Tixocem

USES

Ceramic and quarry tile
Glass and porcelain mosaic tile (interior only)
Concrete, and natural stone tiles and slabs (with the exception of moisture-sensitive stone)
Setting tile on cementitious floors with in-floor heating systems and tiling in swimming pools

Substrates and characteristics

butech® tixocem® floor & wall thinset mortar adheres to both dry and damp substrates that are structurally sound, solid, and free from any contaminant that can act as a bond breaker. The plane of wall surfaces must be plumb and true. Floor
surfaces must have minimal variation in the plane or slope. (Refer to ANSI A108 AN-2 "General Requirements for Subsurfaces" and the Tile Council of America's Handbook For Ceramic Tile Installation for detailed information on surface preparation and guidelines for substrate construction.)

Expansion joints must be provided over existing moving joints and cracks, and where substrate materials change composition or direction per ANSI A108 AN-3.7. Highly absorbent interior substrates such as plaster must be primed, as well as nonporous surfaces such as existing tiles, metal, glass. For exterior applications or in wet areas, non-porous substrates must be coated with appropriate waterproof coatings. Rough or uneven substrates may first be treated with a full scratch coat of butech® tixocem® floor & wall thinset mortar up to 1/4" thick. Installation of tiles may begin after the scratch coat has hardened overnight (min. 16 hours).

INSTALLATION

Mix one 40 lb. bag of butech® tixocem® floor & wall thinset mortar with 6 to 7 quarts of water. For mixing smaller batches, use a mixing ratio of 1 part of water to 2.5 parts of powder, by volume. Pour clean water in the mixing container first, and
then add the butech® tixocem® floor & wall thinset mortar. For best results, mix with a 1/2" heavy-duty drill and mixing paddle. Mix to a creamy, smooth, and lumpfree consistency. If mixing by hand, use a margin trowel and mix for 2 to 3 minutes vigorously. The mixture should be stirred again just prior to application. The pot life of butech® tixocem® floor & wall thinset mortar is approximately 5 hours at 70°F (21°C). If surface skinning occurs within this time, re-temper by stirring again before using.

After mixing, apply butech® tixocem® floor & wall thinset mortar to the substrate with the flat side of a trowel to obtain a solid mechanical bond. Do not apply more mortar than can be covered with tile while the mortar remains plastic (approx. 15 minutes open time, depending on substrate and job site conditions). Comb the mortar with a notched trowel of sufficient depth to ensure that the tiles are covered uniformly over their entire surface. The type and size of the tiles will dictate the size of the notched trowel to be used. Tile alignment may be corrected for approximately 15 minutes after their installation. When setting tiles or insulation onto existing wallboards, the boards must be sound, solid, and well anchored to structural components in the wall. To install insulation boards, apply the mortar to the back of the board in strips of dollops, as recommended by the board manufacturer. Non-porous board must be mechanically roughened prior to installation.