ARC PRO-FLEX WALL & FLOOR TILE ADHESIVE

DESCRIPTION

Arc Pro-Flex is a white, flexible, regular-setting, cement-based, highly polymer modified, thin-bed ceramic tile adhesive. It is suitable for fixing all types of ceramic floor and wall tiles, including mosaics, porcelain, fully vitrified tiles, marble, natural stone, slate etc. Arc Pro-Flex is ideally suited for application onto timber panels, plywood, concrete, block work, floor screeds and power-floated concrete without the need to include a flexible admixture in the mix. It has improved flexural strength, water-resistance and is suitable for swimming pools, underfloor heating applications and both interior & exterior use.

SURFACE PREPERATION

The substrate must be clean, firm and free of dust, dirt, oil, grease and loose flaking coatings. Surfaces must also be structurally sound and strong enough to support the traffic loading expected for the area concerned. Pro-Flex can be applied to dry or damp surfaces, however, moisture sensitive materials must be dry and remain dry after fixing. Worn or porous masonry surfaces and old concrete floors should be sealed with Arc Tiler’s Primer. Arc Pro-Flex can be applied to waterproof plywood. These should be dry, sealed on all exposed faces and edges and primed using Arc Tiler’s Primer. Plywood must always be waterproof rated, 18mm thick, screw fixed at 150mm centers and rigidly braced to provide a dimensionally stable background as described in BS 5385. Not suitable for application directly onto tongue and groove or floating floors. Gypsum plaster should be scored with a wire brush and primed with Arc Tilers Primer diluted 3 parts water to 1 part primer followed by a second neat coat. New concrete floors should be allowed 28 days to fully cure. Do not allow any tiled area to be water immersed for 14 days after fixing. Underfloor heating areas should be turned off 48 hours prior to laying product, and for 1 week after the work has been completed. The temperature should be increased gradually (5ºC per day) until the desired temperature is achieved. All paint coatings should be removed from surfaces prior to tiling. Anhydrite screeds must be confirmed dry via consistent moisture readings. The residual moisture content must be less than 0.5%. Remove any laitance from surface & ensure surface is free of any contaminants, loose dust or dirt. Prime with 2 coats of Arc Tiler’s Primer, the first diluted 3 parts water to 1 part primer followed by a neat coat. Allow to dry in between coats. When tiling onto existing tiles, ensure existing tiles are firm, stable and securely fixed. The tiles must be free of any contaminants, loose dust or dirt and all existing coatings and sealers must be removed. Prime the surface of the existing tiles with Arc Tilers Primer diluted 1 part water to 1 part primer mixed with 1 part adhesive to form a brush on slurry coat. Allow to dry before tiling.

MIX PREPERATION

Do not use when temperatures are below 5°C. Arc Pro-Flex should be added to water in a clean container whilst mechanically stirring and mixed thoroughly to give a soft, slump-free, easily worked mortar. The recommended mixing proportions by volume are 1 part water to 3 parts powder. The consistency of the paste can be adjusted with slight additions of water or powder at the initial mixing phase, however part-used adhesive should never be "freshened up" with later water additions. In ideal conditions, Arc ProFlex has an open time of 20 to 30 minutes and can be grouted and take light foot traffic after 24 hours.

APPLICATION METHOD

For fixing ceramic tiles or mosaics, use a notched trowel to give a ribbed mortar bed on the substrate into which the tiles are firmly bedded with a twist and slide action to ensure full contact. Use a 3mm x 3mm notch at 6mm centers for mosaics and thin flat backed wall tiling, a 5mm x 5mm notch at 10mm centers for general wall tiling and 10mm x 10mm notch at 16mm centers for floor tiling. The position of the tiles can be adjusted up to 10 minutes after initial fixing. Open time of the exposed mortar bed is approximately 20 minutes, depending on surface porosity and site conditions. It is recommended that tiles with raised or studded back profiles, (or in situations where dampness is likely after tiling), should be buttered to ensure solid bed fixing. Do not trowel out an area of adhesive greater than can be tiled over within a 10 minute period. Surfaces such as rutted concrete and masonry block-work which are rough and uneven may first be levelled with Arc Floor Levelling Compound. Adhesive should not exceed 10mm in depth. Back-butter large format tiles and natural stone tiles to achieve maximum bonding.

COVERAGE

When fixing on a level, even floor surface using a 10mm notched trowel, it will cover at a rate of about 4kg per square meter for heavy duty studded tiles. When applying wall tiles, the product will cover at about 3kg per square meter.

GROUTING

Grouting may proceed as soon as the tile bed is sufficiently firm. This will depend on temperatures and site conditions but is normally around 24 hours. Arc have a range of recommended floor and wall grouts.