All surfaces must be between 40ºF (4ºC) to 90ºF (32ºC) and structurally sound (deflection not to exceed L⁄360 for ceramic and porcelain tiles and L/720 for natural stone), dry, clean, and free from oil, grease, wax, paint, old adhesives, sealers, and curing compounds. Any contaminants that inhibit proper bond must be removed. Substrate preparation should be completed following ANSI A108 AN-2 “General Requirements for Sub-surfaces.” All substrates should be plumb and true; surface deviation should not exceed 1⁄4" in 10’ or 1/8” in 10’ for large format tiles. Patching, leveling or areas requiring a mortar bed should be prepared using Sika® underlayments. Movement (expansion) joints should be provided to comply with TCNA method EJ171. Concrete must be free of any negative hydrostatic pressure and/or excessive moisture.
SUBSTRATES:
Concrete Substrates: All concrete substrates should be cured a minimum of 28 days and accept water penetration. Test by sprinkling water on various areas of the substrate. If water penetrates, then a good bond can be achieved; if water beads, surface contaminants are present, and loss of adhesion may occur. Contaminants should be mechanically removed before installation. Concrete must be free of efflorescence and not subject to hydrostatic pressure. Smooth steel troweled floors should be roughed up using mechanical chipping, scraping, or shot blasting. Porous dry concrete, and porous backer board must be “SSD” (Surface Saturated with water but, dry to the touch) prior to the application of SikaTile®-305 Pro Set mortar.
Lightweight Cement and Gypsum Surfaces:
Lightweight or gypsum-based underlayment’s must obtain a minimum 2000 psi (13.8 MPa) compressive strength. The underlayment must be sufficiently dry and properly cured to the manufacturer’s specifications for permanent, non-moisture permeable coverings. Surfaces to be tiled must be structurally sound and subject to deflection not to exceed current industry standards. All lightweight cement or gypsum surfaces should be primed with a properly applied sealer or a primer coat of SikaTile®-100 Moisture Guard, consisting of 1 part 100 Moisture Guard diluted with 4 parts clean, cool water. Mix in a clean bucket at low speed to obtain a lump free solution. The primer can be brushed, rolled, or sprayed to achieve an even coat. Apply the primer coat to the floor at a rate of 300 ft2/gal (7.5 M2/L). Drying time depends on site conditions but is normally less than 1 hour. Extremely porous surfaces may require 2 coats. At this point, SikaTile®-100 Moisture Guard can be applied to the primed lightweight or gypsum-based surface. Refer to the individual product data sheet or packaging directions for application instructions.
Plywood Substrates:
Plywood floors, including those under resilient flooring, must be structurally sound and must meet all ANSI A108.01 Part 3.4 requirements. Maximum allowable deflection: L/360 tile L/720 stone. See TCNA F150-21 tile installations, TCNA F141-21 and F250-21 for stone.
Cement Backer Board:
Refer to TCNA F144-21 tile installations, TCNA F250-21 stone installations and follow cement board manufacturer’s instructions.