As a supplier of tiling adhesives and ancillary products, Palace Chemicals manufactures and offers what the company describes as a comprehensive assortment of powdered adhesives including both S1 and S2 adhesives. The S classification is a measure of the deformability of the adhesive, whereas the standard C classification (C1 and C2) is not deformable.
S1 and S2 adhesives are designed to cope with the stresses created by slight movement within a substrate, where S1 adhesives have a deformability between 2.5mm and 5mm, whilst S2 adhesives allow for transverse deformation in excess of 5mm. This attribute does not allow for lateral movement in the substrate.
For the majority of applications, S1 is adequate, which is why most of the Palace products fall into this category. For many projects, an S2 adhesive would be unnecessary, but possible applications where these are preferable would be those subject to high levels of vibration – such as lift shafts or very high traffic areas. Concrete substrates can continue to cure and move slightly for prolonged periods after being laid. Choosing an adhesive which is sufficiently deformable to tolerate this movement such as an S2 can make the difference between a tiled floor developing cracks or lasting many decades.
All of the S1 tile adhesives from Palace Chemicals are reportedly suitable for use with either wall or floor tiles in internal or external situations. The most recent addition is the Palace Extra-Lite range. The Extra-Lite range is described as an ultra-lightweight, thin and thick-bed, flexible tile adhesive, which features a lightweight, highly polymer fortified S1 formulation to provide the flexibility required for fixing large format tiles and panels or where slight movement or vibration is likely.
The product’s S1 characteristics make it suitable for use where underfloor heating is installed and thermal stresses may create slight movement. Mixed with water, it reportedly creates a high-yield, lightweight and easy-to-apply paste with an extended open time and 50% reduced weight for each square metre applied. Extra-Lite Standard Set has a three-hour working pot-life and it is ready to grout the next day. Extra-Lite Rapid Set adhesive has a pot life of 30 minutes and can be grouted after three hours.
In addition to the performance advantages, the Extra-Lite range is also said to be a more sustainable choice, since it contains more than 40% recycled materials, comprising sustainable raw materials taken from low carbon production processes. Furthermore, it provides the same performance, while doubling its coverage capability, meaning that users can transport smaller volumes to each job.
The Extra-Lite products meet the performance requirements of EN12004 C2TE-S1 and are available as either a white or grey cement-based powder that is suitable for internal or external use.
Other S1 adhesives in the Palace range include Easi-Flex, described as an easy-to-use standard setting adhesive for fixing ceramic and porcelain tiles, mosaics, marble and natural stone to solid impermeable floors. It’s available in white or grey and gives a four-hour working time before curing at 24 hours to a water-resistant bond suitable for interior or exterior use and locations which are frequently wet.
Easi-Set is a semi-rapid, polymer-modified, flexible floor and wall tile adhesive available in white or grey. It’s designed to allow the fixer an extended working time for projects where extensive cutting and setting-out time is needed. It has a working pot life of up to two hours and sets to allow light foot traffic and grouting to proceed just six hours after application. It will fix ceramic, porcelain, vitrified and natural stone tiles, and the extended pot life gives the fixer more time when setting out mosaics and more complex tiling patterns.
Multi-Flex is a rapid-setting cement-based, highly polymer-modified, thin-bed ceramic tile adhesive, recommended for fixing all types of ceramic and porcelain floor and wall tiles. It can be used to install a wide selection of natural stone, mosaics, porcelain and vitrified tiles within interior and exterior locations.
Palace’s S2 adhesive is Super-Flex – a single part highly polymer-reinforced cement-based adhesive suitable for fixing all types of ceramic floor and wall tiles, including mosaics, porcelain and vitrified tiles on to difficult surfaces in internal and external situations where slight movement or vibration is likely.
www.palacechemicals.co.uk
