Replies

1. 
   Mongo | Jun 02, 2013 11:26pm | #1

   1. What type of portland cement and sand are best to use with water for creating a 1-1/2" to 2" thick sloping mortar bed?

   Deck mud. Usually a 5:1 ratio of sand to portland cement. Sharp sand for the sand if you can find it. For the portland, you don't want anything with lime. Type 1 will do you well.

   2. I'm going to use either Laticrete 272 or 317 with water for my unmodified thinset.  Should I use an unmodified grout also?

   No. Use a modified grout. The grout has access to free air so you don;t have the latex drying issues with grout that you can have with thinset.

   3. I have followed Michael Byrne's advice and raked thinset out of joints in order to get full depth for grout, which leads to stronger grout joints and an even grout color.  Videos and articles with Tom Meehan make no mention of this practice.  Is it OK to leave thinset in the joints?

   It's best to rake the joints. Your grout color and strength will be more uniform.

1. 
   Mike_Mahan | Jun 03, 2013 10:07am | #4

   You can buy premixed deck mud at a tile supply.

2. 
   DanH | Jun 03, 2013 06:43am | #2

   Whether you have to rake the joints or not depends on how much the mud "squirts up" (technical term) into the joints, along with how thick the tile is.  With smooth-backed tile on a smooth surface less pressure is needed to bed the tile and hence less "squirt up", and, obviously, with thicker tile the depth of the grout joint is sufficient even with a bit of "squirt up".

   When raking you have to be careful to not make matters worse by leaving bits of mortar clinging to the edges of the tile.

3. 
   johnfant | Jun 03, 2013 07:49am | #3

   Mongo--

   Thanks for the very helpful advice.  I really appreciate it.

1. 
   Mongo | Jun 03, 2013 07:40pm | #5

   you're welcome...

   ...and good luck with your project.