Using old tile adhesive that looks OK?

[Adam Funk]

I'm tiling an area that is more or less the inside of a bathroom cupboard. I don't want it to look much rougher than a bear's arse, but it doesn't have to look great.

I bought a box of tiles & a small bucket of adhesive --- I might end up needing some more of the latter --- then I found a 10 litre bucket of "Wickes wall tile adhesive" in the basement, just under half full with a circular piece of plastic on top of the gunk, which feels OK (still flexible/squeezable). It's probably 15 years old!

If old tile adhesive is still moist & has the right texture, is it re-usable?

Thanks, Adam

[newshound]

I would have said so.

[Tim Watts]

I wouldn't.

But as you have said it is a low risk application (non wet and not hugely important), try a tile on some scrap ply with abit and see how it is after a day. If it works Ok and sets solid it'snot likely to suddenly go wrong later.

[michael adams]

Why not simply lay the first tile in situ inside the cupboard, taking care to clean up any surplus ? The drying time should be given on the bucket as some is sold as quick setting and some isn't. To be on the safe side - and as its a test and maybe on a less than ideal substrate - you could probably double that before seeing if its firmly stuck in place. If that's the case then you're o.k. to lay the rest. If it isn't, it's simply a case of cleaning the adhesive off the back of the tile and the cupboard and nothing is lost. i.e. It's no great calamity if it doesn't stick, and it saves the trouble of otherwise getting rid of a 5 litre bucket of potentially usable tile adhesive.

michael adams

...

[harryagain]

IME, yes. Just watch out for any lumpy bits.

[stuart noble]

+1

[harryagain]

The pre mixed stuff is entirely different to the powder. The powder is cement based and will definitely go off.

The premixed stuff must have a dry porous surface to suck the water out. ie it won't work on impermeable surfaces. So it will only work on cermic or quarry tiles if the wall/floor is very dry. If the wall and tile are both impermeable or damp, it just remains soft. Also thick layers of it remain soft for a very long time.

[stuart noble]

I've used it to stick ceramic tiles to sheet vinyl (don't ask!). Like all these modern tub premixes, it contains a large proportion of glass bubbles or similar, and a surprisingly small amount of water

[Adam Funk]

The small, new bucket had *almost* enough to finish the job, so I used the old stuff on the last 6 pieces or so --- I figure if the odd tile come loose later, I can just stick it back with "no more nails" or similar. So sue me. ;-)

I put them up yesterday afternoon & they feel solid already.