Jeremy, I hear that all the time. I don’t buy it. If it takes you 30 min longer to back butter your tiles for a quality set, you really think you would lose jobs because you were 1/2 hr slower than someone else? I know MANY Mapei reps. I don’t know to many that would tell you NOT to back butter given the conditions of the substrates you note in…[Read more]

Steve, Please read my response a couple posts up…. Back Buttering is just SCRATCHING the thinset into the backs of the tiles to help activate the “fingers” in the thinset for good bond. YOU ARE CORRECT that proper trowel size is what will get you COVERAGE….. Here is the link again. https://youtu.be/Way5bMh-eYg

Sorry, I left my response to your comment above ^^^

5 dot is NOT an acceptable installation technique as determined by the NTCA. NO WAY can you get proper coverage with that. PLEASE, EVERYONE understand that back buttering is NOT a replacement for proper trowel size and coverage. It IS a great practice and will give you some simple insurance for your install. Watch THIS video and you will see the…[Read more]

NO! never introduce water to backs of any tiles.
Water is a bond breaker and you thinset will NOT stick to it.just back butter the thinset to the backs of the times using the flat side of your trowel and then embed them into your combed thinset on you floor

I actually personally know the guys that did that video. I do not deny that coverage of thinset on the backs of the tiles is the most important aspect for a successful tile install, but they also agree that Back Buttering is benificial with all natural stone materials and large format tiles.
BB’ing should never replace proper troweling t…[Read more]

You are describing what is known as “dot method “.
You can reference the 2017
TCNA ( tile council of North America) and see that this method is NOT approved for any area especially, a wet area like a shower. We are required 95% coverage for wet areas. No way dot method could achieve that.
If you get push back from the builder, just ask him to…[Read more]

Cass,
This is just MY opinion. But that is what you asked for. If you are using a 220v system I would skip the CORK portion of your assembly. Prodeso is BOTH a crack isolation AND the material for you to string your cable. So by serving both purposes, you are ADDING insurance that you won’t get any resulting “cracks” in your tile so that answers…[Read more]

Pat,
2×2 tiles are mosaics. You DO NOT need to Back Butter that type of tile .
Trowel thin set with the notched side of the trowel onto your table and then set the tile into it. Use a grout float to “tap” the tiles into the wet thin set to embed them.

B, Can you tell me exactly which Warmup product you have found that you plan to use? I am actually at a trade show and Warmup is here and I know them and can ask your question directly to the technical support person and get you an official answer

Bobby, I misunderstood your ask. Check THIS product out. It may work for you.https://www.infrafloor.com/film/

Chris, IF you stack magazines or install a vanity over the heated area it DOES build up the heat. That is why it is not recommended to put floor heat under permanent fixtures. Magazines or a rubber backed rug will be warmer under them but I doubt enough to cause damage. I personally have NOT installed film so I can’t give you an accurate comparison.

Wanda, I have installed Warm Tiles systems. The great thing about ANY of the electric floor heat systems are that there are NO MOVING PARTS to wear out. I would install a second floor sensor that is NOT hooked up and left in the box as a BACK UP.

Bobby, SORRY for the delay in response>. I don’t check in here as often as I should. No, I don’t think a use of a floor heat system under carpet would be acceptable and MAYBE a fire hazard. They are DESIGNED to be encapsulated in thin set