Basic knowledge
Question 1 How many construction techniques are there for using tile adhesive to paste tiles?
Answer: The tile pasting process is generally divided into three types: back coating method, base coating method (also known as trowel method, thin paste method), and combination method.
Question 2 What are the main special tools for tile paste construction?
Answer: The special tools for tile paste mainly include: electric mixer, toothed spatula (trowel), rubber hammer, etc.
Question 3 What are the main steps in the construction process of tile paste?
Answer: The main steps are: grassroots treatment, material preparation, mortar mixing, mortar standing (curing), secondary stirring, mortar smearing, tile sticking, and finished product maintenance and protection.
Question 4 What is the thin stick method? What are the characteristics?
Answer: The thin sticking method refers to the method of sticking ceramic tiles, stone materials and other materials with a very thin (about 3mm) bonding thickness. It generally uses a toothed spatula on a flat base surface to control the thickness of the bonding material layer (generally no more than 3~5mm). The thin paste method has the characteristics of fast construction speed, good paste effect, can improve indoor space, energy saving and environmental protection.
Question 5 What is the white substance on the back of the tile? How does it affect the tiling?
Answer: It is the demoulding powder applied before the bricks enter the kiln in the ceramic tile production process. The purpose is to prevent the bricks from sticking to each other or sticking to the kiln rollers at high temperature, causing the tiles to deform or the rollers to break and cause kiln blockage, etc. Mold release powder is quite stable during high temperature sintering of ceramic tiles. At room temperature, the mold release powder is inert, and there is almost no strength between the mold release powder particles, between the mold release powder and the ceramic tile. If there is uncleaned mold release powder on the back of the tile, the effective bond strength of the tile will be reduced accordingly. Before the tiles are pasted, they should be cleaned with water or the mold release powder should be removed with a brush.
Question 6 How long does it usually take to maintain the tiles after using tile adhesive? How to maintain?
Answer: Generally, after the tile adhesive is pasted and constructed, it needs to be maintained for 3 to 5 days before subsequent joint filling construction can be carried out. Under normal temperature and humidity environment, natural maintenance can be done.
Question 7 For indoor construction, what are the requirements for qualified base surfaces?
Answer: Indoor wall tiling project, the requirements for the base surface: verticality, flatness ≤4mm/2m, no interlayer, no sand, no powder, solid base.
Question 8 What is pantothenic acid?
Answer: It is the alkali generated by the hydration of cement in the cement-based material, or the alkaline substance contained in the decorative material itself with the volatilization of water, which is directly enriched in the decorative surface layer, or the product after reacting with air is on the decorative surface. These white, unevenly distributed substances affect the aesthetics of the decorative surface layer.
Question 9 What is anti-slurry tearing?
Answer: During the hardening process of cement mortar, there will be many cavities inside, these cavities are the channels for water leakage; when cement mortar is subjected to deformation and temperature, cracks will occur; due to dry shrinkage and some construction factors, cement mortar is easy to Form hollow drums under the tiles. Calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2, one of the products of the hydration reaction of cement with water, is soluble in water, and extravasation water can also dissolve calcium oxide CaO in calcium disilicate gel CSH, which is the product of the reaction between cement and water. Precipitation becomes calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2. The aqueous solution of Ca(OH)2 migrates to the surface of the tile through the capillary pores of the tile or stone, absorbs carbon dioxide and CO2 in the air, and forms calcium carbonate, CaCO3, etc., and precipitates on the surface of the tile.
The phenomenon of reverse pulp tearing or whitening needs to meet several conditions at the same time: there is sufficient calcium hydroxide generation, there is sufficient liquid water to migrate to the surface, and the water enriched with calcium hydroxide on the surface can stay for a long enough time. Therefore, the whitening phenomenon mostly occurs in the thick layer of cement mortar (back sticking) construction method (more cement, water and voids), unglazed tiles, ceramic tiles or stone (with migration channels – capillary), early winter or spring time (moisture content) surface migration and condensation), during light to moderate showers (provides sufficient moisture without immediately flushing the surface area). In addition, acid rain (corrosion of the surface and dissolved salts), human error (secondary addition of water for on-site construction and stirring), etc. will cause or aggravate whitening. Whitening of the surface usually only affects the appearance, and some are even temporary (calcium carbonate reacts with carbon dioxide and water in the air, becoming soluble calcium bicarbonate and gradually washed away). Beware of whitening when using porous tiles and stones. Usually, special formulation of tile adhesive and caulking agent (hydrophobic type), thin-layer construction, and strengthening construction site management (early shelter from rain and accurate cleaning of mixing water, etc.) can be used to achieve no visible whitening or only Slight whitish.
Question 10 In general, how long after the waterproof construction is completed, can you start tiling and caulking?
Answer: It depends on the type of waterproof material. The basic principle is that the tile can be tiled only after the waterproof material has reached the strength requirements of the tile. After the tile is tiled, the adhesive strength of the tile adhesive can meet the requirements (usually 3~5 days). Do stitching.
