Top Five Tips for Rapid Setting Tile Installations

Learn how to save time and money by installing tile with rapid setting, fast curing levelers, membranes, mortar and grout. Fast track commercial tile installations like restaurant and retail remodels will benefit by opening to traffic earlier when a rapid setting tile installation system is used.

Early high-strength, rapid-setting installation systems are specially formulated for these situations.

Make sure you have sufficient installation products on hand by using a tool like the Material Calculator on the CUSTOM website.

Tile surfaces can trap grout particles with disastrous results, so test the grout on the tile to see if a grout release or sealer will be needed. If so, consider pre-sealing the tile to save time during the installation.

Regardless of schedule, the substrate must be properly prepared before installing tile. Only a stable, flat surface will allow rapid – and durable - installation of tile.

The easiest way to achieve flatness is to use an underlayment such as CUSTOM’s LevelQuik® RS Self-Leveling Underlayment. Rapid-setting LevelQuik can be poured and ready for tiling within just a few hours.

When crack isolation is part of the installation assembly, there are several options that allow very short wait times prior to tiling.

To achieve extra heavy service levels and protect against cracks up to 3/8”, install self-bonding CrackBuster Pro Crack Prevention Mat Underlayment.

For crack suppression plus waterproofing, RedGard® Uncoupling Mat bonds to the substrate with thin-set mortar so tile can be installed immediately.

Or choose RedGard Waterproofing and Crack Prevention Membrane, a versatile liquid option. Apply one coat for crack isolation, two coats for waterproofing. Allow about 45 minutes for each coat to dry, depending on temperature and humidity.

Not all rapid setting mortars are created equal. Some are based on simple acceleration of the Portland cement hydration process and they dry quickly, but don’t really develop enough strength to allow early traffic.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) requires dry-set tile installation mortars to achieve shear bond strength greater than 50 psi in 4 hours to accommodate foot traffic and allow for grouting.

Always choose an advanced polymer-modified mortar that promotes faster hydration and builds strength quickly.

ProLite® Rapid Setting Large Format Tile and Stone Mortar is formulated for fast-paced installation of large and heavy tile and meets the requirements of ANSI A118.15F. ProLite offers superior workability, will not slump or sag, and provides high bond strength and flexibility.

The most demanding conditions may call for MegaLite Rapid Setting Crack Prevention Mortar, which offers the ultimate support for large format tile and stone.

Ensuring full mortar coverage on large tiles can be time consuming, so consider setting tile with a flowable mortar like Complete Contact-LFT Rapid Setting Large Format Tile & Stone Mortar. Complete Contact saves time by helping to fill the gaps between trowel ridges and can eliminate the need to back butter the tile. It also exceeds the requirements of ANSI A118.4F, A118.11 and A118.15F.

Standard cement-based grouts are ready for traffic the next day but can cure very slowly when the weather is cold or damp. Choose a grout that will not delay your critical project. Fast-setting Prism® Color Consistent Grout cures quickly allowing foot traffic in just a few hours.

Prism produces dense grout joints without mottling, shading or efflorescence, regardless of temperature or humidity.

For installations requiring very high chemical and heat resistance, CEG-IG™ Industrial Grade Epoxy Grout is rapid curing to both set and grout tiles. CEG-IG cleans up quickly with just water and holds up to the harsh conditions found in commercial kitchens, which often require fast track installations.

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