By Louis Iannaco
As technology continues to march its way into every facet of our lives, life is made easier by the latest state-of-the-art gadgets and improvements, which are being increasingly integrated into certain products that, by their nature, one wouldn’t think could have much more room for improvement. A good example of this would be an adhesive material such as mortar.

Throughout history, cementing materials have played a vital role in construction, and were used widely in the ancient world. The Egyptians used calcined gypsum as a cement. The Greeks and Romans used lime made by heating limestone and added sand to make mortar, with coarser stones for concrete.

As mentioned above, mortar has been around since the first recorded construction during ancient Greek and Roman times. Mortar is something most people, when they think about it, well, don’t think much about. But when they do, their attitude usually is, mortar is mortar—what could be new about it? What improvements have been made over the years? The answer is, more than you think.

Kevin McFadden, vice president of construction products for ProSpec, Bonsal American’s brand of professionally specified construction products, said, the company recently added a postconsumer recycled aggregate to some of its products. “This material is used to replace sand, which is typically used as filler. The main benefit is that the material is lighter so a 25-pound bag provides the same coverage as a 50-pound bag. This same technology also provides excellent slip resistance when setting large tile on vertical surfaces. We are currently in the process of evaluating new polymeric technologies.”

Henry Rothberg founder and chairman emeritus of Laticrete International, agrees with McFadden in that technology has improved what mortar is and how it can be used. “The technological advancements we’ve made in recent years include stronger, lighter, faster-to-install and safer-to-use products, he noted. “They now come in easier to dispose of, or recyclable packaging. Other advancements include resistance to mold and mildew, resistance to cracking and resistance to color change in grouts.

“Additional technological advancements include the use of recycled content in a major way,” he continued. “Multi-step installation processes requiring several products have been simplified and improved with new, innovative installation mortars such as Laticrete 125 Sound & Crack Adhesive. This technologically advanced adhesive mortar reduces impact sound transmission and provides exceptional anti-fracture protection—all in one simple step. Just mix, spread and set.

“Unlike competitor products that masquerade traditional, non-flexible cement thin-set mortars as crack suppression mortars,” Rothberg added, “or manufacturers that inflate sound performance numbers, Laticrete offers performance backed by independent no-nonsense testing.”

According to Judy Pugatch, Mapei’s associate product manager for tile and stone installation systems, innovation is an area where the company continuously invests its efforts. “In the last five years, we’ve introduced four mortars with characteristics that help contractors produce superior installations: Kerapoxy 410 has been formulated to provide an industrial strength, chemical-resistant mortar. Adesilex P10 was designed with a bright white appearance that enhances glass tile installations.”

As walls have become more popular canvases for tile and stone installations, she explained, Mapei has met the need for mortars with non-sag properties by introducing Ultralite Mortar and Ultraflex LFT (large format tile) mortar. “Both of these products can be used on floors and walls, reducing the need for the contractor to carry two different mortars to the jobsite. Finally, Dust-Free Technology is helping installers to work in a cleaner, healthier jobsite environment. This technology first appeared in Mapei’s Ul-traflex 2 mortar, and it’s also been incorporated into the new Ultraflex LFT.”

Products they sell

Mapei’s Adesilex P10 is a premium-grade, multipurpose thinset mortar formulated with non-sag properties. As Pugatch mentioned, Adesilex P10 is designed for glass tile, glass mosaic and marble mosaic. The company’s Ultralite Mortar is a lightweight, premium-grade, multipurpose thin-set product that also can be used for medium-bed and non-sag applications. It is formulated with Easy Glide Technology for ease of application and BioBlock technology for antimicrobial protection. Ultralite Mortar provides twice the coverage of a standard thin-set mortar, Pugatch noted.

ProSpec has launched PermaFlex Light 525, a lightweight thinset mortar for tile and natural stone installations. PermaFlex Light allows for the same coverage as a 50-pound bag of traditional mortar in a 25-pound bag size. It also incorporates postconsumer recycled glass micropsheres, rather than sand, to help divert waste from landfills. The reduced weight per bag means easier lifting for the installer, and PermaFlex Light contributes to LEED project points.

Laticrete’s mortar offerings include its 125 Sound & Crack Adhesive, which is a flexible, lightweight, Kevlar-reinforced, sound deadening and anti-fracture mortar that takes the place of liquid or sheet membranes used in traditional thinset combinations. The product deadens sound and bridges cracks in a substrate up to 1/8- inch and assists in the prevention of new cracks from transmitting through to the finished tile or stone surface.