Kerabond/Keralastic substitute

[wesalexleft]

Looks like the first good weeking in a very long while is coming up this weekend and I'm tired of seeing tile stacked and ready to be installed in the garage. I started looking today for Kerabond/Keralastic, but NO one seems to stock it. I've gone through the Mapai site and everyone listed does not have it. Lowes can "special order" it, but it will take about 2 weeks to get it in. Is there good substitute for Kerabond/Keralastic with mostly the same properties that anyone is familiar with and would be readily available? I've seen some mention in various threads of the Home Depot Custom brand, but not sure if it's similar.

Thanks,

 

[mobiledynamics]

What is the base.
What tile.
Details.

It really depends on the suppliers in your area as well....re: Laticrete, Mapei, etc...

 

[wesalexleft]

18" porcelain tile going onto rough (think sidewalk) textured concrete in the Memphis, TN area. Ocassional freezing. Cars will be parked and worked on in the garage. The local Dal-Tile distributer carries Laticrete. Lowes carries Mapai, but does not stock the Kerabond/Keralastic.

 

[wesalexleft]

Okay, so after doing some research today, looks like I'll be going with another brand/additive. I'd really like to have the Kerabond/Keralastic, but it's becoming too difficult and expensive, at least for this area. No one in town seems to stock it. I'd gone to the Mapai site and using their calcutators, I'd need 20 50LB bags of Kerabond to get 100% coverage on 18" tiles for 400 sq/ft at $22.00 per bag. Additionally, I'd need to special order the Keralastic at $160.00/5 gal and would need a total of 20 gallons at their recommended mix/bag. All totaled, I'd need to place an order for $1200.00 in advance, and hope that it was just the right amount in order to put down about $400.00 worth of clearance porecelain tile. I'm going Jack's route and headed to Home Depot. Now the next question...would you use the Custom Building Products basic thinset and add a liquid additive, or go with their modified dry mix and not add the additive? From what I saw, the information on the liquid additive specifies only adding to "standard" thinset and not to add it to the already modified version.

 

[duneslider]

I am shocked there is no one carrying mapei products in your area.

However, I am a bigger fan of Laticrete anyway.

You can use Laticrete 317 thinset (or 272 but 317 is slightly cheaper) with 333 super flexible admix. Awesome product.

However, you could use Laticrete 254 Platinum and it has some flex but sticks like nothing I have ever used and just mixes with water.

Another option is Laticrete 125 sound and crack mortar. I don't know how the cost on it would compare to the other options. It is neat stuff and crazy flexible. You don't need the sound isolation portion though and that does add cost. Might be worth pricing though, it also mixes with water.

I would bet any of these options would meet or exceed your needs.

 

[KPSquared]

The Flex Bond from HD seems to make the cut spec wise. I can't justify the kerbond cost either so that's my plan.

What's the worst that can happen? Tile repair is a helluva lot easier than epoxy repair. . .

 

[duneslider]

Flexbond is a great thinset. I have used it a lot and been really happy with it. It is more than good enough for all but the most extreme situations. If you were doing an outdoor install in a freeze/thaw climate you would absolutely want the higher quality stuff.

Plus, if you aren't a contractor the customs stuff is really easy to get since home depot carries it.