Mortar Bed Thickness For Wall Tile

A thick set or mud set tile installation consists of finish tiles set over a 1 1 4 to 2 thick portland cement mortar bed.

Mortar bed thickness for wall tile.

If you are installing tile the mortar bed should be 2 3 inches thick on the outer edge and slightly less at the drain. A good way to tell if you have the right dry pack consistency is to make a ball with the mixed mortar similar to a snowball. A 3 8 x 3 8 trowel will leave a 3 16 bed of thinset beneath the tile. Learn all about it here.

The tile installation method includes how the surface is prepared the materials to be used and the type of tile to use. It consists of cement water and very fine sand resulting in a thinner mortar generally applied no more than 3 16 inch thick. When laying on a similar base medium format tiles it is recommended to apply a layer of 3 4 mm. Thinset mortar is not usually recommended for large heavy or uneven tiles.

The terms thinset cement thinset mortar dryset mortar and drybond mortar are synonymous. So a 3 8 u notched trowel leaves a 1 8 bed of thinset beneath the installed tile. In the case of facing drywall the thickness of the mortar for good adhesion should not exceed 5 mm. Suitable sub floors for thick set tile installations include concrete slabs and properly installed wood.

If the thinset is combed with a 3 8 inch notched trowel when a tile is pressed into it and the grooves flattened the resultant thickness of the mortar is 3 16 of an inch the recommended thickness for thinset. The mortar bed sits over the sub floor and provides a smooth and stable base for the tile installation. Thinset represents a modern alternative to the traditional mortar bed. Using a u notched trowel and embedding the tile into the thinset leaves you with a bed of thinset beneath the tile a little over 1 3 the size of the trowel teeth.

This type of cement is designed to adhere well in a thin layer typically not greater than 3 16th thick. Mar 20 2019 the 2011 tile industry standards define the minimum bond layer thickness to be 3 32 after beat in but the maximum thickness has more to do with the manufacturer of the thinset mortar you are using. For example a 3 8 notch trowel will produce a 3 16th inch thick coating after the tiles are pressed in to the cement. When mixing the mortar use only enough water to obtain a dry pack consistency.

Then it is leveled with a comb with denticles of 6 mm. That doesn t give much leeway for leveling.