36 2018 | TECH MEMBRANE PRODUCTS –––––––– Bostik’s Bosti-Set™ is a one-compo- nent premium adhesive and sound- reduction membrane created spe- cifically for thin porcelain tile panel installations. It immediately grabs porcelain tile panels in a single coat, does not allow any sag, yet makes it possible for panels to be repo- sitionable for at least 30 minutes. Technologies used are environmen- tally friendly and contribute toward LEED® points. It contains zero VOCs. Bostik’s patent-pending Thickness Control™ Spacer Technology built into Bosti-Set helps maintain proper membrane thickness between panel and substrate and ensures easy align- ment. Recycled rubber crumb par- ticles in the adhesive create optimal sound reduction as well. bostik.com MAPEI’s Mapeguard® WP 200 is a thin and flexible, two-sided, nonwo- ven, polypropylene fabric, used for both waterproofing and crack isolation under ceramic, porcelain and natural-stone tiles. The laminated fabric webbing is designed to anchor the membrane to the substrate and tiles to the membrane using the bonded thinset method with recommended, poly- mer-modified mortars. Mapeguard WP 200’s low perm rating perfor- mance is ideal for vapor protection in showers and wet areas. mapei.com Merkrete’s Fracture Guard FD is a low-VOC, fast-drying crack-isolation membrane specifically formulated by Merkrete for same-day tile installa- tions. Fracture Guard FD provides a thin protection layer to inhibit substrate crack transfers up to 1/8”. This liquid-applied mem- brane conforms to any shape or pattern, thus allowing endless architectural designs. Used on both residential and com- mercial interior and exterior applica- tions, Fracture Guard FD exceeds ANSI A118.12 and offers essential crack pre- vention protection to the finished tile and stone surface. merkrete.com Progress Profiles offers dual-func- tion Prodeso Membrane: an uncoupling and waterproofing p o l y e t h y l e n e membrane with drop-shaped cavities. It is suitable for any problematic supports, terraces and balconies. The membrane, which neutralizes vapor pressure, has a non- Membranes Merkrete’s Senior Product Manager Tom Carroll observed that liquid waterproofing membrane has come a long way in the last few years. Today, typically an elastomeric liquid membrane provides continuous, mono- lithic waterproofing throughout the tile installation. “This makes it especially appropriate for large installations and exteriors,” he said. “New advancements have resulted in products with faster drying times to allow for quicker installations, or in some cases same- day flood testing.” Liquid-applied membranes can also fulfill multiple functions in the tile installation including waterproof- ing and crack isolation. “The elastomeric product attribute makes it an ideal choice as a crack-isolation membrane to isolate the tile assembly from cracks in concrete subfloors,” he added. With the size and weight of tile and stone continuing to trend upwards and the use of planks and thin por- celain tile continuing to grow, substrate preparation is more important than ever before. “As the tolerance of substrate variance becomes smaller, the variance becomes more noticeable in the finished project if not addressed prior to installation,” Carroll said. “This has increased the attention on surface preparation products such as patching compounds, screeds and self-leveling systems. Leveling products are sometimes overlooked to save installationtimeandcost,butduetothemorestringenttol- erance requirements of these new tile materials, its inclu- sion is essential. “Leveling products are available in trow- elable and self-leveling versions,” Carroll noted, “covering an array of performance criteria and curing times. Bottom line: most slabs and concrete surfaces are not getting bet- terforflatness,butthefinishedinstallationisjudgedwitha fine-toothed comb.” – Louis Iannoco Tom Carroll Waterproofing Membranes