The Mudd Series Part 1: Preparing for Tiling
When we say we are here for all of your tiling needs, we’re not wrong. Whether its primer, adhesives, grouts or sealants you are after, we’ve got you. We’ll be with you from the beginning of your tiling journey right up until the end, from prepping your walls for tiling to adding the finishing touches.
We are going to do a 3 part blog series on our range of Mudd products, with each piece featuring a different stage of the tiling process and the recommended products.
With this blog post, let's start at the very beginning. Keep reading to learn more about the products required prior to laying tiles including Ready to use Waterproof System, Acrylic Tile Primer and Flexible Fibre Floor Leveller.
Preparation
Before you’ve even picked your tiles or thought about laying them, you must make sure your floor or walls are fully prepped. Think about it, you’ve invested in tiles that you love so it would be a shame to not take care of them and give them a proper home where they will thrive. There are a couple of things you need to consider before grouting your walls or floors to fix your tiles such as waterproofing, priming and leveling. But don't worry, we're here to help. By the end of this blog piece, you'll be tiling like a pro!
Dam It Ready to use Waterproof System
Do I need to waterproof my shower before tiling? The answer is yes! Whilst grout is water resistant, not all grout is necessarily waterproof. This means that water can still penetrate through to the wall surface which leads to a build up of damp and eventually mould that is trapped behind the grout. This is where Mudd’s Dam It comes in - a Ready to Use Waterproof System that creates a waterproof seal between the wall and grout. The waterproof sealant is used prior to fixing wall tiles and is ideal for showers, baths, wet rooms and kitchens. The watertight barrier created by the sealant prevents water ingress into water sensitive backgrounds such as plasterboard.
The kit includes:
- 500ml of Primer (Prime Time)
- 4.5kg of Waterproof Coating
- 10m of Corner Tape
- 1sqm of Polyester Matting
To prepare for the waterproofing, all voids or gaps should be filled with a suitable filler or covered with joining tape and allowed to set. Make sure your surface is clean, dry, free from dust and sufficiently flat before Applying Dam It. Once applied, allow a minimum of 24 hours before applying adhesives and grout. Dam It can be used on a variety of surfaces including concrete, cement, plasterboard, plaster and many more. It is not recommended for use outside.
The Leveller Flexible Fibre Floor Leveller
Uneven floors are common and can’t be helped. If you aren’t sure how to level a floor before tiling, Mudd have created a convenient and easy to use product that is the answer to all your worries. The Leveller is a single part floor leveller with added fibres for increased strength and flexibility, and is ideal for creating a level floor on most substrates prior to tiling. It isn’t suitable for use on walls as it is runny. If you are wondering how to level a wall before tiling, we would suggest using a tile backer board. The Flexible Fibre Floor Leveller is suitable for preparing interior floors prior to laying tiles and can be used on both absorbent and non-absorbent floor surfaces such as timber, concrete, cement and many more.
Prime Time Acrylic Tile Primer
Wondering what primer to use on tiles? Acrylic primer for tiling is perfect as it can be used prior to the application of ceramic, mosaic or natural stone tiles in most interior and exterior situations. If the surface you are going to tile is dusty or porous, Prime Time is a ready to use acrylic primer that stabilises dusty or porous backgrounds prior to tiling. How long does tile primer take to dry do you ask? We recommend allowing a minimum of 30 minutes between coats. 1lt of undiluted Prime Time covers approximately 10m2, however on very porous backgrounds this may be less.
What next?
Now that we've covered preparing for tiling, our next blog post will explore the different types of Mudd adhesives that we stock to apply after preparation, including ready mixed adhesives and powdered adhesives. Selecting the right adhesive is key to a successful tiling project. In the meantime, explore our full range of Mudd products here and start your tiling journey with us today!
See you next week!