All great construction starts with the right tools in hand

From surface preparation to finishing, each tool and each step decides strength, precision and the final look. Here is the working method for every EMMA product, and the kit your mason should have on site.

Tiling Block work Wall putty Tool kit Mistakes to avoid

Tile adhesive

Fixing tiles and stone

The method below applies to both Classic Grey and Maxi Plus White grades.

Check the substrate

The surface must be clean, dry, sound and level. Remove dust, oil, grease, paint and loose particles. Concrete should be cured for at least 28 days. Prime highly absorbent surfaces and repair uneven areas before you start.

Mix with clean water only

Add 5.5–6 litres of clean water per 20 kg bag. Mix with a slow-speed mixer to a lump-free creamy paste, let it stand 5 minutes, then re-mix. Never add cement or sand — it breaks the polymer balance the product was tested at.

Comb within the open time

Spread the bed with the correct notch size and lay tiles within the 30–35 minute open time. If the bed has skinned over, scrape it off and re-apply — pressing harder will not bond it.

Back-butter large tiles

For tiles larger than 600×600 mm, apply adhesive to the tile as well as the substrate, so the bed is solid with no voids under the tile.

Set, level and space

Press and slightly twist each tile into place, tap with a rubber mallet, check with a spirit level and keep joints uniform with spacers. Do not soak vitrified tiles.

Protect, then grout

Protect freshly laid tiles from rain for 24 hours and grout after 24 hours. Allow 24–72 hours of curing before traffic, depending on the area.

AAC block joining mortar

Laying block work on a thin bed

Prepare the blocks

Blocks must be clean and free of dust. In dry weather, dampen the surface lightly — never soak it.

Mix to a smooth paste

Add mortar to clean water, mix lump-free, stand five minutes and re-mix. Use within the pot life.

Lay a 2–3 mm bed

Comb the bed with a notched trowel, set the block, tap level with a rubber mallet and check line and level with a spirit level and line dori.

Clean up — no curing

Strike excess mortar from the joints before it sets. No water curing is required, which saves time and water on site.

Wall putty

Preparing a paint-ready wall

Clean and damp the surface

The wall must be clean, dust free and slightly damp. Remove loose plaster, grease and flaking paint first.

Mix 35–40% water

Add putty powder to water and mix to a smooth, lump-free paste. Pot life is 2–3 hours.

First coat, then dry 4–6 hours

Apply evenly with a putty blade or trowel, keeping the coat to 1–1.5 mm. Thick coats crack.

Second coat and sand

Apply the second coat, let it dry completely, then sand lightly and dust off before painting.

Tool kit

What your mason should have on site

Surface preparation

Wire brush, scraper, sanding paper or block, air blower or brush for dust removal.

Measuring & mixing

Mechanical mixer or drill with paddle, weighing scale, mixing tray or tub, measuring bucket.

Wall putty application

Putty blade, steel trowel, hawk board.

AAC block joining mortar

Notched trowel, masonry trowel, rubber mallet, spirit level, line dori.

Tile adhesive application

Notched trowel (appropriate notch size), tile spacers, rubber mallet, spirit level.

Finishing

Sponge, cloth, finishing trowel.

Curing & cleaning

Water spray bottle or hose, bucket, cleaning brush.

Safety gear

Gloves, safety goggles, mask, safety shoes.

Avoid these

Six mistakes that cost you the job

Adding cement or sand

EMMA products are factory blended. Site additions change the polymer ratio and reduce bond strength — the most common cause of hollow, debonding tiles.

Working past the open time

If the comb marks have skinned over, the tile will not wet out. Scrape the bed off and re-apply rather than pressing harder.

Soaking vitrified tiles

Vitrified and porcelain tiles have near-zero absorption. Soaking leaves a water film that works against the adhesive.

Spot-fixing large tiles

Five blobs of adhesive leave voids. Large format tiles need a full combed bed plus back-buttering, or they crack under point loads.

Grey adhesive under white marble

Grey cement shadows through translucent and light-coloured stone. Use a Maxi Plus White grade for marble, quartz and glass mosaic.

Painting over damp putty

Let the second coat dry completely and sand before paint. Trapped moisture shows up later as patches and peeling.

FAQs

Application questions

Can I add cement or sand to make the adhesive stronger?

No. Every EMMA product is factory blended to a fixed polymer-to-binder ratio. Adding cement, sand or any site admixture breaks that balance and reduces bond strength — it is the single most common cause of hollow tiles.

What notch size should the trowel be?

As a working rule: 6 mm for small ceramic, 10 mm for tiles up to 600×600 mm, and 12 mm plus back-buttering for large format and stone. The bed must transfer to at least 80% of the tile back — 95% for exteriors and wet areas.

How much water goes into one bag?

5.5–6 litres of clean water per 20 kg tile adhesive bag, and 35–40% water by weight for wall putty. Mix, let it stand five minutes, then re-mix before use. Never re-temper with extra water once it stiffens.

How long before grouting and foot traffic?

Grout after 24 hours. Keep traffic off for 24–72 hours depending on the area, and protect fresh work from rain for the first 24 hours.

Do I need to soak the tiles before fixing?

No. Soaking is a habit from cement-sand mortar days. Vitrified and porcelain tiles absorb almost no water, so soaking only leaves a film that works against the adhesive. Fix tiles clean and dry.

What happens if the adhesive skins over before I lay the tile?

It will not bond, however hard you press. Scrape the skinned bed off, re-comb fresh adhesive and lay immediately. In hot or windy weather, comb smaller areas at a time.

All FAQs

Need a demo for your site team?

Our technical team can walk your masons through mixing, notch selection and curing on site.