Mapei Keraflex Adhesive 20Kg – Pallet Deals and Bulk Buy – High Performance Polymer Modified Adhesive

Mapei Keraflex Tile Adhesive extended information

• Pot life of mix: more than 8 hours.
• Open time: 30 minutes.
• Waiting time before grouting:
  – on walls: 4-6 hours;
  – on floors: 24 hours.
• Set to light foot traffic: approx. 24 hours.
• Ready for use: approx. 14 days.
• Colours: grey and white.
• Application: N° 4, 5, 6 or 10 notched trowel.
• EMICODE: EC1 Plus – very low emission.
• Storage: 12 months (25 kg bags), 24 months (5 kg bags).
• Consumption: 2-5 kg/m².
• Packaging: 25 kg bags and 4×5 kg Alupack boxes.

Where to use

Interior and exterior bonding of ceramic tiles, porcelain, natural stone materials (not sensitive to moisture) and mosaics on floors and walls. Also suitable for spot bonding of insulating materials such as expanded polystyrene, rock and glass wool, Eraclit® (wood-cement panels), sound-deadening/ reduction panels, etc.

• Bonding ceramic tiles, natural stone and mosaics on the following substrates
• cement rendered walls;
• interior aerated concrete block walls;
• gypsum or anhydrite after having first applied Mapei Primer G or Mapei Eco Prim T Plus;
• underfloor heating installations;
• cement screeds;
• interior painted walls, as long as the paint is firmly anchored and resistant to alkalis;
• waterproof membranes of Mapelastic, Mapegum WPS or Mapelastic AquaDefense.

• Tiling over existing floor tiles, when primed with Eco Prim Grip Plus (Maximum tile size for tile on tile 300 x300 mm)
• Bonding small format tiles in swimming pools and water features.
• Bonding tiles to floors subject to heavy loading.

Recommendations

Do not use Keraflex:

• On concrete subject to shrinkage.
• On metal surfaces.
• For installations that require an adhesive thickness greater than 5 mm.
• On walls and floors subject to strong movement or vibration.

Mapei Keraflex Application Procedure

Preparation of the substrate

The substrate must be flat, free of contamination, loose particles, grease, oils, paints, wax, etc. Damp substrates can slow down the curing of Mapei Keraflex.

Cement substrates should not continue to shrink after the installation of the ceramic tiles. Renders must cure at least 2 weeks and cement screeds must have an overall cure time of at least 3 weeks, unless they are produced with special binders such as Mapecem, Mapecem Pronto, Mapei Topcem or Topcem Pronto Concrete substrates must be at least 6 weeks old.

Dampen with water to cool surfaces which have become heated from exposure to sunlight.

Gypsum plaster and anhydrite screeds must be perfectly dry (max. residual moisture 0.5%), sufficiently hard and free from laitance. Mechanically abrade anhydrite screeds to remove all laitance, vacuum and prime. It is essential that they be treated with Mapei Primer G (neat) or Mapei Eco Prim T Plus (diluted 1:2 with water).

Heated screeds must be commissioned in accordance with recognised technical regulations and the guidelines given in BS 5385 parts 3, 4 and 5

Mixing

Mix Mapei Keraflex with clean water until a smooth, lump-free paste is obtained. Leave to rest approximately 5 minutes and re- stir. Use 25-27 parts water for every 100 parts by weight of Keraflex Grey and 26-28 parts water for every 100 parts by weight of Keraflex White, which is equal to approx. 5.0-5.4 litres of water for every 20 kg of grey powder, and 5.2-5.6 litres of water for every 20 kg of White powder. Mixed this way, Keraflex has a pot life of approximately 8 hours.

Applying the product

Keraflex is applied to the substrate using a notched trowel. Choose a trowel that gives the correct coverage to the tile back, depending on the expected service conditions.

To achieve good adhesion, spread an initial thin layer of Keraflex on the substrate using the flat side of the trowel. Immediately, apply Keraflex using a suitable notched trowel, depending on the type and size of the tiles (see “Consumption”).

For external ceramic tiling, tiles greater than 300×300 mm, floors subject to heavy loads, when applying in swimming pools and water features, spread the adhesive on the back of the tile (back-buttering) in order to ensure complete coverage. Maximum bed depth of 5 mm.

Installing Tiles

Do not wet the tiles before installing them. Only with very dusty backs is it recommended to dip the tiles in clean water.

Allow to dry before fixing

Tiles should be installed with firm pressure to ensure good coverage with the adhesive.

Ensure that a minimum coverage of 65-70% to the back of the tile is achieved in dry wall areas with 100%, as for as possible, in wet wall areas, on floors and in exteriors (walls and floors).

In normal temperature and humidity conditions, the open time of Mapei Keraflex is approximately 30 minutes. Unfavourable weather conditions (strong sun, drying wind, high temperatures, etc.) or a highly absorbent substrate can reduce the open time to just a few minutes.

It is therefore necessary that careful checks are made to ensure that a skin does not form on the surface of the spread adhesive.

It is not recommended to wet the adhesive with water once a skin has formed because, the water will form an anti-adhesive film.

If necessary, tiles should be adjusted within 60 minutes of installation.

Spot-bonding insulating materials

For spot-bonding sound-deadening or insulating panels, apply Mapei Keraflex with a trowel or a float.

Grouting and movement joints

Wall joints can be grouted after 4-8 hours and floor joints can be grouted after 24 hours with the relevant MAPEI cementitious or epoxy grouts, available in different colours. Expansion joints must be sealed with a suitable MAPEI sealant.

Mapesil AC silicone sealant is available in matching colours to grout. Use Mapesil LM for natural stone.

Set to light foot traffic

Floors are able to take light foot traffic after approx. 24 hours.

Technical Characteristics

Mapei Keraflex is a grey or white powder composed of cement and graded aggregates. It contains a high quantity of synthetic resins and special additives created according to a formula developed in MAPEI R&D Laboratories.

A mortar with the following features is obtained when mixed with water:

• Easily workable.
• Highly thixotropic; Keraflex can be applied on a vertical surfaces without slump or tile slip, even with heavy tiles. Tiles can be installed from the top towards the bottom without using spacer pegs;
• Perfect adhesion to all materials normally used in building.
• Hardens with minimal controlled shrinkage.
• Extended open time.
• Water and frost resistant.
• Excellent bond strength

Ready for use

Tiling installed with Keraflex must not be washed or exposed to rain for at least 24 hours and must be protected from frost and strong sun for at least 5-7 days. Surfaces are ready for use after approx. 14 days Swimming pools and water features can be filled after 21 days.

Cleaning

Tools and containers should be cleaned with plenty of water while Keraflex is still wet. Surfaces should be cleaned with a damp cloth, before the adhesive dries.

Consumption

Bonding ceramic tiles:

• Mosaics and small sizes in general: 2 kg/m2
• Normal sizes: 2.5-3 ka/m2
• Large sizes, exterior floors: 5 kg/m2

Packaging

Mapei Keraflex white and rev is available in 20 kg paper bags.

Storage

Mapei Keraflex can be stored 12 months in a normal environment in original packagina. Protect from humidity.

Mapei Keraflex product identity

Mapei Keraflex application data

Mapei Keraflex final performances

Mapei Keraflex Adhesive video