Technical Support

Prestige Adhesives is always available to offer technical advice and recommendations to all our customers. Our experienced technical department also offers an advisory service to the building industry in the form of site-specific materials and methods specification for any tiling or flooring installation.

Our technical department is available 5 days a week, from Monday to Friday, and can be contacted on 010 140 9657 or email at qc@prestigeadhesives.co.za.

Advice Centre
Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for assistance? Try completing our specification form below and one of our advisors will get back to you.

How long should concrete or screeds be left to cure before installing floor tiles?

New concrete floors require 6 weeks curing time before direct bedding. New concrete floors require 4 weeks curing time before screeding and the screeds another 4 weeks before tiling commences.

How long should plaster be left to cure before installing wall tiles?

New brick walls require 6 weeks curing time before direct bedding. New brick walls require 4 weeks curing time before plastering and the plaster another 2 weeks before tiling can commence.

Can new tiles be installed over existing tiles?

Tiling on existing tiles can be done, provided that the existing surface is solid and there are no signs of the existing tiles lifting from the substrate. All loose tiles are to be removed prior to the application of any new tiles. These surfaces should be acid washed to remove laitance, and rinsed well with clean cold water and allow to dry completely. Once the surface preparation has been completed on these surfaces, the area must be primed with Prestige Keying Compound mixed with Prestige Keying Additive. Mix 2-parts Compound to 1-part Additive to form a slurry and apply the slurry with a builder’s block brush to a thickness of ± 2 mm and allow to dry.

Can tiles be installed on dry-wall partitioning?

Tiling can be installed on drywall panels, provided that they are suitable for the application purposes and must be adequately braced to provide a solid and dimensionally stable substrate. The substructure is to be designed to support the additional loading due to the self-weight of the tiles and adhesive bed without undergoing any significant deflections or bending. Partition walling must be erected and sealed strictly as per the manufacturer’s specifications and must be thoroughly braced at maximum 300 mm centres in both directions (screwed, not nailed).

The tiling area must be primed with Prestige Keying Compound mixed with Prestige Keying Additive. Mix 2-parts compound to 1-part liquid to form a slurry and apply the slurry with a builder’s block brush to a thickness of ±2 mm and allow to dry. For tiling onto drywall partitions, mix 20 kg Prestige Rapid Set Porcelain Grip and Natural Stone 12 Hour Adhesive with 5 litres of Prestige Bonding Additive, replacing all the water in the mix.

Can tiles be butt jointed?

Due to the requirement of stress relief, it is not recommended to use joints less than 3 mm in width for porcelain tiles and 5 mm for ceramic tiles. All ceramic, porcelain, and stone tiles expand and contract with thermal and moisture changes in the environment, as do all other building materials. Grouted joints act as a cushion to help reduce the transfer of shear stress within a tiled floor. Shear stress increases as joint width decreases, thus, without an adequate stress relief, tiles will either crack or buckle.

When are movement joints required?

The lack of movement joints in a tile panel is a major cause of tile failure. It is recommended to install movement joints at a maximum of 5 m centres on surface beds and 3 m centres on suspended slabs in both directions, or as per the tile manufactures instructions.

The joints should be at least 5 mm wide and extend through the tile and adhesive layers. All structural expansion joints in the background must be extended through the tiles to the surface. Movement joints should also be made over existing and/or structural movement joints, within 1 metre of all horizontal and vertical corners, against all obstructions fixed to the structural background and over all discontinuities in building materials.

What is required to tile in wet/external areas?

In wet, permanently wet or any external areas, mix Prestige Tile Adhesive with 5 litres of Prestige Bonding Additive, replacing all the water in the mix. Alternatively, Prestige Rapid Set Flexible Tile adhesive can be used.

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