"MUD" - What Is It?

MattCoops

4 parts moist sand to 1 part type II portland cement

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Matt with Cupan Custom Tile & Paint of Lowell, Massachusetts
Design and installation of ceramic tile and natural stone for floor, wall, and countertops
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kgphoto

Bud,

I know there is a workable range, but isn't Deckmud usually 5:1 or 5 parts sand to 1 part Portland?

Kirk

Bud Cline

Depends on who you talk to! 4:1 - 5:1, what's one little scoop of sand amongst friends?

Five-to-one will certainly work but in my experience if the area is large and there will be a lot of movement on the raw surface after it is set-up (prior to tiling) then 5:1 is a little too sandy for my liking.

Four-to-one will shave the same as five-to-one and be a little stronger and durable during the tile installation.

It's your choice.

Besides, that information was written with the DIY'er in mind and assumes a one-time first-time project.

MattCoops

sand in your eye is better than nails in your "little Miss Kerdi" (reference - http://www.contractortalk.com/f73/nailing-hardi-w-roofing-gun-34047/

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Matt with Cupan Custom Tile & Paint of Lowell, Massachusetts
Design and installation of ceramic tile and natural stone for floor, wall, and countertops
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Markon

In a very basic explanation. Thinset is the combination of silica sand, portland, and either a dry or wet polymer (wich is water or resin based). If you buy the bags with the dry polymer you mix with water. If you buy the bags without the dry, you mix the polymer or resin. Polymer in a concentrated format smalls and is as thick as glue, if you let it dry, it becomes clear and rubbery. (you never use it in the concentrated form) When you buy it at the store it's already watered down. I use to buy concentrated polymer, same as what's in some tile mixes, for decorative concrete overlays. That way I did have to pay for water weight when it was shipped in. Problem is, you had to buy it by the 55 gal drum, that makes 110 gals of mix. That's a lot.

Alex Leedham

You guys for got about DryPack....in the Southern Ca area shower pan floors are all done in DryPack. Usually mixed 5-1 washed plaster sand and common cement and not much water. The test was grab a handful and clinch your fist then open your hand...if it stays together you have enough water. Heck we used to do all floors with DryPack before cement board hit the market.

Bud Cline

Didn't forget at all.....

DECK MUD is the same thing. Deck mud is for those that don't have to have a pre-packaged product to figure out how to do it.

Alex Leedham

Cool...I have always called it DryPack.

mitch sprouse

Well mud is the only way to go in my book better bond tile to mud with thinset. Plus you get to form the floor level if u want

slate-flooring

slate floor tiles

Bill_Vincent

Ummmm...... yeah, right! Slate floor tiles-- they're a beautiful thing!

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StoneHorseTile

30-35 shovels of sand per 100#'s Portland type I cement

R&D Tile

That should be enough for a shower pan.

Bill_Vincent

Have you seen some of the shower pans at John's site???

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StoneHorseTile

I know, right? That would be one awful deep shower floor mud bed!!!

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fhueston

great information everyone.. hope I can contribute to this forum as well

Frederick M. Hueston Phd
stone forensics

covaltleveling

Very nice index. We have been a floor leveling contractor in Southern California and had never heard the term SLC's for self leveling compounds. It's such a narrow field I suppose.

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CJKarl

So what IS in unmodified thinset? I'm a mason by trade, but am doing a big LFT job with a tile setter. I know what's in Mortar, concrete, grout etc. But I'm sure unmodified thinset is more than sand cement and lime. What the heck is in the stuff? BTW we're using Kerabond white.

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Bud Cline

Have no idea, not a chemist.

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angus242

Kerabond is a mix of silica sand and portland cement; roughly 65%/35% ratio. Could be a bit higher or lower either way.

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