Discuss Tile Adhesive & Grout Classifications S1 S2 C2 Etc Explained in the America area at TilersForums. The USA and UK Tiling Forum (Also now Aus, Canada, ROI, and more)
I always get mixed up or forget what the number/Letter combinations for the classification of adhesive and Grout mean and everytime I try to look for a guide on here I can never find one so I thought I would start one off myself.
Please feel free to add to it or correct me
Type C - Cementitious (Cement based Adhesives)
Type D - Dispersion (Ready mixed / Tubbed)
Type R - Resin (Epoxy)
TILE ADHESIVE CLASSIFICATIONS
Extra characteristics are described by the numbers and letters below
1 - Normal Adhesive
2 - Improved Adhesive
F - Fast Setting
T - Thixotropy (Reduced slip/ Slip Resistance)
E - Extended open time
G - Grout
Spot on with your summary! The adhesion test (C) is the most difficult to pass because the adhesive is put through a series of tests, freeze/thaw cycles, water immersion etc and then the bond strengths are measured after 28 days. C1 is greater than 0.5 N/mm2 after all the different cycles and C2 is greater than 1 N/mm2.
Adhesives classed C2 may well have some flexural properties because you do need a reasonable addition of polymer to achieve the C2. The official start for the flexibility/deformability test starts with the S1 which is greater than 2.5mm of flex and then the S2 is greater than 5mm flex.
There are a lot of flexible adhesives on the market these days, if you are using an S1 or S2 rated adhesive you can have that extra piece of mind!
I think a lot of the time the classification is too broad
Bal SPF has always been my go to adhesive really which is a C2TE.
I'm now Moving to mapei and their two C2TE adhesives, the p9 and p10 both have different specs to each other and both different from bal spf.
I think this is mostly why the trade counters and a lot of fitters don't know the classifications because to a point they're irrelevant if there can be so much variation within them
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