When planning a tiling project, selecting the right tile adhesive is an important decision. From S1 tile adhesive and S2 tile adhesive to rapid set tile adhesive, flexible tile adhesive, and ready mixed tile adhesive to heat resistant tile adhesive or water resistant tile adhesive, there are so many options on the market.

With such a broad range of options available, it’s essential to understand the differences between them all. In this article, we address the difference between waterproof tile adhesive and water-resistant tile adhesive, and where a water-resistant tile adhesive is best used.

Is Tile Adhesive Waterproof?

Uses Of Water Resistant Tile Adhesive

High-quality tile adhesives are designed to resist moisture penetration. This is crucial for areas constantly exposed to water, such as shower walls and bathroom floors. By selecting a moisture-resistant adhesive, you help maintain the adhesive bond's strength, even in continuously wet conditions.

For most indoor projects, especially those not directly exposed to continuous water flow, a water resistant tile adhesive is typically sufficient alongside other waterproofing solutions. Here are some common scenarios where a water-resistant adhesive is the best choice:

1. Kitchens and Bathrooms: These areas frequently experience splashes and high humidity, but they are not constantly submerged in water. A water resistant tile adhesive will effectively handle these conditions, preventing moisture from weakening the bond between the tiles and the substrate.
2. Living Areas: For tiling projects in living rooms, hallways, or entryways where moisture exposure is minimal, a water resistant adhesive provides more than enough protection.
3. Around Fireplaces: When tiling around fireplaces, you may need a heat resistant tile adhesive or water resistant adhesive to ensure the tiles can withstand both temperature fluctuations and occasional moisture without losing their adhesive properties.

When taking on outdoor tiling projects, focussing on areas exposed to more extreme conditions, such as outdoor patios, balconies, or areas near pools, the stakes are higher. In these cases, the tile adhesive needs to be able to resist constant moisture, temperature variations, and even direct water contact.

We stock multiple highly regarded and highly reliable brands, such as Benflex, Ardex X77 adhesive, Bal Flex One and Bal Rapid Flex One, Opera SPM, and Bostik Vitri-Flex tile adhesive, all designed to offer flexible and rapid-setting properties for efficient installation in damp environments.

Moreover, some other popular and noteworthy water-resistant tile adhesive options include Mapei Keraflex and Mapei Keraquick, Ultra Tile Proflex S2, Ultra Tile Fix Proflex SPES and Tilemaster rapid setaflex; engineered to deliver superior performance and lasting results in wet areas.

Water Resistant Adhesive: Looking For Waterproofing Solutions?

Best Water Resistant Tile Adhesive

Here are eight high-quality, popular water-resistant tile adhesive brands stocked at Pro Tiler Tools, with lots of options to choose from from each brand:

1. Ardex X 77
   

   Ardex X 77 is a microtec fibre-reinforced flexible standard floor and wall tile adhesive specifically formulated to enhance adhesion and flexibility. It is also perfect for fixing ceramic or fully vitrified tiles and other tiles with low porosity, as well as glass and porcelain mosaics, and terrazzo. It has an extended open time of up to 60 minutes, twice the requirement of BS 12004, and double the slump resistance of ‘T’ classified adhesives, making this product ideal for fixing large-format wall tiles as well as fixing all types of ceramic tiles and mosaics, in internal and external situations, including swimming pools.

   In terms of other water resistant tile adhesive options from Ardex, we also stock Ardex X 77 W which is ideal for fixing all types of ceramic tiles and mosaics, in internal and external situations, including swimming pools as well as being suitable for underfloor heating. Further, there is Ardex X 77 S, and the popular Ardex X 7 G, which is frost and weather-resistant and can be used internally and externally as well as in wet areas and swimming pools.

   Read more:
   • How To Fix Swimming Pool Tiles
   • Essential Materials for Your Swimming Pool Installation
   • Six Essential Tiling Tools for Installing Large Format Tiles
2. Bal Flex One

   BAL Flex One is one of our most popular water resistant tile adhesives, with an extended pot life of 2 1/2 hours and an open time of 45 minutes. It is particularly recommended for large format tiles, areas of total immersion, heated screeds, and areas subject to movement and vibration. It also has a long list of suitable coverings and substrates:

   BAL Flex One Suitable Coverings	BAL Flex One Suitable Substrates
   Ceramics	Brick/Concrete
   Natural stone, marble, terrazzo, rigid foam insulating materials, and brick slips	Heated Screeds, Sand/Cement Screed & Anhydrite/Calcium Screed
   Porcelain	Rendering & Lightweight Blockwork
   	Asphalt
   	Plaster & Plasterboard
   	Tile Backer Boards & Vinyl Tiles/Sheets
   	Glazed Ceramic Tiles, Hard Natural Stone & Timber Floors

   BAL Rapid Flex One is also a good water-resistant tile adhesive option because it is formulated with BAL Fibre Strand Technology. This multi-use adhesive is suitable for virtually any tile type, on most wall or floor substrates and can be used in wet, dry, interior, and external environments.

   

   
   Read more:
   • Best Scoring Wheel for Porcelain Tile
   • The Best Drill Bits For Ceramic Tile
   • Types Of Tile Backer Board: Fibre Cement Board vs XPS Tile Backer Board
   • How To Choose the Right Backer Board
   • Tile Backer Board: What Should I Use Under My Tiles?
3. Benfer Benferflex S1
   

   There are many versions of Benferflex S1, whether that’s high yield standard or rapid set, or rapido high performance for porcelain tiles. BENFERFLEX+FAST-S1 is a hybrid powder adhesive, composed of special cements, hi-tech polymers, graded aggregates and special additives, formulated and developed for rapid, reliable installation of almost the totality of ceramic material, of every size and thickness.
4. Bostik A100
   

   Bostik A100 Showerproof is a ready-mixed wall tile adhesive designed for fixing ceramic wall tiles to most internal surfaces. It is ideal for a wide range of substrates in kitchens, toilets, domestic showers, and bathrooms. The adhesive is suitable for most surfaces including plaster, sand and cement rendering, plasterboard, old glazed tiles, and tile backer boards. It’s worth noting that it should not be used for fixing onto floors nor should it be used externally or in areas where tiling is continuously immersed in water e.g. swimming pools.

   Alternatively, we stock Bostik MC250 which is suitable for bonding ceramic tiles, quarry tiles, porcelain, vitrified tiles, natural stone, and mosaics to walls and floors. It’s suitable for most interior and exterior installations, including more demanding applications such as underfloor heating and areas subject to limited vibration. When fully cured the adhesive is suitable for permanently wet areas, such as showers.

   Read more: Building a wetroom: Everything you need and more!

5. Kerakoll Setaflex
   

   Kerakoll Setaflex is a polymer-modified, flexible rapid-setting cement-based floor and wall tile adhesive with increased adhesion and non-slip properties. Kerakoll Setaflex Standard is ideal for areas subject to prolonged or permanent wet conditions such as swimming pools and wet rooms. It can be used internally and externally and is unaffected by frost after setting.

   You can choose between these different setting options:

   • Kerakoll Setaflex Rapid Set S1 Adhesive
   • Kerakoll Setaflex Semi-Rapid Set S1 Adhesive
   • Kerakoll Setaflex Standard Set S1 Adhesive

   Read more: Kerakoll H40 Gel Adhesive: A Multipurpose Tile Adhesive

6. Mapei Keraquick
   

   Mapei Keraquick is a sought-after water resistant tile adhesive because it has lots of great application options and is a high-performance, quick-setting, deformable cementitious adhesive with no vertical slip for ceramic tiles and stone material stable in the presence of humidity.

   Application examples include:

   • Renovation in heavily trafficked areas and where surfaces need to be quickly back in service, such as public buildings, motorway services, pedestrian walkways, supermarkets, showrooms, airports, etc.
   • Rapid installation or renovation in swimming pools, industrial plants (breweries, wine cellars, dairies), and refrigeration units.
   • Rapid installation in bathrooms, showers, kitchens, conservatories, and on balconies and terraces.
   • The installation of tiled finishes to underfloor and under-tile heating systems.
   • The installation of non-absorbent floor tiles over existing floors, where a standard setting adhesive would be too slow.
   • Outdoor tiling; the installation of tiles externally in autumn/winter when nighttime temperatures drop below +5ºC.

   Mapei Keraflex is another option from Mapei, as a high-performance, deformable cementitious tile adhesive with extended open time and no vertical slip, for ceramic tiles with a very low emission level of VOC. It’s especially suitable for the installation of large-size porcelain tiles and natural stone.

7. Kerakoll Setaflex Semi Rapid
   

   Previously Tilemaster Setaflex Semi Rapid, this tile adhesive has been developed for fixing a large variety of tiles such as ceramic, porcelain, and natural stone tiles and the extended pot life is ideal when fixing large format and intricate tiles such as natural stone. It is ideal for use in areas subject to prolonged or permanent wet conditions such as wet rooms and swimming pools, and can be used internally and externally as it is unaffected by frost after setting.
8. Ultra Tile Fix Proflex SPES

   Ultra Tile Proflex SPES standard set flexible s1 adhesive is a polymer-modified adhesive that provides enhanced performance and high bond strength including installations subject to moisture. Here are the areas of use, suitable tiles, and substrates for Ultra Tile Fix Proflex SPES:

   Ultra Tile Fix Proflex SPES Areas of use:	Ultra Tile Fix Proflex SPES Suitable Tiles:	Ultra Tile Fix Proflex SPES Suitable Substrates:
   General wall & floor installations	Ceramic	Concrete
   Interior & exterior installations	Porcelain	Sand/cement screed & render
   Wetrooms	Glass	Plywood overlay (15mm min)
   Domestic showers with tray	Mosaics	Tile backer boards & fibre cement boards
   Underfloor heating: both electric water underfloor heating	Marble	Anhydrite/calcium sulphate/gypsum-based screeds
   Swimming pools	Travertine	Tile on Tile
   Communal showers	Granite	Firm and stable plaster & plasterboard
   Conservatories	Limestone	Concrete brick/block
   	Terracotta	Hard vinyl tiles
   	Quarry	Flooring grade asphalt
   	Slate
   	Quartz
   	Brick Slips

   Ultra Tile Fix ProFlex SP is another go-to polymer-modified adhesive that provides enhanced performance and high bond strength for installations subject to moisture from Ultra Tile.

   

   
   Read more:
   • How To Use A Notched Trowel
   • Tile Adhesive: Ready Mixed Or Powder?
   • How To Choose Between Grey and White Adhesive
   • The Best Tools To Use for Mixing Adhesive
   • The Best Adhesives For Tiling Over Tiles

Choosing the Right Water Resistant Tile Adhesive

At Pro Tiler Tools, we offer a wide range of water resistant adhesives and waterproofing products to ensure your tiling project is aesthetic and built to last. If you need any assistance with your tile adhesive order, don’t hesitate to contact our team of experts, via email at [email protected] or give us a call at 01604 859800.