Installation must conform to ANSI A108.5. Use a properly-sized notch trowel to ensure proper coverage under tiles. Using the flat side of the trowel, apply a skim coat of mortar to the surface. With the notch side of the trowel held at a 45° angle, apply additional mortar to the surface, combing in one direction. Press the tile firmly into place in a perpendicular motion across ridges, moving back and forth. The perpendicular motion flattens ridges and closes valleys, allowing maximum coverage. With some tile, back-buttering is advisable. Adjust the tile promptly and beat it in with a beating block and rubber mallet. Periodically pull up a tile and check the back to ensure proper adhesive coverage. If the material has skinned over (not sticky to the touch), recomb with the notch trowel; if too dry, remove and replace the dry material with fresh material. Thin Set Mortar should not be used to fill low spots in the flooring. Mortar thickness should be less than 3/4" when beat in. Ambient temperature should be maintained above 50° F (10° C) or below 100° F (38° C) for 72 hours to achieve proper bond.

Curing time is affected by ambient and surface temperatures and humidity. Use the following as a guideline. Allow 24 hours before grouting and light traffic, and 7-10 days before heavy or vehicular traffic. Before exposure to heavy or vehicular traffic, assure assembly is rated “Heavy or Extra Heavy” per TCNA Service Requirements. As necessary, use plywood or other load distributing protection when moving heavy equipment across tiled assembly.

Clean with water before the material dries.

Store in a cool, dry area.

Properly installed product requires no special maintenance.

Properly installed tile may last for more than 60 years.

USE CHEMICAL-RESISTANT GLOVES, such as nitrile, when handling product.

Surfaces must be structurally sound. Remove all grease, oil, dirt, curing compounds, sealers, adhesives or any other contaminant that would prevent a good bond. Glossy or painted surfaces must be sanded, or abraded, and stripped of all contaminants. Concrete must be cured 28 days and accept water penetration. Concrete must be free of efflorescence and not subject to hydrostatic pressure. Concrete slabs should have a coarse finish to enhance the bond. Plywood flooring including those under resilient flooring must be structurally sound and meet all ANSI and deflection requirements. For questions about proper subfloor installation, call Technical Services. Smooth concrete surfaces, existing glazed tile, terrazzo, or polished stone should be scarified. Sheet vinyl must be well bonded and stripped of old finish. Roughen the surface by sanding or abrading, then rinse and allow to dry. Expansion joints should never be bridged with setting material. Do not sand flooring materials containing asbestos.

Movement joints are required for perimeters and other changes of plane in all installations. Expansion joints, perimeter joints and cold joints, as described in ANSI A108.01, should never be bridged with setting material. They must be brought through the tile work and filled with an appropriate elastomeric sealant, such as Custom's® 100% Silicone. Contact Custom's® Technical Services for the proper treatment of control or saw cut joints. Refer to TCNA EJ171, F125 and F125A.

See Safety Data Sheet for more information.

This product contains Portland cement and free silica. Avoid eye contact and prolonged contact with skin. Wash thoroughly after handling. If eye contact occurs, flush with water for 15 minutes and consult a physician. Do not breathe dust; wear a NIOSH approved respirator.

• Do not bond directly to hardwood, Luan plywood, particle board, parquet, cushion or sponge-back vinyl flooring, metal, fiberglass, plastic or OSB panels.
• Not recommended for interior and exterior pools and water features. CUSTOM recommends MegaLite® Crack Prevention Mortar and ProLite® Large Tile and Stone Mortar for the installation of ceramic and porcelain tile in submerged applications. For additional information, contact Custom Technical Services.
• When setting moisture sensitive natural stone, cement or resin agglomerate tile use EBM-Lite™ Epoxy Bonding Mortar 100% Solids or CEG-Lite™ 100% Solids Commercial Epoxy Grout.
• Do not use to install resin-backed stone; use EBM-Lite™ Epoxy Bonding Mortar 100% Solids, CEG-Lite™ 100% Solids Commercial Epoxy Grout or contact Custom's® Technical Services for recommendations.
• For clear or translucent glass, CUSTOM recommends Glass Tile Premium Thin-Set Mortar. When setting glass tile larger than 6" x 6" (15 x 15 cm), contact Custom's® Technical Services for recommendations.
• Ensure that the substrate meets deflection requirements.

Concrete or plaster must be fully cured and must 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. Concrete slabs should have a coarse finish to enhance the bond. Smooth concrete slabs must be mechanically abraded to achieve proper bond.

Lightweight or gypsum-based underlayments 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. Surfaces shall be free of all grease, oil, dirt, dust, curing compounds, waxes, sealers, efflorescence, or any other foreign matter.

All lightweight cement or gypsum surfaces should be primed. with a properly applied sealer or a primer coat of RedGard, consisting of 1 part RedGard 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, RedGard can be applied to the primed lightweight or gypsum based surface. Refer to the individual product data sheet or packaging directions for application instructions. Expansion joints must be installed in accordance with local building codes and ANSI/TCNA guidelines. Refer to TCNA EJ171.

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 F150-13 tile installations, TCNA F141-13 and F250-13 for stone. For questions about proper subfloor installation requirements, call Custom® Technical Services.

WonderBoard Lite backerboard may be installed over structurally sound plywood subfloors for ceramic tile installations. Refer to TCNA F144-13 tile installations, TCNA F250-13 stone installations. Call Custom® Technical Services when installing natural stone over plywood subfloor.

Resilient flooring or plastic laminates must be well-bonded, as well as clean and free of all contaminates. Roughen the surface by sanding or scarifying; rinse and allow to dry. Do not sand flooring that contains asbestos. For existing well-bonded ceramic tile, mechanically abrade the surface. Rinse and allow to dry. When sanding, an approved respirator should be used.

Adhesive layers must be removed, as they reduce mortar bond strength to cement surfaces. Use extreme caution; adhesives may contain asbestos fibers. Do not sand or grind adhesive residue, as harmful dust may result. Never use adhesive removers or solvents, as they soften the adhesive and may cause it to penetrate into the concrete. Adhesive residue must be wet scraped to the finished surface of the concrete, leaving only the transparent staining from the glue. To determine desirable results, do a test bond area before starting. Refer to the RFCI Pamphlet, "Recommended Work Practices for Removal of Resilient Floor Coverings", for further information.