WHAT TYPE OF MORTAR SHOULD I USE YOU MUST USE PREMIUM POLYMER-MODIFIED THINSET MORTAR THAT MEETS ANSI A118.4 (FOR PRODUCT WARRANTIES) OR ANSI A118.15 (FOR A LIFETIME WARRANTY). PLEASE REFER TO THE PROVA WARRANTY DOCUMENTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

COMPETITION RECOMMENDS UN-MODIFIED MORTAR FOR THEIR PRODUCT WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND PREMIUM MODIFIED THIN SET MORTAR WE HAVE HAD IT TESTED BY TTMAC AND TCNA ALONG WITH MORTAR MANUFACTURES AND THEY ALL RECOMMEND PREMIUM MODIFIED THIN SET MORTAR. UN-MODIFIED MORTAR IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PORCELAIN TILE, PLYWOOD OR OSB INSTALLATIONS AS STATED ON THE BACK OF THE MORTAR BAG UNLESS IT IS MIXED WITH AN ADMIX (LATEX).

CAN I PUT IT OVER OSB (ORIENTED STRAND BOARD) YES, PROVIDED IT IS CLEAN, FLAT, DRY AND STRUCTURALY SOUND.

CAN I PUT LARGE FORMAT TILES OR NATURAL STONE TILES OVER 1 LAYER OF PLYWOOD? NO! YOU MUST PUT ANOTHER LAYER OF PLYWOOD TO ACHIEVE -1 ¼” THICKNESS AND SUBSTRATE MUST MEET THE TCNA OR TTMAC GUIDELINES FOR DEFLECTION OF L/ 720 WHICH MEANS THE FLOOR CAN MOVE UP AND DOWN 1” OVER 60 FEET. IF YOU ARE USING A SMALLER TILE 13” OR LESS THE DEFLECTION IS L/360 WHICH IS 1” IN 30 FEET AND MAY NOT NEED ANOTHER SHEET OF PLYWOOD.

CAN I USE PROTEGGA OUTSIDE? NO! UNLESS IT IS PROTECTED FROM THE ELEMENTS SO RAIN OR SNOW CANNOT GET ON THE TILE OR STONE.

CAN I USE PROTEGGA AS A WATERPROOF MEMBRANE IN SHOWER AREAS? NO THAT IS WHAT PROVA-MAT OR PROVA BOARD IS FOR.

DO I HAVE TO USE THE JOINT STRIP IN ALL INSTALLATIONS? JOINT STRIP MUST BE USED WHEN YOU ARE WATERPROOFING A TILED LAUNDRY ROOM OR SIMILLAR ABOVE-GRADE AREA WHERE A DRAIN WILL BE INSTALLED. IT MUST ALSO BE USED ON ALL CONCRETE FLOORS WHERE MOISTURE MAY BE A CONCERN, AS WELL AS ON ALL BASEMENT INSTALLATIONS.

WHERE DO I PUT IN-FLOOR ELECTRIC HEAT CABLES? PROTEGGA PLUS IS AN IDEAL UNCOUPLING, CRACK-ISOLATION MEMBRANE FOR USE OVER HYDRONIC HEATING SYSTEMS. FOR ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEMS, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU USE OUR PROVA FLEX-HEAT, WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO COMBINE THE BENEFITS OF AN UNCOUPLING MEMBRANE AND AN UNDERLAYMENT FOR SAFELY AND SECURELY HOLDING IN-FLOOR HEATING CABLES.

WHAT SIZE OF TILE CAN I USE? WE RECOMMEND A MINIMUM TILE SIZE OF 2” X 2”.

CAN I INSTALL TILE RIGHT AWAY? YOU CAN, PROVIDED YOU DO NOT WALK ON PROTEGGA. IF YOU MUST TILE THE SAMEDAY PROTECT PROTEGGA WITH A PIECE OF ¾” PLYWOOD WHICH WILL HELP DISTRIBUTE THE LOAD UNTIL THE MORTAR HAS SET USUALLY IN 12-24 HOURS. IT IS BEST TO WAIT AT LEAST 12 HOURS DEPENDING ON TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY. THE COLDER THE TEMPERATURE, THE SLOWER THE DRYING TIME AS WITH HIGHER HUMIDITY LEVELS. IT MIGHT TAKE 24 HOURS TO SET. NOTE: IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE BOND FROM THE TILE TO THE PROTEGGA IS STRONGER THAN THE BOND FROM THE PROTEGGA TO THE SUBSTRATE WITHIN THE SAME DAY. IF YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE TILE IN THE SAME DAY, IT MIGHT PULL THE PROTEGGA OFF THE SUBSTRATE WHICH WILL CREATE A LOSS OF BOND.

WHAT SIZE OF TROWEL DO I USE TO INSTALL PROTEGGA AND TILE? ¼” X ¼” SQUARE NOTCH TROWEL FOR PROTEGGA. FOR THE TILE IT DEPENDES ON THE TILE SIZE, THICKNESS AND BACK OF TILE.

CAN I FILL THE TOP OF PROTEGGA AND THEN INSTALL TILE AT A LATER TIME LIKE THE NEXT DAY OR EVEN A FEW DAYS LATER? YES. IT ACTUALLY MAKES IT EASIER TO INSTALL TILE FOR LINE MARKING AND EVEN DRYING TIME WHEN INSTALLING THE TILE