For the tiles to adhere well to the walls it is necessary to fit them using tile cement. By using a trowel
we can ensure that the tile is completely covered, without any gaps between the tile and the wall.
To apply the tile cement we use a 6x6 mm square toothed trowel, as the wall is new and the tiles are
large.
In other cases we would use a different sized trowel: for example, when there are walls with uneven
surfaces, we should use an 8x8 mm trowel. If we were tiling over an existing tiled wall, we would use
a 3x3 mm trowel.
The tile cement should be prepared using exactly the amount of water indicated by the manufacturer
(DAVCO) to ensure that the mixture sets and correctly adheres to the wall and the tile. We can mix
the mortar manually, with RUBI mixers adaptable for electric drills, or with the RUBIMIX, an electric
mixer especially designed for tile cement and which has a capacity of 25 kg or 50 kg.
For the construction of this bathroom we have chosen the special mixer model for 25 kg, the
RUBIMIX-25. In this instance we are using DAVCO TTB, a proprietary cement based adhesive that
is ideal for adhering to rendered walls.
Adding the tile cement.
For the mixture: Open the RUBIMIX-25 and pour in the amount of water indicated by the
manufacturer in one go. This will avoid the cover becoming wet and tile cement from sticking to it.
Then lower the cover, start the machine and add the tile cement, adding the last of it bit by bit, when
the mortar starts to become thicker and viscous, to avoid the machine becoming overloaded.
After 5 minutes the mortar will be ready to use. Open the mixer and remove the basin containing the
mortar.
If there are several workmen and the mortar is used up rapidly, a second basin can be used to
enable a second lot to be made up while the first is being applied.
