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THINSET confusion

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Herb67SS

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I can't tell from the product descriptions whether to use Kerabond/Keralastic or Mapei's Large Tile Thinset. Both have latex in them. I'll be putting down 18 x 18 porcelain tile.

The garage will not be heated and it does freeze here in N VA. But both seem to meet that concern.

Can somebody help me understand the diff other than twice the price?
 
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duneslider

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LFT is a good thinset, considered medium bed. It was designed to be used with large format tile.

Kerabond/Keralastic is an ultra premium product, hence the price. Here in Utah even when the temps are in the single digits to low teens I don't see water freeze in my garage unless the door is open a long time.

I am not certain what temps are like in your garage. I don't think I would use K/K in my garage. I would use LFT or another equal product, and epoxy type grout and be pretty certain the floor would last a long long time.

Just for info's sake, the latex in liquid form is very different than the dry form. The liquid form will create a higher bond strength and be more flexible. It does come at a cost though.
 
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Herb67SS

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THANKS!! it gets below freezing in my detached garage, but not single digits. I found my half drunk cup of coffee frozen the other morning so I know it hits freezing.

Now, what does "medium bed" mean to me?
From what I read and see on you tube, a half inch notch should be used for these large format tiles, correct? Does that qualify as medium bed?

Your are right about the price. Just the Large Tile Thinset is $20 per 50lb bag. And I'm thinking I will need 20 to 25 bags for 960 sq ft. OUCH
 
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Dakota00

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Herb your garage temps drop below freezing, I highly recommend you stick to the kerabond/keralastic system. I know it's more money but it's well worth it for a trouble free floor. LFT is an excellent product, I've used it many times, but it's not the ideal thinset for your application.
 
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duneslider

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Are you parking wet cars in the garage in the winter? If this is mainly a shop that you are working in rather than a garage you are parking your snowy car in at night you may not need the K/K. If that floor is only going to get cold but not be wet and then get cold the K/K won't really provide anything.

You can't go wrong using K/K though, great stuff.

Medium bed is mainly used if you have a not so flat floor and you need to slightly build up some areas as you go, medium bed has a courser sand to help prevent the tile from sinking. LFT is also designed to keep tiles set on walls from sliding down the wall, called Non-sag. You probably don't need the "benefits" of LFT.

You can't go wrong with K/K, I use it for any outside type work.
 
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Herb67SS

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Thanks Dakota, Dune,

This isn't a wet floor garage. I have a couple of classic cars that will live in it 95% of their life. It's a detached 28 x 36 with a lift in one bay. It will be insulated and finished with heat for when I want to do some light work or tinker during the cold weather times. Other than that, it will be great to look at but see little winter use.

In the warmer months I will do routine maintenance on my classics/hot rod and some occasional repair work on the daily drivers. It's a bucket list thing. I always wanted my own shop/garage and at 67 I'm not getting any younger. So I don't need a 50 yr floor ;-)

I figure I may have as much as 1/2 inch variance, maybe even 3/4 across that thousand sq ft. We will use a laser on it to ID the low/high spots then build to the high point. I want the floor pool table flat. Im using the large format tiles to help facilitate that. So a build scenario may be needed.
 
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duneslider

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I would HIGHLY recommend taking care of low spots before doing the tile install. It is much easier to do it before.

If it won't be wet and then freeze I don't think I would use K/K. From what it sounds like a good modified thinset would be more than good enough for you.
 
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Shea

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Re: 18-in x 18-in tile

UserDB1 said:
Well, I can't find nothing at HD. At Lowes i see few style which are "glazed, thru body", like this one http://www.lowes.com/pd_89487-372-S...currentURL=?Ntt=18-in+-+18-in+thru&facetInfo=. Not sure if this suitable for garage. Many sites don't even provide enough technical data to their tile.
Click to expand...

That is a good quality porcelain tile with a PEI rating of 4 with good wet slip resistance, but too high a price for a garage floor for me. You can find similar tile for far less money but you do have to be diligent in looking for it. If you can't find a rating for the tile, contact the manufacturer or distributor and they can provide the ratings for you.
 
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1953mercury

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As my union tile setter friend says when asked what holds that floor down, "God, gravity, and grout". I've been doing indoor/out door mosaic work and using the KK products with a 50/50, water/ liquid modifier. Once it's down it's really down. X2 on epoxy grout, but do relatively small areas at a time. You don't want it to get away from you. Mike

2007_0417Culabritta0073_zpsdb940e12.jpg
 
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UserDB1

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Re: 18-in x 18-in tile

Shea said:
That is a good quality porcelain tile with a PEI rating of 4 with good wet slip resistance, but too high a price for a garage floor for me. You can find similar tile for far less money but you do have to be diligent in looking for it. If you can't find a rating for the tile, contact the manufacturer or distributor and they can provide the ratings for you.
Click to expand...

Thank you Shea, I'll try to contact manufacturers and look for more sale sites as i go.
 
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SapesOfIndia

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Re: 18-in x 18-in tile

UserDB1 said:
Well, I can't find nothing at HD. At Lowes i see few style which are "glazed, thru body", like this one http://www.lowes.com/pd_89487-372-S...currentURL=?Ntt=18-in+-+18-in+thru&facetInfo=. Not sure if this suitable for garage. Many sites don't even provide enough technical data to their tile.
Click to expand...

Where are you located (zipcode)? Do you have flooranddecoroutlets near you? check their website at flooranddecoroutlets dot com to find out.

Lowes site is worst in terms of searching and sorting. :eyecrazy: This can work in your favor if you can find a deals that others can't search. ;)
 
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SapesOfIndia

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For your original question about thinset....I used Flexbond from HD.
I had installers take out one of the tiles I installed and it was hard to take it out. I think it is good enough for the concrete floor.

Flexbond is a polymer modified thinset. Anything with more polymer might be even more difficult to work with and I am not sure if the additional cost will bring proportional benefits.
 
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UserDB1

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Re: 18-in x 18-in tile

SapesOfIndia said:
Where are you located (zipcode)? Do you have flooranddecoroutlets near you? check their website at flooranddecoroutlets dot com to find out.

Lowes site is worst in terms of searching and sorting. :eyecrazy: This can work in your favor if you can find a deals that others can't search. ;)
Click to expand...

I located at 02021, no flooranddecoroutlets around. I like selection and prices on there site, but technical data is really scarce. Do i have to have "thru body" or "color body" will be OK? My garage is just a parking place.

Thank you
 
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SapesOfIndia

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Re: 18-in x 18-in tile

UserDB1 said:
I located at 02021, no flooranddecoroutlets around. I like selection and prices on there site, but technical data is really scarce. Do i have to have "thru body" or "color body" will be OK? My garage is just a parking place.

Thank you
Click to expand...

I am still confused about "thru body" and "colored body". My tile specs say thru body but the tile design does not go all the way through the tile. It is only the color. The way glazed porcelain tiles are made, I don't think you can have the pattern go through the whole tile but I could be wrong.
 
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duneslider

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Many tiles are being made outside of the US and they write whatever they want on the boxes. Then, there really aren't any tile police. Who's gonna stop you from writing whatever you want on a box of tile?

Through body is the same color/pattern top to bottom. These usually are plain looking tiles. Speckled like granite or a solid color.

Color body will be a consistent color throughout but will have a glaze on the top and these usually have a pattern to look like something else like a natural stone.

These are very different types of tile in some aspects but similar in others. In the end if you like it then that is all that matters.
 
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UserDB1

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I am grateful for everybody's opinion and seems that "color body" porcelain can be a decent compromise for "non working" garage and will hide most of the small damage. My last question is about "glazed" part. Will "glaze" eventually wear off by hot tires?
 
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Herb67SS

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No it will not. It is perhaps the hardest part of the tile.

Btw - I started this thread to get advice on the different types of thinset I have found out there. But I have learned a great deal as it seems have others. That's what makes this forum a great source and a pleasure to participate in.

Thanks to all who have helped me. I'm not the least bit disappointed ;-)
 
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duneslider

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Like herb said, hot tires will have almost no effect on glaze. The only way to remove glaze is mechanically, or with enough heat. Any pei4 or 5 will last a long long time. You will be sick of the look before it wears out most likely.
 
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UserDB1

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Very good. It will be easier for me to find something glazed around my neck of the woods. Flooranddecoroutlets.com has really nice stuff for a money, but shipping is a total killer.
 
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UserDB1

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Herb67SS said:
No it will not. It is perhaps the hardest part of the tile.

Btw - I started this thread to get advice on the different types of thinset I have found out there. But I have learned a great deal as it seems have others. That's what makes this forum a great source and a pleasure to participate in.

Thanks to all who have helped me. I'm not the least bit disappointed ;-)
Click to expand...

Thank you for the info Herb and sorry to hijack your thread a little bit
 
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Dakota00

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UserDB1 said:
Very good. It will be easier for me to find something glazed around my neck of the woods. Flooranddecoroutlets.com has really nice stuff for a money, but shipping is a total killer.
Click to expand...

Take a look at Lowes you might find something you like for a good deal. They usually offer free delivery.
 
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Herb67SS

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UserDB1, you will get better results if you go into your profile and put a general location of where you are located. There a slight difference between Canada and Florida.

And no appology needed. Your questions are helping me and others. Keep it up.

If you have a Home Despot near you, they also have tile a good prices.
 
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Herb67SS

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Nice tile. I think you are over thinking it. .6 is acceptable. I doubt .55 is a detectable difference.
If you like it and can afford it, go with it.
My 18x18 is $.95 sq ft there and looks similar. PEI 4 and .6.
You are putting this in a garage, right?

Just my $.02
 
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