Tile Adhesive-CTA-Tile Glue

CHARING manufactures HPMC, RDP, and PCE for dry-mix mortar and concrete — supplying high quality products across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, South America and Africa for over a decade. We share what we know.

1. What Is Tile Adhesive?

Tile adhesive is a dry-mix powder. Cement, sand, mineral filler, plus chemical additives. Mix with water on site. It bonds tiles to walls or floors.

Modern tile adhesive is not just "cement + sand." It contains cellulose ether (HPMC) for water retention, redispersible polymer powder (RDP) for adhesion and flexibility, starch ether for slip resistance, and optional defoamer and hydrophobic agent. The formula determines the grade.

2. Standards and Codes

Standard	Region	What It Covers
JC/T 547-2017	China	Ceramic tile adhesive — classification and requirements
EN 12004 / ISO 13007	Europe / Global	Tile adhesives — same classification system as JC/T 547
JGJ 110-2008	China	Inspection standard for bond strength of facing brick
JGJ 126-2000	China	Construction and acceptance of exterior wall facing brick
ANSI A118.4 / A118.15	USA	American standard for modified cementitious tile adhesive

JC/T 547 and EN 12004 use the same classification: C1 (normal), C2 (improved), with optional letters F (fast), T (slip-resistant), E (extended open time), S1/S2 (flexible). One system covers the world.

3. Grade System — C1, C2, S1, S2, T, E, F Explained

Code	Meaning	Test Requirement
C1	Normal adhesive	Tensile adhesion ≥ 0.5 MPa
C2	Improved adhesive	Tensile adhesion ≥ 1.0 MPa (twice C1)
F	Fast setting	6-hour tensile ≥ 0.5 MPa
T	Slip resistant	Slip ≤ 0.5 mm
E	Extended open time	Open time ≥ 30 min
S1	Flexible	Transverse deformation ≥ 2.5 mm
S2	Highly flexible	Transverse deformation ≥ 5.0 mm

Any grade can combine: C2TE, C2TES1, C2TES2, etc.

4. Performance Requirements

Every grade must pass four conditioning tests:

Test	Condition	Performance Drop
Standard cure	28 days at 23°C / 50% RH	Baseline
Water immersion	21 days at 23°C	Adhesion drops 30–40%
Heat ageing	70°C for 14 days	Adhesion drops 10–20%
Freeze-thaw	25 cycles (−15°C air / water)	Adhesion drops 40–50%

Key rule: To reliably pass all four tests, your dry tensile adhesion should be at least 1.0 MPa for C1 and 1.8 MPa for C2T. Cut RDP below the minimum, and you fail the freeze-thaw test in cold climates.

5. Reference Formulas

C1 — Standard Tile Adhesive

Material	Amount (kg/t)
Cement 42.5	350–400
Sand 40–70 mesh	400–500
Sand 70–140 mesh	80–120
Calcium carbonate	20–40
HPMC (HP 100M or HK 100M)	2–3
Starch ether (HPS)	0.3–0.8
RDP (RD 7015H / RD 7003M)	12–18

Water: 23–25%

C2S1 — Flexible, for Porcelain

Material	Amount (kg/t)
Cement 42.5	350–400
Sand 40–70 mesh	380–450
Sand 70–140 mesh	100–150
Silica fume	15–40
HPMC (HP 60M)	2–3
Starch ether (HPS)	0.5–1.0
RDP (RD 8080F, Tg −8°C)	30–40

Water: 23–24%

C0 — Basic (Thick-Bed, Small Tiles)

Material	Amount (kg/t)
Cement 42.5	250–400
Sand 40–70 mesh	400–500
Sand 70–140 mesh	80–120
Calcium carbonate	30–100
HPMC (HP 100M)	2–3
RDP (RD 7015H)	5–10

Water: 23–25%

C2TES1 — Large-Format Tiles (≥ 1200 mm)

Material	Amount (kg/t)
Cement 42.5	350–400
RDP (RD 8080F)	45–55 (raised from C2S1)
Sand 70–140 mesh	150–220 (more fines = longer open time)
Cellulose fiber	2.0–4.0

6. CHARING Product Recommendations

Function	Product	C0	C1	C2
Water retention, temperate	HP 100M	2–3	2–3	—
Water retention, tropical	HP 200M	2–3	2–3	—
Water retention, cold	HP 60M / HP 40M	2–3	2–3	—
Water retention, C2 temperate	HP 60M	—	—	2–3
Water retention, C2 tropical	HK 100M	—	—	2–3
Economy alternative (hot climates)	HK 100M	2–3	2–3	—
Anti-slip	HPS starch ether	—	0.5–0.8	0.5–1.0
Adhesion, C0/C1	RD 7015H / RD 7003M	5–10	12–18	—
Adhesion + flexibility, C2	RD 8080F (Tg −8°C)	—	—	30–40
Waterproof C2	RD W8050 (Tg −11°C)	—	—	30–50
Workability (optional)	PC 3010 / PC 2018	—	0.3–0.8	0.5–1.0
Early strength (optional)	Calcium formate	3–8	3–5	3–8
Water resistance (optional)	Hydrophobic agent S500	1–3	1–3	1–3
Surface quality (optional)	Defoamer D802	—	—	0.5–1.5

7. Selection Guide by Application

Tile Type	Recommended Grade	HPMC	RDP
Small ceramic tile (≤ 600 mm), indoor, C0/C1	C1	HP 100M	RD 7015H / 7003M
Porcelain wall tile (≥ 800 mm), C2	C2 / C2S1	HP 60M	RD 8080F
Large-format porcelain (≥ 1200 mm)	C2TES1	HP 60M	RD 8080F 45–55 kg/t
Tropical climate (≥ 35°C)	C1 or C2 + HK 100M	HK 100M	same as above
Cold climate (< 10°C)	C1 + calcium formate	HP 60M	RD 7003M
Gypsum board / drywall	C1	HP 100M	RD 7015H

8. Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using C1 on porcelain wall tiles over 600 mm. C1 cannot bond to dense, non-porous surfaces. Upgrade to C2 — there is no shortcut.

2. Cutting RDP to save cost. Below 12 kg/t in C1, the freeze-thaw test fails. Below 25 kg/t in C2, the 1.0 MPa requirement cannot be met. RDP is not optional.

3. Adding calcium carbonate to C2. It is an inert filler — no strength, no water resistance. C2 should be cement + sand + silica fume only. Calcium carbonate dilutes the polymer matrix.

4. Wrong HPMC grade for the climate. Standard HPMC (55–60°C gel temperature) loses water retention on substrates above 50°C. Use HK series (65–70°C) for tropical regions, MH series (70–75°C) for extreme heat.

5. Skipping HPMC because "it is just thickener." HPMC holds water. Without it, cement does not finish hydrating, and adhesion drops by half. Use 2–3 kg/t for all grades.

For technical support, free COA samples, or help with your tile adhesive formula:

Shandong Charing Industry Co., Ltd.

Email: info@sdcharing.com

Website: www.sdcharing.com

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