I am doing a very small tile job – like 4′ x 5′. It is on a concrete slab in my basement. I have some thinset left over from a previous job but it is like 5 years old. Does this stuff go bad? It is still powdery and has not clumped at all. I don’t want to ruin the job to save like $20.00 but I feel silly buying a full bag and using like 10% of it and throwing the rest away. How long does this stuff last? I also have some admix that is the same age. How is the life span on that? Same thing, I don’t want another batch laying around. Or is it best just to dump this kind of material when the job is done and just buy new for each project?
Thanks to all.
Replies
If there is no clumping of the powder, go ahead and use it. It sets up in the presence of water, so if it as completely dry as new material, it should be good.
Is it plain or modified thinset? If it's modified, there's no need for the admix. If it's plain, I would buy a new bottle of admix ... I think it comes in quarts which wouldn't be much waste.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Thanks for the info. It is regular thinset. I will add fresh admix. As an aside - is there any difference between the modified thinset and using the regular and admix? I seem to remember being told that the regular and admix gives a better product. It seems to be easier to use the modified since it is one less thing to store and to possibly run short of.
Thanks.
I don't know if one type is superior. I always use modified cuz that way it's mixed to the proper proportions, and it saves me having to remember to buy one more product.
Go make friends with the guys at Lowes in the tile dept. They sell me bags of thinset for half price if they get torn. No, I don't tear the bags.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.