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What is the recipe for a mortar bed for floor tile? Can’t remember. I am going to be laying 12×12 tiles but the subfloor is quite wavy…the previous floor had a bed that was up to 2″ thick in places and 1/2 in others.
I know I need sand and portland cement…but what’s the quantities, and how wet should it be mixed?
Thanks in advance.
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The mix for Deck Mud, according to the Tile Council of America, is roughly one part portland cement to six parts sand. You want it to be rather dry. I mix it with latex additive to a point where, when I squeeze it in my hand and then relax my hand it done not crumble a part.
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1 to 6 huh mike? Sounds a little lean to me, but if the council says then it must be so. Another thing that the Europeans do is to back butter the tile with cement juice. You have your "dry" mud, and then a really soupy mix of portland and water, about the consistancy of gravy. Keep the tile wet so that they don't suck up your moisture to fast. I keep a bucket full of water and tile and refill the bucket when I get down to about 5 tile. If you try to set the tile without the cement juice, you won't get a strong enough bond. The tile tends to popup real easily.
Scott
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6 to 1 is too poor. 3 to 1 is what I and other tile men I know use. 32 to 40 shovels to a bag of portland. The use of thinset mortars over mud has replaced the soaking of the tiles and buttering them with cement butter. Wait for the mud to cure a day and then use thinset. This is a lot easier than working over wet mud.
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What is the recipe for a mortar bed for floor tile? Can't remember. I am going to be laying 12x12 tiles but the subfloor is quite wavy...the previous floor had a bed that was up to 2" thick in places and 1/2 in others.
I know I need sand and portland cement...but what's the quantities, and how wet should it be mixed?
Thanks in advance.