In the past, a lot of time has been spent in the discussion of the various means to bond tile but no enough consideration has been given to the underlayment material with which these tiles adhere to. But what really is an underlayment? They do many things but their main purpose is to give a foundational support for installations of tiles.
Despite the fact that some types of underlayments have their great strengths, for instance concrete, the actual support should be given by the structure. With slab-on-grade treatments, this is a problem that is rarely encountered. But with suspended slabs, a number of factors can have an effect on their suitability. Greater strength underlayments like backer boards, compounds that are self-levelling and even those mortar beds won’t be able to compensate for the deficiencies on the structure – in its lack of particular support. While some stuff or methods of installation may be likely to cover the deficiency in the structural support for a short period of time but these inadequacies will later on be revealed. Sellers, contractors, users and installers are inclined to depend on the underlayment’s strength as advertised to them. Every kind of underlayment item should have the characteristics that will give a strong foundation of support for the installation of tiles which is the case of how one product could have strength of 30 PSI can outperform one product with 7000 PSI.
There are many methods mentioned in the Tile Council of North America Handbook in the use f membrane systems. A number of traditional products for underlayment have their standards recorded under the American National Standards (ANSI) A118 Material Specifications. The tile industry depends upon these documents. These documents are not intended to be market documents. In truth, you won’t be able to find even one manufacturer recorded there. In order to achieve an underlayment method to be in the handbook necessitates extensive independent testing and documentations along with a process of approval. The condition for the product to pass the American National Standard is painstaking and meticulous. So does this entail that products not included in the TCNA methodology or not under ANSI are of lesser quality? Not automatically. It will take years of demonstrated performance for a product to be listed in either document.
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