Installing 18x18 ceramic floor tiles on Shower Wall

[spencieca]

Hi...I have a quick yet very important question. My husband and I are re-doing our bathroom and have been getting mixed messages about installing 18x18 ceramic floor tiles on our shower/tub walls. What kind of adhesive do we use? The people at our local HD store suggested pre mixed mastic, but it seems like it takes SO long to dry? Any help would be VERY much appreciated, we are starting the tile today!

Laura

[Wiley]

DO NOT use premixed mastic!! Please wait for pro to explain the correct material to use.

[MHI]

Hi Laura,

First, pre-mixed thinset, or mastic shouldn't be used in a wet area. It can dissolve over time when in contact with water. Take a good look at the size and weight of your tiles. Would you want them to fall off the wall someday while you're using the shower?

Second, Even in a dry area, mastic shouldn't be used on large format tiles. Tiles bigger than 6x6 take a lot longer, if not forever to dry. Mastic also cannot be used in thick applications, such as what you have to do with large format tiles. The tiles will be cupped or warped enough that a large notch trowel has to be used to get the proper coverage. Lift a tile off after you set it to see if you are getting the right coverage, and not just around the edges.

Go back to Home Depot and get a bag of Versabond.

[spencieca]

Thank you all very much! One last quick question...is the Quick Set Morter ok to use with the 18x18 tiles? We have bought both now, the Quick Set would be eaiser but we want to make sure that it has enough sticking power as the Versa Bond...Thanks!

Laura

[BTM]

I'll jump in with another thought........

You haven't said anything about your shower wall/pan construction?

Sorry, but if you have been getting (advice) from the HD, you might want to stop and search these pages to make sure you have the prep done right. People tend to ask the same questions about the same things around here, so what you want to know has already been answered at least once.

This pushing of 'pre-mix mud' attitude at the big stores has caused a lot of problems for folks. You may have already experienced this.

[opiethetileman]

Quick set is Rapid set. It will kill you as far as working time it sets up in 15 to 20 mintues. I would get white versabond and work from there.

[spencieca]

it is a shower and tub combo, we put in a Steel tub and put up the cement baker board up around the shower area...we are not doing the floors of because it is a tub...so that is one less headache...hehheheee....so, is the Quick Set not strong enough for the 18x18 ceramic tiles?

[Steve in PA]

the quick/rapid set is fine to use but you don’t have as much time to work with it.
mix up smaller batches and make your cuts ahead of time. after you spread the thin set on the wall, use the flat side of the trowel and skim the back of the large tile with thin set also.

advice worth $.02 more then cx’s

[MHI]

Laura,

If its your first time tiling (or one of your first times), you will have enough challenges to deal with. I don't think you want to be racing the clock as well with speedset. It will do the job just fine, but you have to work fast. Its more for commercial work such as a pizza place that wants to be open for buisiness in the morning.

I use it when I only have a small area to finish up from the day before, this way I can hang around a little and grout it in the same day. I don't think its work doing a whole shower with it though.

[spencieca]

Thanks to everyone who responded so quickly! This is not our first tile project, we have tiled the entire house, did the counter tops and backsplash and an Arizona room..but this was our frist time using 18x18 tiles on a wall. The Quick Set morter works just fine, we have 3 of us doing it and with such large tiles, time doesn't seem to be an issue! Thanks again!

Laura

[Steve in PA]

yaY!