Terrecotta tiles...

[Ossett]

Hello fellas.

I have been given a load of terracotta tiles. I believe they were intended for use internally at one of those Portuguese type chicken restaurants.

I have decided to use them as capping's for my block rendered wall but I am having difficulty in getting them to stick.

I have used a wet mixture of sand & cement, a dry mixture, tried soaking the tiles but they just will not take. Is there an outdoor adhesive that I can get specifically for this type of tile?

These are the tiles, as you can see they are very smooth on the bottom which is causing the problems...



Cheers for any help.

Col

[GB_Groundworks]

use sbr polymer additive in your normal strong wet mix, and you can prime the backs of them with the sbr slurry before hand as well

[Ossett]

Thanks for that GB, but being a DIY'er and not a trade I am not familiar with 'sbr' what does it mean?

Cheers

Col

[GB_Groundworks]

from the sales patter:

SBR is a liquid, water based styrene-butadiene polymer latex with high bonding characteristics. It is used as an admixture in cementitious mixes to improve the quality of finished toppings, renderings or protective slurry coatings:
• It ensures thorough bonding of floor toppings, renderings, and repair mixes to worn, damaged, spalled and cracked concrete beams, columns, panels and masonry
• It allows thin jointless floor toppings or renderings to be applied and increases their resistance to impact, abrasion and chemical spillage.
• It reduces permeability of the finished rendering when externally water-proofing walls above ground.
• It reduces permeability of finished floor toppings or rendering when internally water-proofing water tanks, basements, pools, ponds and showers
• It strengthens bedding mixes and improves bonding when laying tiles and brick paviours to concrete or asphalt surfaces.
• It will produce economic, waterproof and protective slurry coatings for concrete and brickwork.
• It improves the workability of the mix, allowing a reduction in the water/cement ratio.

but it is good stuff, if you go into any builders merchant and look where the plasticisers and other mortar additives are it will be there in a 5 litre tub. "SBR Polymer..." or something to that extent, if not ask the staff it should set you back between £10-£15 for 5 litres and its recommended to use 5-10L per 25kg of cement.

http://www.sealocrete.com/docs/datasheet/SealotakSBR.pdf

i've just bedded a load of 100x100mm sets round a hot tub with it and sticks like sh*t to a blanket, your mix will go off quicker with it and don't over mix or leave it mixing.






Edited By GB_Groundworks on 1239693137

[Ossett]

Fantastic, I did take one of the tiles down to my local B&Q but they didn't fill me with any kind of confidence and certainly did not offer any solution to the problem like you have.

I'll be visiting the builders yard this week.

Many thanks GB

Col

[GB_Groundworks]

thats because and this is a sweeping generalisation

there all idiots who work at the above mentioned diy store

get yourself to your local builders merchant or if not a national outfit like travis, build centre and then if all else fails jewsons

no problem

Giles

[Ossett]

I wasn't going to be as blunt as you, but the spotty little urchin that was dealing with me would have been better working round the corner asking if I would like to large it for 30p extra.

Although I am a DIY'er I am quite handy but obviously lack the knowledge of the pro's, that's why this site is a good source of info on the more technical issues, well technical to me - bread & butter to you fellas.

Cheers

Col

[GB_Groundworks]

i learnt about sbr through this site, so all qudos must go to the gaffer, lifes one big learning experience

but i'm glad we have been of some help