Owner's Manual

Step 2: Pre-Leveling / Smoothing Options (if
needed)
Interior or Exterior
ARDEX AM 100™ Rapid Set Pre-Tile Smoothing and
Ramping Mortar
ARDEX A 38™ Rapid Set Screed
Interior Only
ARDEX Liquid BackerBoard® Self-Leveling Underlayment for
Interior Wood and Concrete Subfloors
ARDEX TL 1000™ Self-Leveling Underlayment
ARDEX TL 1400™ Self-Leveling Underlayment
ARDEX TL 2000™ Fiber Reinforced, Self-Leveling
Underlayment
ARDEX SKM™ Skim Finish - Skimcoat Patch & Finishing
Underlayment
Observe the substrate preparation, mixing, application and
drying instructions in the appropriate ARDEX technical data
sheet. Per ANSI A 108 AN-3.7, expansion joints must be
provided over existing moving joints and moving cracks and
where substrate materials change composition or direction.
Step 3: (if needed) Waterproofing / Crack
Isolation/ Uncoupling; Priming / Treating
Certain Substrates
Note
Membrane application limits the allowable mortar
thickness. See “Maximum Mortar Thickness over
Membranes” under “Step 4,” below.
Waterproofing / Crack Isolation Options (Interior
Only)
ARDEX 8+9™ Rapid Waterproofing and Crack Isolation
Compound
ARDEX S 1-K™ One-Component Waterproofing and Crack
Isolation Membrane
ARDEX FLEXBONE® HEAT In-Floor Heating Systems
ARDEX UI 740™ FLEXBONE® Uncoupling Membrane
ARDEX UI 720™ FLEXBONE® Floating Uncoupling
Membrane
Follow the instructions in the respective technical data
sheet.
Metal Substrates
Contact the ARDEX Technical Service Department for
application instructions over interior, non-aluminum metal
substrates.
Existing Tiles and Other Non-Porous Surfaces
Option 1: Apply a coat of ARDEX P 4™ Pre-Mixed, Rapid-
Drying, Multipurpose Primer, which must dry 30 - 60
minutes before proceeding with the tile installation.
Option 2 (interior, dry applications only): Mix the mortar
with ARDEX E 90 ™ Admix in accordance with the technical
data sheet, and install directly over the non-porous surface.
Gypsum (interior only)
Option 1: Apply a coat of ARDEX P 4, as directed above.
Option 2: Double prime with ARDEX P 51™ Primer, as
detailed in the technical data sheet.
Other Highly Absorbent Substrates (plaster, etc.)
Option 1: Apply a scratch coat of the tile mortar. Allow the
scratch coat to harden and dry completely before
proceeding with the tile installation.
Option 2: Apply a coat of ARDEX P 4, as directed above.
Option 3: (interior, dry applications only): Double prime
with ARDEX P 51™ Primer, as detailed in the technical data
sheet.
Step 4: Mixing and Application
Recommended Tools
Margin trowel  Mixing container  ARDEX T-2 Ring Mixing
Paddle  1/2” (12 mm) heavy-duty drill (min. 650 rpm) 
Appropriate notched trowel
Maximum Mortar Thicknesses Over Membranes
Membrane Type Max. Thickness Max. Trowel Notch
Size
Unbonded uncoupling
membranes:
1/4” (6 mm) 1/2” x 1/2”
(12 mm x 12 mm)
All other membranes: 3/8” (9.5 mm) 3/4” x 3/4”
(19 mm x 19 mm)
Safety and OSHA Compliance
Handle each bag with care, emptying it in a manner that
avoids creating a plume of dust. While mixing, use a
standard “gutter hook” vacuum attachment in combination
with a heavy-duty, bucket-style vacuum (Shop-Vac® or
similar) and HEPA dust extraction vacuum system.