Why do I need to wait so long before tiling to certain substrates? Why do I need to wait so long before tiling to certain substrates?

Why do I need to wait so long before tiling to certain substrates?

As per BS 5385, the following drying times should be allowed before tiling:


Concrete: at least 6 weeks

Traditional sand and cement screeds: at least 3 weeks

Traditional sand and cement renders: at least 2 weeks

Plaster: at least 4 weeks

These backgrounds shrink as they dry; to avoid the risk of debonding, tiles should be fixed after these times.

Alternatively, drying times can be significantly reduced when ARDEX Screed Cements and Renders are used in the construction process. For example, ARDEX AM 100 Render can be tiled after 2 hours and ARDEX A 38 Screed after 4 hours!