suggestion for adhesive for attaching handmade decorative tiles to concrete

[ronwass]

My neighbor made me some very wonderful but delicate ceramic tiles. I need a suggestion for adhesive to get them on the vertical front of the concrete slab right around the oven. Going to go around three sides. Construction adhesive? Oven is outdoors, but I usually keep it tarped when not in use, and through the winter. (We have a beagle and a rat terrier, and the other tiles are wheat, tomatoes, garlic, etc, etc.

[ronwass]

PS. Tiles are about 1/2 inch thick, and glazed on the front, but bare on the back.

[ronwass]

Here's a shot of the oven so you can see the concrete base.

[Gulf]

You should be able to get an interior/exterior grade thin set mortar and grout from any building supply that sells ceramic and porcelain tiles. You will want to seal the joints once the grout is dry.

[swarm1023]

Yeah, I think for long term your best solution is mortar and grout. The construction adhesive will work for a while, but eventually turn loose and let the tiles fall.

[ronwass]

Thanks so much. Are you guys talking about polymerized grout, or something like that? Hey, my wife tells me the tiles are terra-cotta. Does that make any difference? I guess the key word is "exterior grade."

[Gulf]

Yes, polymerized is ok, It helps with the curing and waterproofing. If the bag says for indoor/outdoor use, it has some kind of fortifier in it. If not, there are acrylic fortifiers that you can add while mixing. Thin set is used as an adhesive. Grout is used to fill the surface spaces between the tiles. They are not the same. Terracotta is ok, but it will need to be sealed. The glaze on those pretty tiles probably did that. But, ask your neighbor just to be sure. If not, you will want to seal the tiles before they are installed. You might also want to ask if the colors used in the tiles are uv resistant.

[UtahBeehiver]

I see you are from NY, so your winters are like in Utah. Like Gulf said, the tiles need to be sealed really well since they are terracotta, which does not do well, in any type of freeze/thaw/water cycles and your oven is an open igloo. So placement of the tiles where water is minimal is important. If the tiles were glazed on all 6 sides this will help.

[Gulf]

Russell,
Wouldn't a tile glazed on the back have a good chance of not bonding properly with the thin set? Just askin', I don't have much experience with cold weather climates .

[UtahBeehiver]

Good question I was thinking more in terms of a water resistant coating.

[david s]

I'd be going for a good quality exterior tile adhesive. I use Monoflex, professional tilers tell me it's the best.. Then grout around the edges.

[Gulf]

Good question I was thinking more in terms of a water resistant coating.

I saw the term "glaze" so I was thinking you meant a fired glaze. But, you have a good point on "water resistant" .An acrylic fortifier/bonding adhesive would help make the backs and sides water resistant and would not cause any problems with bonding to the thin set.

[david s]

Most tiles are sufficiently vitrified for there to be no problem about them being too porous, but if your neighbour made them this may not be the case, particularly if they are only earthenware fired. However if you use a quality outdoor adhesive it will act as a sealer and you should have no problems. you can test the tiles for porosity by wetting the back of them and seeing if water penetrates. The clay body will turn a darker tone.