Professional Builder’s Lee Jones talks to Ardex about A46, its multi-purpose repair mortar.
When it comes to making good, the temptation for any tradesman is often to use what is already available on site. As a result sand and cement or gypsum-based bonding may well be the materials of choice, but these inevitably have their limitations. A46, on the other hand, is a rapid setting cement-based repair mortar – and dedicated product for the job – that has a multitude of uses across the trades.
The Ardex solution has actually been with us for some time, with the fact that it will go off in around ½ an hour already finding favour with the likes of floor layers and tilers. Try and effect a repair to a tiled window reveal with anything other than A46, such as a tile adhesive, for example, and it will likely slump, crack and debond. Sand and cement will undoubtedly fair no better, with a finish that rarely looks professional even when first applied and, once moisture starts to leave it, it will equally run the risk of cracking. When a plumber makes a hole for service pipes, or a sparks is chasing cables into walls, then this gaffer tape for masonry can step in – and, incidentally, it’s also good for steps as well.
Whilst it can be painted in just an hour, it will accept foot traffic in 30 minutes, and there’s no priming required. The material can be applied to a thickness of 50mm, which means it can also be utilised as a fall for a wetroom, for instance, or when constructing a ramp.
“A46 is actually a patented polymer-modified product that locks moisture in, enhancing its bonding performance and reducing setting times in the process,” explains Ardex technical services manager, Steve Davies. “It’s available from the merchants in an 11kg bag, itself contained within a plastic tub. As a result, builders can mix up as little or as much as required for the repair at hand and, once the opened bag has been returned to the sealed bucket, it will remain useable for up to 12 months. That 11kg bag will be enough for coverage of 4m2 at a depth of 2mm but, for more significant repair jobs, we also supply a slightly larger bag.”
Simply mix in the tub in a 1 – 3 ratio, and you’ll have 15 – 20 minutes of working time to play with. If you do need to apply A46 to the maximum 50mm depth, and you want that bag to go further, it is acceptable to mix the product with screeding sand, without any detriment to performance.
A46 is a very easy material to work with, and can be smoothed, floated and worked into any number of awkward spaces. Given that it is slump free, vertical or overhead applications will not prove a problem either, whilst the aforementioned polymer technology eliminates shrinkage.
“For us it’s a bit of a no-brainer,” continues Steve. “It is so superior to the likes of sand and cement in any patch repair job, will eliminate call backs, and, because it’s less granular will leave a much smoother finish. It really is all you need for making good.”
If you want an indication of the pedigree behind Ardex, then the list of projects where its expertise has been utilised includes a portfolio of the most prestigious infrastructure developments. At the Aquatics Centre for the London Olympics Games, for example, over 866,000 ceramic tiles were fixed using Ardex technology. Indeed, whenever any major swimming pool build is undertaken it is this Suffolk-based company that will get the call on jobs where failure simply isn’t an option, but its extensive range of solutions have also found a home everywhere from Kings Cross St Pancras to Windsor Castle’s historic George’s Chapel.
