Silicone For Wall And Shower Tile????

sergeant4743

I have recently workedwith a general contractor that says he stickly uses 100% RTV Silicone to stick his tile on wall installations, whether it is backsplash or shower walls. Have you ever heard of this and is there a downside? I have to admit I have used it since and it seems like a great idea. It bonds really well and you don't have to worry about having to much or too little thinset behind the tile. You end up with an easy to acheive smooth finish. I have tried to think of a rebuttel as to why it is not good to use but come up empty. can any of you guys give me a downside???? Thanks for the help.

Bud Cline

Doubt that anyone doing this would do more than a squeeze and a blob here and there. Thus leaving plenty of voids everywhere TO GROW MOLD AND MILDEW behind the tiles!!!!!! Besides, thinset would be much less expensive.

sergeant4743

Yea you are right that it is a little more expensive. When i saw him do it he really loaded down the tiles with zig zags and then stuck the tile. He asked me to try to remove it after 5 or 10 minutes and it was almost impossible.

Bud Cline

So...........? What's the point in all that crap? Why is someone always going against the grain and trying to re-invent the wheel? I don't get it!

sergeant4743

I really wasn't asking for rude comments, I was simple asking if anyone has ever heard of it and if there was a downside to it. I did not ask you to try to reason why or what for and I really did not post it for you to "get it." This is a discussion forum and no one is trying to "Re-invent the wheel" I/we are simply presenting the idea to see if anyone else uses it and if it truely works. If we stop learning then we stand still and progress and new ideas stop.

olzo55

Sarge,
i could see using this method for a kitchen backsplash repair for a tile or two. With this method the cost is a major factor. i usually have a variety of leftover thinset for repairs on hand so there is one less thing to buy.
however, for a total shower i wouldn't use that method. the wall and tile would need to be very clean so the RTV can grab. then, it will be slower to spot tiles rather than full spread the wall and place the tiles. also, with full spread the thinset is gauged by the notches of the trowel. the spot method every tile must be brought into plane with a level. very slow work. while there is some merit to RTV (for single wall tile replacements) it won't replace thinset.

olzo

Bud Cline

Ya know what is really rude is anyone that doesn't pay any attention to long established guidlines and recommendations set out by an entire industry and then goes to a website forum expecting someone to bless their ignorance.

YES there's a downside to it! Didn't you read my first response?

That crap isn't progress or a learning experience. It is lazy costly nonsense that you will never get a real tile mechanic to condone.

Mike Finley

What do the manufacturers say? What does the TCNA say?

They are the only 2 parties that I listen to.

I could careless about some guy that pisses in his thinset because he swears it makes it bond better, or any other half-assed 'discovery' that has been made.

Professionals have to warranty their work. Most of us need to install by the manufacturers methods in order to get the manufacturer to stand behind our work.

Bud is a professional, he warranties his work, he's been around forever doing what he does, like most of us he didn't get to the top by avoiding the methods backed by the manufacturers of the professional tile products he uses.

Get it?

Your GC probably uses liquid nails under his tile backer on floors too and swears by it.

Snow Man

sounds like a hillbillyhookup to me

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