Installation Guide

4
t o 1
™
M u d B e d
M i x
4 t o 1
™
M u d B e d
M i x
• Fordetailsonpreparingsurfacestoreceiveceramictile
andnaturalstone,seeMAPEI’s“SurfacePreparation
Requirements”documentfortileandstoneinstallations.
MIXING
1. 4 to 1canbemixedbyhandinacleanwheelbarrowor
mortarbox,orbymachineinamortarmixer.Mixeach
55-lb.(24,9-kg)bagwith2to3U.S.qts.(1,89to2,84
L)ofcleancoolwater,orwith2.5to3.2U.S.qts.(2,37
to3,03L)ofMAPEI’sPlanicrete AC.Forhandmixing,
graduallyaddwaterorPlanicrete AC to the 4 to 1while
mixingwithamortarhoeinawheelbarrowormortar
box.Formachinemixing,addwaterorPlanicrete AC
rsttomixer.Mixtoadryorsemi-dryconsistencythat
canbeformed,byhand,intoaballwithoutcrumbling
apart.
 Note:AddingtoomuchwaterorPlanicrete ACwill
reduce the overall performance and invite shrinkage
cracks over time.
2. Whenbonding4 to 1,applyaslurrybondcoatbyusing
oneofthefollowingmixes:
 •PortlandcementmixedwithwaterorPlanicrete AC
(1:1ratio)
 •MAPEIpolymer-modiedmortarmixedwithwater
PRODUCT APPLICATION
Direct-bond mortar bed
1. Broomorscrubslurrybondcoatintotheconcrete
substrate.Itiscriticalthattheslurrybecompletelywet
(ratherthanpartiallydry)whenapplyingthe4 to 1.
Itisbestto“primeasyougo”toensureaconstantly
wetprimerontheoor.Setthescreedguidesusing
float strips or mortar screeds to the necessary floor
tolerances.
2. Onslopingoors,slopewherenecessarytothedrains.
Screedguidesshouldbetooledtoasquare-edgeright
angle.
3. Whiletheslurryisstillwet,spreadathinlayerofthe
4 to 1ontotheoorsurfacebetweenstripsusinga
straightedge.Workthe4 to 1withawoodormagnesium
oatintotheslurrybondcoat.Immediatelyfollowwith
more 4 to 1tothedesiredheight,compactingand
closing up the surface.
4. Finishthesurfacetrueandattotolerancesnecessary,
typically1/4"in10'(6mmin3,05m)fortileandstone.
Floatingorunbondedmortarbed
1. Floatingscreedsaretypicallyusedwhenitisnecessary
to isolate a tile assembly from problematic floor
conditionsusingacleavagemembraneorslipsheet.The
TCNAandTTMAChaveavarietyofapplicationdetails
covering tile installations over mortar beds incorporating
theuseofacleavagemembrane.SeethelatestTCA
orTTMAChandbookformoreinformationonoating
mortar beds.
2. Applyacleavagemembraneorslipsheet(6mils[0,15
mm]ofpolyethyleneor15lbs.[6,80kg]ofroongfelt)
to the substrate.
3. Layoutrolledorself-furredsheetsof2"x2"(5x5cm)
16-gaugegalvanizedwiremeshthroughoutinstallation.
Overlapmeshby2"(5cm)andconnectusingwireties.
4. Apply4 to 1intothewiremesh.Themeshmustbeeither
proppedupbeforeorduringtheapplication,sothatthe
mesh is approximately in the middle of the mortar bed
withatleast5/8"(16mm)ofmortarthicknesscovering
thewiremesh.
5. Workthemortarmixturewithawoodormagnesiumoat
to compact and close up the surface.
6. Finishthesurfacetrueandattotolerancesnecessary,
typically1/4"in10'(6mmin3,05m)fortileandstone.
EXPANSION AND
CONTROL JOINTS
• Forexpansionandcontroljoints,seecompletedetails
inTCAHandbookDetailEJ171orTTMACSpecication
Guide093000DetailMJ301.
• Expansionandcontroljointsplacedwithinthemortar
bedshouldbecarriedupthroughthetileworkandleft
assoftjointsthatarelledwithanapprovedexpansive
material.
CLEANUP
Cleantoolsandtilewhilethemortarisfresh.
PROTECTION AND CURING
• Providefordry,heatedstorageonsiteanddeliver
materialsatleast24hoursbeforeworkbegins.
• Protectfromrain,snow,freezinganddirectsolarheat,
whichwillcausecuringandperformancedeciencies.
• Becausetemperatureandhumidity(duringandafter
installationoftile)affectthenalcuringtime,allowfor
extendedperiodsofcureandprotectionwhenjobsite
temperaturesdropbelow60°F(16°C)and/orwhen
relativehumidityishigherthan70%.
• Allowmortartofullycurebeforeinstallingtile.
• Iftheinstallationwillbecoveredwithanonbreathable
membraneorifamoisture-sensitivestoneisthenish,
allowanextendedperiodofcuringbeforeapplyingthe
membrane.