceptions.

But what is being objected to, what caused this thread in the first place, is Ray's advice to use mastic on glass and stone tiles to the DIY crowd.

Higher Standard Tile · 05-27-2013, 10:22 AM

Mastic is fine for small ceramic wall tile on dry interior walls and is easy to use.

Never seen any glass tile manufacturer that has mastic listed as an approved adhesive for their products.

Last time I checked a 3.5 gallon of Omnigrip is almost $60.
Normal mastic is just under $40.

But I can also buy a 50lb bag of Laticrete 4XLT for under $30 a bag that is nonsag and has much higher performance than mastic and it cost much less.

Just add water.

evan1968 · 05-27-2013, 10:48 AM

Mastic has its place in our world. Albeit a small place. When I see or hear of a "pro" using it outside that small place, the words "hack" and "lazy" come to mind.
We all take shortcuts in the tile world. They are calculated and thought out before hand to determine if they are detrimental to the overall outcome in the long and short term.
Taking shortcuts because they save time and work without looking at the long term is not what pros in the business do.
My 2 cents....

K_Tile · 05-27-2013, 12:32 PM

Following directions are fine it you are controlling every aspect of a job. You have to understand the principles of why things are done.

In a commercial world you can not be static in a dynamic environment. Waiting for lab tested conditions will cause you to be sitting at home.

Rules are always "bent" to get to the same outcome. You have to trust your gut, reputation and bank acct to play your own way.

XrayX · 05-27-2013, 04:50 PM

Standards are good. But this tread was just about using mastic on a stone and glass mosaic kitchen backsplash. Nothing more. And I stand behind it. But that is really the only place I would use mastic. Or some place similar. If people have doubt take a piece and stick it to sum drywall with both (mastic and thinset)let it set then try to remove it and let's see what is the point of failure. Just not a piece on the wall scrap.