How to mix thinset?
 

I'm in the final stages of finishing the bathroom and am about to lay
some plywood and 1/4" backerboard with thinset under each layer. I'll
mix the thinset in a 5 Ga pail, using...a hammer drill with the
appropriate bit/paddle?

TIA!
Darryl

Darryl wrote:

I'm in the final stages of finishing the bathroom and am about to lay
some plywood and 1/4" backerboard with thinset under each layer. I'll
mix the thinset in a 5 Ga pail, using...a hammer drill with the
appropriate bit/paddle?

Yeah, but you don't need the hammer action on the drill.

mix it with a mortar paddle, do not use high speed as the thin set is
weakened greatly if you beat too much air into the mix
btw, i've had some bad personal experiences with thinset types of mortar,
now i dish out the extra $$$ and get the polymer modified types only. the
few bux you save don't mean much when the tiles crack or pop back up
"John Hines" wrote in message
...
Darryl wrote:

I'm in the final stages of finishing the bathroom and am about to lay
some plywood and 1/4" backerboard with thinset under each layer. I'll
mix the thinset in a 5 Ga pail, using...a hammer drill with the
appropriate bit/paddle?

Yeah, but you don't need the hammer action on the drill.

1) Get a good thinset. Flexbond or some other latex modified one.

2) follow the instructions with one exception....

When adding the water add it slowly until you get the right
consistency. If
you add too much water to the entire bag (if you are using the whole
bag) you'll have a sloppy mix and that will be crap... (unless of
course you have a second bag to add to the over watered mix, waste of
money)

Darryl wrote:
I'm in the final stages of finishing the bathroom and am about to lay
some plywood and 1/4" backerboard with thinset under each layer. I'll
mix the thinset in a 5 Ga pail, using...a hammer drill with the
appropriate bit/paddle?

TIA!
Darryl

Get one of these; http://www.tiletool.net/wpe39.gif
Use it with a variable speed or low rpm drill.

Why are you putting thinset underneath the plywood?

Darryl wrote:
I'm in the final stages of finishing the bathroom and am about to lay
some plywood and 1/4" backerboard with thinset under each layer. I'll
mix the thinset in a 5 Ga pail, using...a hammer drill with the
appropriate bit/paddle?

TIA!
Darryl

Get one of these; http://www.tiletool.net/wpe39.gif
Use it with a variable speed or low rpm drill.

Why are you putting thinset underneath the plywood?

I'm not and I've proven once more that I should not post before my
morning coffee (umm...the plywood is already down...lol). The thinset
is going under the backerboard and tiles only.

Thanks for everyone's replies (I picked up that exact tool at HD)
Darryl.