Porcelain tiles are made from clay and several other materials in a process that involves very high temperatures, usually, a furnace making it denser, heavier, and non-porous.
The 12 best adhesives for porcelain tiles include epoxy adhesives, polyurethane adhesives, hot melt adhesives, anaerobic adhesives, polyimide adhesives, electrically conductive adhesives, solvent-based adhesives and others outlined below.
They are more expensive than the usual ceramic tiles. They are also heavier and denser than the average ceramic tiles. The adhesive with the highest quality happens to be the epoxy variant. Porcelain tiles absorb very little water, so the usual adhesives are not suitable for them
The installation of porcelain tiles requires specialized adhesives to keep them firmly in place due to their heavy nature. In this article, we will be reviewing the best adhesives for porcelain tiles.
Related: How To Clean Matte Porcelain Tile
What Are Adhesives?
Adhesives can briefly be described as substances such as glue or cement that are applied to surfaces of different items to hold them together firmly in order to prevent separation.
Adhesives are often used on different tiles, especially the porcelain variety. There are different types of tiles suitable for different purposes.
12 Best Adhesives for Porcelain Tiles
In this article, we will analyze various adhesives, including the 12 best adhesives for porcelain tiles and some of their chemical compositions, in order to have a full understanding of the topic of this article.
We would list them and also list the materials they would be most effective on.
These are some of the various types of adhesives categorized by their chemical compositions. They include the following;
Epoxy Adhesives
Epoxy adhesives are also regarded as the strongest adhesives that are also resistant to very high temperatures and solvents.
They can be used to bond most types of materials, including porcelain or ceramic tiles, wood, or plastic.
Epoxy adhesives take somewhere between 2-60 minutes to cure but are generally advised to leave for 24 hours because the longer it stays, the stronger it gets.
They also cure at temperatures that range from 2500C to 3000C. They consist of a single component. They are also the most widely used structural adhesives.
Polyurethane Adhesives
Polyurethane adhesives are polymers based used mostly for construction. They are also known as thermoplastic glue.
Polyurethane adhesives cannot be used on Teflon or silicone materials. Epoxy adhesives are stronger than polyurethane adhesives, but polyurethane lasts longer.
Hot Melt Adhesives
Hot melt adhesives (HMAs) usually come in the form of cylindrical sticks of different sizes applied with a glue gun.
Hot melt adhesives are preferred over solvent-based adhesives in industrial usage. They also have a very long shelf life.
Polyimide Adhesives
Polyimide adhesives are chemical and heat resistant; they’re strong and are suitable for extremely high temperatures from 2400C to 5000C.
Polyimide adhesives also contain solvents. They are also suitable as thermally and electrically insulating adhesives.
Anaerobic Adhesives
Anaerobic adhesives are adhesives that contain Di methacrylate monomers that can only cure in the absence of air.
They are usually packaged in half-filled polyethylene containers to enable a sufficient exposure of their surface to air. They are usually used with items such as metal, glass, wood, or plastic.
Pressure Adhesives
Pressure adhesives are sticky in nature and can make different surfaces wet upon introduction.
Pressure adhesives are not one hundred percent solids which makes them vicious in nature. If the right amount of pressure is not applied, it causes bubbles.
Read: How To Make Porcelain Tiles Shine
Electrically Conductive Adhesives
Electrically conductive adhesives are reliable. Unlike other adhesives, they cure in the space of 2 minutes.
They are made of conductive particles held together by a sticky compound. The composition of this particular adhesive varies from one to another.
The conductive component includes, in some cases, iron which is of inferior quality, or silver/copper, which is of superior quality.
Solvent-Based Adhesives
They are also known as binding agents. They are usually put in an organic solvent which, upon evaporation, solidifies.
The solvents help to ensure easy movement and eventual application of the adhesive. They help keep the adhesive in its liquid form.
Solvent-based adhesives perform to a large extent on the polymer system in its chemical composition.
Water-Based Adhesives
Water-based adhesives usually come in the form of formulated dry powders that are mixed with water before usage.
They are sometimes referred to as waterborne adhesives. They are made from polymers (natural and soluble synthetic polymers).
This adhesive becomes effective when the water evaporates or becomes absorbed.
Plastisol Adhesives
These adhesives usually come in the form of pastes. They are also single-component adhesives, unlike several others on this list.
They are highly flexible and can also be rigid, depending mostly on the type or amount of plasticizer added. They require little to no expertise for application and process faster.
Resin Adhesives
Resin adhesives come in various forms. They include powder, spray, liquid, and emulsion forms. Resin adhesives are very effective.
They are used on various items such as metal, wood, fabric, glass, et cetera. Resin adhesives are not resistant to moisture and can deteriorate over time when exposed to moisture.
Phenolic Resin Adhesives
Phenolic resin adhesives are usually inexpensive and come in the form of liquid compositions and films. They can thrive in high temperatures.
They are perfect for plywood, hardboard, et cetera due to their ability to penetrate organic and inorganic reinforcements
Read: How Long Do You Wait to Clean Tiles After Grouting
Conclusion
This article was written to educate you about the 12 best adhesives for porcelain tiles and in the process, several types of adhesives were listed in this article, together with some of their uses and areas where they are best suitable.
The article also highlighted the best adhesives for porcelain tiles as recommended by the Tile Council of North America due to the peculiar nature of the porcelain tile.
We hope you found it helpful and informative. If you did, please share it across your entire social media pages.