i have a question on tile flooring on a concreate slab floor. thinset set vs mud. floor is aprox 20’x20′ and as of yet have not checked flatness or level. thanks for any suggestions.
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I don't understand your question.
Thinset is a "glue" for tile. No matter what your setting bed is, thinset will always be used to adhere the tile. So thinset is not an "either/or" alternative.
Mud is a setting bed, e.g., something that the tile is set on, e.g., the equivalent of backerboard, concrete, or drywall. Mud is the premier setting bed.
Care to re-phrase your question?
Regards,
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
thanks for your reply. the thin set i mean is something like " flex bond" ,sold at homedepot. the mud i refer to is the sand and cement mix generally used in showers and much thicker and can be used to level the floor and set tile in. i am not a tile setter and have been given this information by another contractor. my understanding was that if the floor was not too bad that i could thinset the tile to the floor. if not the floor could be leveled with mud and tiles set in that. i have a customer who is having thier kitchen gutted and asked about tile floor. i would like to give them as good information as i can concering level,flatness,dampness or anything that might affect the floor. tanks again for your comments.
having thier kitchen gutted and asked about tile floor
There are few situations where any tile (ceramic, vct, etc.) applied directly to a floor slab has given an entirely satisfactory perfomance.
Not the tile's fault, nor the slab's; just a case of two different "things" wanting to do two different functions.
What floor was in the to-be-gutted kitchen?Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
floating wood,looks like Pergo
Flat and level are two different situations. You need to correct an out-of-flat floor if the differences are significant. Bumps and high spots need to be knocked down, and depressions need to be filled if they are more than about 1/8" deep. A floor can be flat but not level. Maybe you need to make the floor level, and maybe not. You could have a situastion where, if you make the floor in a room level, then it would create a step at the doorway to the adjacent room.
Thinset can be used to fill small depressions. Mud beds are usually at least an inch thick.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.