Hello Gentlemen,
I'm re-opening this post since I need more detailed advice.
I've sourced travertine for this job. 40cm*40 cm and 12mm thickness in a beige color.
Here is the current plan. Let me remind you that its exterior tiling around a pool onto a concrete deck done a few years back. Please advice if I'm doing anything wrong.
1. The idea is to use 4-1 sand/cement screed. The cement is regular gray portland.
2. The screed is going to be mixed on site as I go along in a regular concrete mixer. I know paddle type is better but I don't have that available.
3. I'll be starting with a bit wetted sand, then add cement and then complete with more sand and water. I'll be going easy on the water just enough to bond the materials together.
4. I will have wetted my concrete slab before with water. I will also apply a cement slurry on the conrete just before putting on the screed.
5. I will compact the screed well. When finalizing 50 cm of screed, I will apply a cement slurry of white cement onto the screed and back of travertine tile.
6. I will then put down the tile onto the screed with 2mm of space between each tile. I will push it into the slurry to ensure good bond.
7. I will make sure the tile is clean before continuing onto the next 50 cm of screed and tiling.
7. I will continue working backwards in the same fashion until one section is done. I will then start another section to the left of the last one using the same procedure. The screeding/tiling will take several days.
8. When all the tiling is done I will let it dry for over a week before grouting.
9. I will clean surface one more time throughly, let it dry completely before sealing surface one time.
10. I will then grout the tiling. Let dry and then clean up well several times. 11. I will then seal a second time.
Any comment on the above?
My concerns are the following.
Will the above method work well for travertine tiles?
I will use white cement for the slurry but gray cement in the screed. Will this combination be enough to eliminate effervescence?
How thick should the cement slurry be?
Should travertine tiles really be sealed around a pool?
Your advice is highly appreciated so that I don't mess up and have to face my wife
Regards