FAQ
Structural work
With CLEARMIX omnifix, our spreading mortar, we give you the opportunity to avoid the risk of plaster and lime efflorescence from the mortar. You can reduce that risk even further to 0% with a well-considered selection of other efflorescence-free facade materials. This way you can enjoy an undamaged facade view, even years after the building has been completed.
It is advisable to order colored mortar in one go to avoid slight color differences.
Everyone is familiar with the white or gray rash on masonry. Annoying and not aesthetically pleasing. There are different types of efflorescence: saltpetre, lime efflorescence and gypsum efflorescence. With the use of Omnicol adhesive and thin-bed mortars, the phenomenon of efflorescence on the facade is greatly reduced compared to standard masonry. Always ensure that the guidelines regarding the protection of fresh masonry are adhered to. Do not process mortar at very low temperatures (< 5°C) or during rainfall. In addition, the choice of facing brick is also an important factor in preventing the risk of efflorescence.
The most efficient and ergonomic way to process adhesive mortar is by machine using an adhesive pump. This way it goes faster and the best work is delivered. An alternative processing method is manual processing using a piping bag.
Gluing does not have to be more expensive than traditional masonry. More stones are needed per m², but no grouting is necessary. Per kg. Adhesive mortar costs more than masonry mortar, but the consumption is a lot lower. Productivity also increases with thin joints.
Simple, no. You can also glue all kinds of bandages.
Every facing brick can be glued. Hand molded, molded box or extruded press. For stones with different tolerances, the joint is usually slightly thicker (6 mm). Smooth stones require tight joint lines, but larger tolerances of the stone are sometimes referred to as “living joints”.
The ideal breeding ground for mosses and algae is a moist surface. In traditional masonry, moss usually first forms on the joints. Because the mortar is water-resistant when gluing and the stone dries faster, there is less moisture present and there is less chance of moss formation than with traditional bricklaying.
Adhesive mortar allows virtually no water to pass through, while traditional masonry mortar, joint mortar and thin-set mortar do. As a result, much less water will enter the cavity when gluing. Due to the lack of a joint mortar, the stone also dries much faster.
Sometimes it is decided to leave the butt or vertical joints open. This can be done constructively and above all it saves time for the contractor. However, water can find its way into the cavity more easily, just as with traditional masonry. It is therefore better to construct the glued facade with closed butt joints and only leave open any necessary ventilation butt joints.
Gluing is of much better quality than thin bricklaying. Thin-brick mortar is usually chosen when one wants to apply the mortar with a trowel (i.e. in the traditional way). As a result, the joint will be thicker than with adhesive mortar (often 6-8 mm). The yield will also be lower when laying thin bricks with a trowel than when gluing with a piping bag or pump. Because the mortar consumption is higher, the excess mortar must be scraped out and the facade must be brushed. Practical experience has taught us that gluing is faster and also produces better and better quality work. In addition, much more is technically possible with glue, because the adhesive mortar is much stronger.
Gluing/thin bricklaying, ironing and normal bricklaying of facing bricks.
- Gluing or thin brickwork: a joint of 4 to 8 mm is created between the facing bricks. The glue or thin-bed mortar (also called thin-bed mortar) is applied recessed (deeper) and the stone is no longer added. Because a thinner joint is created that is not added, the color of the stone largely determines the appearance of the facade. The adhesive mortar or thin-bed mortar is often processed in a color that matches the stone color.
- Traditional masonry: The joint is approximately 12 mm. When laying bricks, the joint determines the appearance. The thinner the joint, the stronger the effect.
- Flushing: This technique involves traditional bricklaying (8-12 mm joint) whereby the colored masonry mortar is also used to finish the joint in one subsequent work pass. It mainly increases returns.
The choice between gluing and thin bricklaying on the one hand and bricklaying or ironing on the other hand is primarily an aesthetic choice.
Tile installation
This is the pot life, which is usually between 2 and 4 hours. Attention! With fast-hardening adhesives this is only 20-30 minutes.
- the type of tile adhesive (paste or powder),
- the 'buttering-floating' method is used, and
- the application (wall or floor),
- the flatness of the substrate and the flatness of the tile.
- Cement-based powder tile adhesive (C)
- Dispersion glue (D)
- Reaction glue (R)
Finishing
Due to the diversity of applications and surfaces, it is best to use our plaster guide for this.
The drying time of Omnimix plaster mortars varies per product. We have normally hardening and fast hardening plaster mortars. You can recognize the fast-hardening plaster mortars by the R in the name. Under ideal conditions, these can be tiled after 3 to 4 hours. For a finish other than tiles: Always follow the processing instructions.
You can apply our plaster mortars to the most common surfaces. In layer thicknesses of 1 mm. up to 40mm. fat. More than enough to also use in renovation.
Omnicol has a specific primer that you can apply to a wall with soot penetration and then plaster it. Use the TPW omnibind for this. Your wall is therefore immediately protected against moisture penetration.
A primer ensures better adhesion of the plaster mortar to the substrate. This is especially important for smooth, closed and porous or highly absorbent surfaces. Where plaster mortar without a primer would have difficulty bonding properly. In addition, a primer also ensures even absorption of the plaster mortar, making it easier to strip off the plaster mortar and polish it, sand it or finish it with a trowel.