In the bathtub, after priming the walls, what should be applied first before laying the tiles: waterproofing from moisture, and a concrete contact on it for coupling, or vice versa?
First, let’s clarify: Henkel’s “Betonkontakt” Ceresit CT 19 primer is designed to improve the adhesion of a smooth surface with subsequent finishing layers. An excellent option for treating surfaces covered with oil paint, old tiles or a very smooth panel wall. The main effect is determined by the fact that the soil contains, in addition to the durable cement-polymer component, quartz sand of different fractions; it forms a rough surface, which is easier for tile adhesive to “catch onto.”
That is, as far as we understand, you are going to treat the surface of the wall (sorry we don’t know the nature of the surface) with some kind of waterproofing compound that will have a smooth surface. If this is the case, then you should first make a layer of waterproofing, and then apply “Betonkontakt” over it.
But we will risk offering you another option. Unfortunately, we don’t know what type and brand of waterproofing you are going to use for the cladding. Since it is smooth, most likely it is bitumen or polymer mastic, liquid rubber. Unfortunately, despite excellent waterproofing properties, such coatings (at least inexpensive brands) provide very weak adhesion. And it’s not a fact that Ceresit CT 19 primer will stick to them properly. There is a possibility that under the load from glue and tiles, it will begin to move away from the greasy bitumen surface, especially when it comes to walls.
Bituminous waterproofing under tiles, made with ordinary roofing mastic or roll materials, is not the best option for a bathroom; you can’t stick anything properly to a greasy oil surface, and a primer won’t help much either. The only exception is floor insulation if the bituminous material will be covered with a screed
Imported polymer waterproofing is often painted in these “cheerful” colors. Good in all respects, except the price - too expensive
There is an alternative that is effective, inexpensive and easy to implement. Waterproofing of both walls and floors can be done using special mineral (polymer cement) compounds. For example, from the same German company Henkel. The waterproofing mixture Ceresit CR 65 is produced in Belarus and is relatively cheap. It is applied simply, using a regular brush or spatula in two or three layers, depending on what degree of protection you need to obtain. It insulates from moisture no worse than bitumen, has excellent adhesion to tile adhesive, you don’t need Ceresit CT 19 at all. The main thing is that the waterproofing catches on the wall itself. It sticks well on almost all types of surfaces, except for greasy (nothing will help here) and oil paints, here “Betonkontakt” will come in handy. Ceresit CR 65 is used to insulate stable surfaces. To treat deformable substrates, for example, wooden boards (is it worth laying tiles on this), use Ceresit CR 166, which is extremely reliable, but, alas, quite expensive.
Cement (mineral) waterproofing is applied quickly, simply, with ordinary tools, is inexpensive, tile adhesive has excellent adhesion to the treated surface
An important preparatory step before laying tiles is priming the surface To achieve a high-quality, sustainable result when laying tiles, you need to properly prepare the base: floors, walls or other surface. The final step of preliminary work is priming. Let's talk a little more about how to properly perform priming and how to prepare the surface for laying tiles.
Do I need to prime the floor before laying tiles?
Primer, as already mentioned, is an important step that cannot be ignored. Priming will have a positive effect on the result of the efforts, especially on the adhesion strength of the tiles and the surface that is covered with the material. Therefore, it is so important to choose the right type of priming composition, since the quality result depends on it. It is possible to use it as a concrete contact, but a more traditional deep penetration primer is also suitable.
The primer will give the surface:
- Strength;
- Reliability;
- Uniformity.
As a result, the application of the material for cladding to the adhesive composition will also have reliable adhesion to the base, therefore, this preparatory process, although it cannot be called irreplaceable, is 100% not superfluous. And the most common mistake is that professional repairmen, as if on command, prime the walls, but for some reason ignore the floors. This is fundamentally not true; it is clear that the material from the floor surface will not fall onto your head, but this will not prevent the tiles from moving. And this will lead to the fact that the tile will have to be removed, cleaned of the mortar, the place where it was located, and glued back again, but it will no longer be possible to achieve ideal quality.
It is important to remember: the use of a primer should be the most important commandment for the tiler, only then will the result of the repair be impeccable and the tiles will last for many years.
How to prepare a floor for tiling
For many decades, tiles have been the most popular type of flooring for finishing in the kitchen, bathroom, toilet and hallway. Today, tiles can often be found in living spaces, in the dining room, living room, even in the bedroom. What is the secret of the relevance of building materials? Naturally, in excellent performance.
The building material is characterized by a long service life, resistance to various types of mechanical loads, and resistance to abrasive substances.
In addition, the tiled surface is easy to clean. In order for the tile to serve for many years, it is important not only to choose the right building material, but also to properly prepare the surface for installation. When choosing a material for the floor, it is important to take into account this point - a serious load will be systematically placed on the floor surface.
Before proceeding to the primer, the floor surface should be thoroughly cleaned of dirt.
This means that you need to pay attention to the following performance characteristics:
- Wear resistance;
- Easy cleaning;
- Resistant to cleaning agents.
So, the building material has been selected, but installation must be carried out only after the surface has been prepared. Before tiling the floor with ceramic tiles, it is necessary to prepare the base surface well.
The concrete floor must be:
- Absolutely flat;
- Well dried;
- Clean.
To prepare the surface, you will need to take the following building materials and tools: screed mixture, container for mixing mortar, mixer attachment, electric drill, spatula, building level. Professionals advise making a cement-sand screed on the floor surface before tiling. The main advantage of a concrete screed is that after pouring and drying you will get a perfectly flat and durable base. A relative disadvantage is that the pouring process is very dirty.
Before starting cladding, you need to decide what the screed layer will be. Usually, the optimal thickness is considered to be a layer of 4 cm, but sometimes, if necessary, it is possible to increase this parameter to 7 cm.
First you need to thoroughly clean the base from any contaminants, after which you can mix the screed solution according to the technology. It is necessary not only to buy the right cement mixture, but also to work according to technology. In order for the composition to be homogeneous and without lumps, you need to sift the sand well before mixing.
To get the correct consistency, you need to use an electric drill with a special attachment. After mixing, pour the solution evenly onto a clean surface. Finishing can be done after about a month, when the base is completely dry.
The base can be used for waterproofing under a decorative coating. Also, before cladding, you need to select a primer and carry out priming using the technology that will be described below.
Primer for tiles: types of material
It is the type of soil that determines how reliable the adhesion of the decorative material to the floor or wall will be. Impregnation is one of the most important components of any technology for high-quality cladding. It is necessary to prime the walls or floor. What does the term “primer” mean? This is a liquid composition that consists of a mixture of fillers and special ingredients in a binder polymer.
You can get acquainted with the different types of primer and choose the most suitable option in specialized stores.
How to choose a good product for porcelain stoneware or ceramic tiles? It is necessary to take into account the type and condition of the surface being treated. You also need to consider the purpose of the room. Now, the outdated method of priming with glue has been replaced by the method of using special primers. They differ from each other in composition, which makes it possible to select the optimal coating without compromising the front finish.
Based on the type of binder, primers can be divided into the following groups::
- Acrylic;
- Alkyd;
- Glypthal;
- Perchlorovinyl;
- Polyvinyl acetate;
- Polystyrene;
- Phenolic.
It is better to use universal acrylic compounds for porcelain stoneware tiles, and if in doubt, it is best to consult with a professional, he will tell you what impregnation to use.
Primer technology for laying tiles
Primer includes: grinding the working surface with a special machine or sandpaper and applying primer.
It is quite possible to prime the floor before laying tiles with your own hands, if you carefully read the instructions and advice from professionals
Walls or floors must be thoroughly cleaned using:
- Wash;
- Scraper;
- Spatula.
Unevenness on the walls up to 1.5 cm can be smoothed out using putty or thick impregnation, which will dry in approximately 7 days. If this work has already been carried out in advance, you can sand and apply a primer. After pouring the composition into the container, you need to evenly moisten the paint brush or roller. It must be applied over the entire surface without gaps at joints and behind radiators. Each layer must dry. It is better to prime in 2-3 layers and let the surface dry thoroughly. After this you can lay the tiles.
Correct primer before laying tiles (video)
If you follow the technology, you can get a beautiful, high-quality coating that will last for many years, maintaining its aesthetics and uniformity.
Similar materials
The result of work does not always depend on the quality of materials; often, the right technology plays a very important role. If you are planning to renovate your bathroom, you can buy expensive, high-quality tiles, a good adhesive composition and hire a professional, but if you do not prepare the surface for laying the tiles, all your efforts will be in vain.
Before the process of gluing the tiles begins, it is necessary to clean the surfaces on which it will be located, and also thoroughly prime them. We will describe in detail how this process works below.
Benefits of primer
Primer is a special composition that is applied to the floor or walls to improve the adhesion of the base and cladding. Using a primer can also prevent the appearance of mold, improve the hydrophobicity of the room, and increase the antiseptic properties. At the heart of any soil are substances that form a kind of film that has the above-mentioned properties.
The soil mixtures that can be found in stores now are made using high technology, and they will reliably protect your bathroom thanks to a lot of advantages:
- Strengthen the surface. The primer acts as a connecting link - it penetrates tightly into the pores on the walls and floor, strengthens the structure of the base on which the tiles will be laid, and makes the surface less dependent on dynamic or static loads.
- Reduce bacterial sedimentation. Modern soil contains disinfecting and antiseptic components, which will help even if the surface is already affected by fungus or mold, and will contribute to prevention. No one wants to remove tiles to remove mold!
- Will reduce material consumption. An adhesive will be applied to the primed wall to hold the porcelain tiles in place. Due to the fact that all the pores in the walls and floor are already filled with primer, and the surfaces themselves are smooth and do not absorb anything unnecessary, the glue consumption will be several times less than without a primer. In addition, when applied, the glue will not fall off the surface that is primed.
- Improves “sticking”. The glue adheres to the surface treated with primer immediately and almost forever. Experts know that the chance that the glue along with the tiles will fall off a primed wall is almost zero. The laying process itself will also be better, because the tiles will stick perfectly!
Note that primer is necessary not only for walls, but also for the ceiling and floor if you plan to lay tiles or any other finishing material on them. The principle of operation is no different.
Types of primer
As a rule, soils come in two types: dry and liquid. The latter are completely ready for work; you just need to pour the composition into a suitable container. Dry soils require dilution with water according to the instructions. This is less convenient, but if you need to prime a very large surface, it turns out more profitable. For a bathroom of any size, it would be wise to use a liquid primer.
Also, at the moment, three types of primer mixtures are most common in construction markets:
- Alkyd. A very durable and reliable primer, which is used not only on concrete, porcelain stoneware or plaster, but also has excellent contact with glass and drywall. The disadvantage of such soil is the long drying time - from ten to sixteen hours.
- Plaster. A primer containing gypsum, cement or, less commonly, lime is the most budget option. Well suited for smoothly plastered surfaces: brick, concrete, it also works well when working with plasterboard under tiles.
- Acrylic (or emulsion). The most popular because it is universal and works on almost all surfaces. Due to the wide range in price, depending on the manufacturer, it is in demand among buyers planning a bathroom renovation - from budget to luxury. This primer dries quickly - from two to four hours, and has almost no odor.
Purpose of primers
Before purchasing soil, you need to assess the condition of the walls and floors in the bathroom. Not only may a specific primer be needed, but it may also be different for these two surfaces. The base material is the main factor influencing the choice of composition. Conventionally, we can distinguish the following primers suitable for different groups of surfaces:
For mineral surfaces
Such surfaces include brick, cinder block, concrete or aerated concrete, and plaster. To prime such substrates, it is worth using deep penetration compounds. They deeply saturate the surface, closing all pores. Due to the presence of polymers in the soil, it adheres well to the base particles, increasing the adhesion of the base and tile adhesive.
For fragile, loose surfaces
Porous and fragile surfaces require a strengthening primer, which contains adhesives. Penetrating into the surface, they strengthen its top layer. Often this primer is used for bathroom walls that do not have enough cement or the plaster has dried out. It is important to note that in this case the primer will only work to the depth of its penetration, and will not be able to stop the collapse of a large layer of plaster or concrete.
For application between coats
For the bathroom, it is important to apply a waterproofing compound to avoid problems with flooding. In this case, a universal primer or general purpose primer should be used. One layer of primer must be applied before waterproofing, the other on top of it, before laying the tiles.
If the walls in the bathroom are made of cement screed, new concrete, or fire retardants have been applied to them, then they contain alkali. To neutralize its effect on the tiles, you will need an anti-alkaline primer.
Hard, smooth, dense surfaces
For processing concrete slabs, chipboard and fiberboard, plasterboard or walls painted with oil paint, the use of concrete contact primer is indispensable. It makes the surface rougher, which makes contact with tile adhesive easier.
Primer of walls and floors
Having chosen the correct primer composition, you can get to work. The primer of the floor and walls is no different from each other. Primer can be called one of the most pleasant and uncomplicated repair processes; even a child can handle it. The consistency of the soil resembles ordinary water, which must be evenly distributed over the surface.
The first thing to do is prepare the surface. It is necessary to carefully brush away all debris, dust and other contaminants from the walls and floor. Next, you need to prepare the composition - pour the liquid into a convenient container, dilute the dry mixture according to the instructions and mix thoroughly.
The primer can be applied with a roller, brush or even a spray bottle. The first layer must be applied evenly, saturating all protrusions and crevices with primer. Next, you need to wait the time indicated on the package. If necessary, a second layer can be applied.
By the way, some craftsmen advise diluting the grout mixture itself not with water, but with a primer, then there is no need to additionally coat the seams.
For information on preparing walls before laying tiles with tile adhesive, see the following video.
In order to achieve a high-quality result when laying floor tiles or wall cladding, it is important to carefully prepare the base. A tiled wall looks beautiful when it is laid on a smooth, flat surface. Therefore, priming before laying tiles must be carried out.
The evenness of the facing layer depends on the degree of adhesion (adhesion) between the base and the inner surface of the material. Therefore, the facing composition should be selected taking into account the characteristics of these materials.
Do you need a primer? Of course, because it allows not only to increase the level of adhesion between the surface and the product, but also to prevent the appearance of fungus and mold. This is important, since rooms with a high degree of humidity are usually tiled.
The basis of the floor primer is made up of substances that have antiseptic and hydrophobic properties, which, when applied, form a protective film.
Modern primer mixtures have the following positive qualities:
- The primer strengthens the surface as it penetrates into the pores of the base and strengthens it, protecting it from stress.
- Due to its composition, the mixture has preventive antiseptic properties. Is the foundation already infected with mold? It's not scary.
- A primer for walls under tiles in your bathroom allows you to use adhesive sparingly due to the fact that the pores of the base are already filled. This ensures that the wall is covered with an even layer of adhesive before laying the tiles.
- High level of adhesion of the adhesive layer to the base.
- Protecting the surface from mechanical damage.
- High drying speed.
- No special skills or tools are required to work with the composition.
- The price is affordable for everyone.
Floor treatment
Priming the floor before laying tiles is a must. Ceramic is a traditional material for flooring in the bathroom or kitchen. In modern interiors, it is customary to choose ceramics for floor coverings in living rooms, hallways, and bedrooms.
Floor tiles are easy to maintain, but are also subject to serious daily stress, so it is important that the base is strong enough. In rooms with high traffic, porcelain stoneware is laid on the floor. In order to lay porcelain tiles efficiently, it is important to carefully prepare the base - properly prime the subfloor.
Before laying tiles on the floor, it is necessary to level the surface. To do this, protruding irregularities are removed and seams and cracks are sealed. Dirt and dust are removed, then the surface is primed. A special primer for floor tiles is used .
For porcelain tiles, a deep-penetrating solution is used, which creates a water-repellent layer and removes dust. To avoid the question of whether the floor needs to be primed before laying tiles, it is important to understand that a dry surface will absorb moisture from the tile adhesive. And if there is a lack of the required level of humidity, the glue will lose its strength and adhesive qualities.
Wall treatment
Laying ceramic tiles on walls is a traditional type of tiling for rooms with high humidity. Priming the walls before laying the tiles should be carried out in accordance with the sequence of actions, as when tiling the floor. The surface is removed from uneven surfaces, cleaned, and then the walls are treated.
Some experts argue that if the surface has a large number of pores, then it is necessary to prime the walls before laying tiles (especially ceramic ones). For durable, smooth surfaces (such as concrete), using a primer to install bathroom tiles is not necessary.
The wall processing process consists of the following points:
- Dust and dirt are removed from the wall surface, then leveled and puttied.
- The composition is mixed well until smooth.
- The composition is applied to the wall surface with a roller or spatula.
- Apply a second layer. It is important to note that tile primer must be applied according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
On the video: features of priming before tiling.
Types of primer compositions
Primer for tiles can have different composition, degree of penetration, purpose, application method and surface quality. Depending on the composition, it can be liquid or dry.
The liquid primer is immediately ready for use, while the dry primer must be diluted with water in the required proportion indicated on the package. To lay tiles in the bathroom, it is recommended to use a liquid compound.
With different composition
Depending on the composition, the primer for the wall under bathroom tiles can be as follows:
- Alkyd. It is highly durable and reliable. It is used to work with porcelain stoneware, plaster, concrete, glass and plasterboard surfaces. The alkyd composition takes a long time to dry - more than 10 hours.
- Plaster. The main component can be gypsum, cement or lime component. This solution is used under tile adhesive on a brick, concrete or plaster surface.
- Acrylic (emulsion). This is a universal composition suitable for any surface. It dries quickly and has an affordable price.
If everything is clear with the question of whether it is necessary to prime the walls and floor, then the question arises - what to prime with? For each base, you need to choose an individual suitable composition. The choice of primer directly depends on the base material.
For different types of surfaces
There are the following types of grounds:
- Mineral surfaces in the form of brick, cinder block, plaster, aerated concrete and concrete require treatment with compounds with deep penetration, since these bases have a porous structure.
- Loose and fragile surfaces, having a large number of pores, must be treated with a composition with adhesives. They will be able to strengthen the top layer, but will not prevent a possible collapse if it is dried plaster or concrete.
- When waterproofing the wall surface use a universal primer . First, a universal primer for the bathroom is applied, then a waterproofing compound, and on top of a second layer of primer for tiles;
- For surfaces containing alkali, it is recommended to select a special neutralizing mixture. This applies to new concrete walls treated with fire-retardant compounds, or if the bathroom has a cement screed.
- Soil-concrete contact used for plasterboard walls, concrete, chipboard, fiberboard, oil paint. In this case, the smooth surface acquires a slight roughness.
If you are going to cover a plasterboard surface, it must be handled very carefully to avoid deformation. To begin with, it must be thoroughly puttied. Drywall should be taken from the GVLV brand.
To increase adhesion between the base and marble or porcelain stoneware products, treatment with solutions is used to roughen the surface.
You must work with the composition carefully, because it is not so easy to remove from the ceramic surface. If this happens, you can try to remove the solution with soapy water. If it doesn’t work, you can soak the stain for several hours, covering it with damp rags. In difficult cases, you can use a glass cleaner.
What and how to prime (2 videos)
Primer of different brands and work process (24 photos)
Preparing the floor for tiles takes half the time of a room renovation. This is an important stage, since further results depend on the quality of the foundation. Although some of the defects will be hidden by the tile, they will affect the strength of the surface. Take care of primer, waterproofing and antiseptic treatment.
Tiles are the ideal covering for kitchens and bathrooms
Surface Requirements
The floor preparation process includes a whole list of procedures. With their help, it is possible to achieve results that improve the quality of the future coating. Surface requirements:
- absence of serious irregularities;
- protection from moisture;
- protection against fungus and mold;
- cleaning from dust and construction debris;
- high adhesion.
Results are achieved by performing step-by-step actions to arrange the foundation.
Removing the coating
Before starting installation, take care to dismantle the old layer, most often it is tile. The difficulty of the work lies in removing the material fixed to the cement mortar on a horizontal surface, which is not easy. Use a hammer drill with a chisel attachment. They can also use hand tools, such as a chisel, but this will slow down the work process.
To remove the old coating, use a hammer drill or hand tool
Dealing with laminate, parquet or linoleum is much easier. It is also easy to remove PVC tiles or resurface a painted concrete floor. Sometimes it is possible to preserve the old coating. In this case, take into account that this will affect the change in floor level. If such sacrifices by centimeters are not terrible, even the old tiles are left behind.
Troubleshooting
Preparing a floor for tiles involves performing a set of tasks. They start by identifying possible shortcomings. Much depends directly on the type of subfloor covering. On a concrete floor, the main task is to identify irregularities. This is true if the base was poured without a subsequent self-leveling screed or after dismantling the previous coating.
To find flaws, first of all, visually inspect the working area of the floor, and then check with a level. The task becomes more complicated if the room has a slope. The largest points of the protrusion are marked, the depressions are marked and subsequently plastered. The alignment reference is the highest. If this raises the floor too much, the mound is cut off with a grinder.
The base is checked using a level and uneven areas are marked for further leveling.
When it comes to wooden floors, analysis of the condition of the joists and rough surface comes first. They disassemble the flooring and check each individual section. If necessary, new boards are laid. The ideal option for the first floor is to create a drainage layer and pour concrete.
Replacing the base
It is the preparation of wooden flooring for tiles that poses the greatest number of difficulties. To cope with the problem, there are several ways out of the situation. First of all, the boards are removed and the quality of the load-bearing elements is checked. The decking is then either placed back or replaced as needed. Sometimes only a few boards are removed. To level the structure, sheets of moisture-resistant plywood or OSB are used.
Leave small technological gaps for wood movement.
If the situation is critical, a complete floor replacement will be required. In difficult cases, you have to carefully install new logs. If you want to improve the design, refer to the method of organizing expanded clay drainage. It is backfilled to the maximum level and provides waterproofing in combination with geotextiles. Then, for a better effect, instead of boards, the floor is filled with concrete.
In some cases, when laying tiles on a wooden floor, a complete replacement of the base is required
Waterproofing and screed
Since tiles are often installed in rooms with high humidity, it is important to ensure that adjacent rooms are insulated from water penetration through the mortar on which the trim is installed. Therefore, the process of preparing the floor for laying tiles includes a waterproofing stage. First, treat the surface with antifungal waterproof impregnations.
To prevent moisture penetration, use the following:
- geotextiles;
- PVC film;
- bitumen roll materials;
- bitumen and polymer mastics;
- waterproof paints and varnishes.
Floor waterproofing options
After arranging protection from moisture, a concrete screed is poured. It will level the surface or at least eliminate obvious defects. It is better to use self-leveling, quick-drying mixtures. Usually a layer of 3-4 mm is enough to achieve an acceptable effect. If you are installing a heated floor system, the solution is applied thicker. Heating is installed before concrete is poured.
To eliminate unevenness, apply a thin layer of self-leveling mixture
Primer
This is the final stage of preparation. It is used for any construction and finishing work. To understand the need for a primer before laying tiles, consider the properties of the product:
- Protection. Prevents excessive moisture absorption and forms a protective film on the treated surface.
- Adhesion. Penetrates into the material, increasing its degree of adhesion to facing coatings and adhesive solution.
- Cleansing. Removes remaining dust particles.
Mandatory stage of any repair and finishing work
The floor surface is primed before laying the tiles using a roller or a hard brush. This is how every centimeter of room area is processed. Try not to stain anything, since the hardened primer is practically impossible to wash off. Usually it is enough to saturate the surface with the mixture once, but if the application is done poorly, a second coat will be needed.
Work continues after the floor has dried, this takes from 5 to 12 hours.
If the preparation is done correctly, the future laying of tiles will proceed without any difficulties, and the new floors will be both beautiful and of high quality in technical and operational terms.