Installing Glass Tiles: Tips you can use today
RedGard by Custom Building Products
Installing glass tiles is a multi-step process that we outline in the article titled “Installing Glass Tile” located under Tile Articles in the Learning Center on our website. The initial step in the installation of glass tiles is to install a crack prevention membrane over your substrate in order to provide protection for the tile during the curing process such that any movement or shifting of material is not transferred to the tile.
These membranes are available in many forms and are normally trowel applied or sheet applied. In some cases there are multiple components or steps that are part of the system. Since many of our customers are Do It Yourself homeowners we try to suggest the trowel on varieties since application of this material is relatively simple.
One product we are comfortable suggesting to our customers is RedGard by Custom Building Products which is commonly available at most Home Depot locations across the country. The product is applied to the substrate using a 3/16” x ¼” V-notch trowel at a thickness of 30 mil when wet. When applying with a trowel, use the flat side of the trowel and flatten the ridges to form a continuous, even coat of material.
For curing, the product is dry when it turns solid red with no pink showing, normally 1 – 1 ½ hours. Depending on conditions at your location, drying can take up to 12 hours.
To confirm, this material is not to be used as an adhesive, rather, it should be used as protection for your glass tiles and installed ahead of application of the mortar adhesive and installing any tiles. Read through the installing glass tile article on our website and if you still have any questions about the installation of our products feel free to give us a call any time.
