i used acrylpro

[itspolo]

i think found this site too late
i keep reading that acrylpro ready mix tile adhesive is not the proper thing to use....but i did it based on a recomendation i recieved at home depot.

first tile job ever, i did the shower walls (6x8 ceramic tile) and bathroom floor NOT THE SHOWER FLOOR (2x2 mosaic), all with acrylpro.

i have read many recomendations that i should just start over, i still have to grout, can i just use a really good grout/sealer to waterproof the walls and floor in order to not do the entire tiling over again?

should i let it cure for a longer period of time before grouting? would that help?

please advise....
i have another bathroom that i want to do, hopefully all yoour advice will help
thanks in advance

[bbcamp]

No, there is nothing that will make that dog hunt. Scrape off the tiles before the mastic gets any harder and you'll be able to clean the mastic off the tiles by soaking in water.

What did you set the shower floor with?

[itspolo]

dont say that

is it really that bad?
does it have a life expectancy?

no tile on the floor its a tub....

[COBALT]

I've heard nothing positive about that stuff, especially when it's used in a wet area like a shower. The bad thing is the knuckle-heads at HD push the stuff like it's the essential adhesive. The HD close to my house there's some woman in there telling people it's what they should use for their tile install. I cut her off and told them to consider using the proper type of thinset they need to mix, and consult a professional tile setter first. She didn't like that. I don't know why they insist on talking people into using that stuff...

[itspolo]

no one has used this acrylpro in a tub surround with a good outcome?
why does the contaner say it is good for shower walls????

when i read that i thought the home depot guy knew what he was talking about

can anyone recomend the best grout i can use on the walls...i am gonna have to take my chances the tile is already up and its been a little over a week since i started the walls...if i try to remove the tiles they will crack

[Jason_Butler]

If you insist...

Use a sanded grout ( HD carries Polyblend) for grout lines over 1/8"

Use unsanded for grout lines under 1/8".

1/8" on the money - you can pick

Jason

[itspolo]

what about that epoxy grout at HD...is that more waterproof?

regarding a sealer, any particular one i should buy?

[COBALT]

Epoxy grout is much more water and stain resistant, but it's difficult to apply. The fumes alone make most people stay away from it, and the cleanup can be difficult. Epoxy is glue, not a portland cement based product like grout. Traditional sanded and nonsanded grouts are much easier to work with, but they should probably be sealed to slow down staining and mildew growth.

The sealer depends on the type of grout you're going to use. TileLab SurfaceGuard is the top-o-the-line sealer they sell at HD, and I've heard it's pretty good.

[Scooter]

I understand that the floor is a tub. I hope you take a lot of baths, because steady use as a shower will cause the tiles to pop off. Other tiles which don't get so wet will fully cure, and will not pop off. I think it is a waste of time grouting this shower, because in a year, you'll be doing it again.

I agree that the time to take this stuff off is now. The tiles won't crack; and indeed you will be very surprised as to how easy they slide off with a squirt of water and a putty knife. You could remove all the tiles in about an hour.

They will clean off in about 20 minutes--just soak them in a bucket of warm and water and the mastic will just float off.

[itspolo]

what do you mean the tiles that will fully cure will not pop-off?
so drying time will affect the resistance to water?

if so can i just not grout it for a few weeks and let the mastic cure...will that help?

[bbcamp]

No, the grout, even if sealed, will permit water to get to the mastic. And, even if the mastic was dry at one point in time, it will absorb the water and re-emulsify. That's then the tiles start popping off. All Scooter was saying is that because yours is a tub, not a dedicated shower stall, you may get a few more months or years out of your tile job, but it will fail eventually.

[Scooter]

Mastic takes 6-12 months to "cure" and after a year, the stuff will be fairly solid. This assumes that you could leave it un-used for a year.

Even after being fully cured, if exposed to a constant stream of water the stuff will re-emulsify. I have seen re-emulsified mastic, and it is not a pretty sight--it becomes a gooey mess.

So what I am saying is that if this is a steady use shower/tub, the long side wall is likely to fall off within about a year, as will lower portions of the far end wall. The tiles just below the spout and handles, which stay fairly dry will probably not be affected very much, although when you replace the other tiles in a year, (which will come off very easily) the dry wall will be a bear to replace, and yes, you may crack some of those removing them from the dry wall.

Dude, I'd just bite the bullet on this and scrape the tiles off. Really it won't be a big deal. You will be surprised how easily they come off.

[Geverett]

I'm soon to begin tiling my shower with 3x6 ceramic subway tile which i purchased at a large tile distributor that mostly sells to the trade. The counter guy told me its ok to use mastic for the shower walls, but to use thinset for the floor..
If mastic is such a problem(and i dont disagree) why would he suggest it? Seems that would be bad practice and ruin their reputation ..i seem to remember him saying that the subway tile is light so mastic would be fine..but of course he didn't address moisture concerns..he sokd me Mapei mastic- would that be better under moist conditions?

[cx]

He told you that because he makes a lot more money selling organic adhesives (mastic) than selling thinset mortar and what he told you is legal according to tile industry standards and product manufacturer's recommendations.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[Kman]

That could change, depending on the substrate. Definitely don't use mastic over a waterproofing layer of any type.

But I wouldn't use it on shower walls or floor, regardless of the substrate. That's just my preference.