01
Checks before opening the adhesive
Record these conditions so the selected solution can be justified.
- Substrate type and condition: concrete, screed, gypsum, board, existing tile or another material.
- Stability and cohesion: no loose areas, unresolved deformation or active cracks.
- Cleanliness: no dust, grease, wax, poorly bonded paint, laitance or release agent.
- Flatness and geometry measured with the method and tolerance applicable to the system.
- Moisture, age and curing within the project and manufacturer limits.
- Compatibility between adhesive, primer, waterproofing, tile and substrate.
02
Which document decides each issue
Building requirements
The Spanish CTE may require moisture or safety performance where it applies. It does not prescribe every installation step.
Installation rules
UNE 138002:2023 structures bonded installation in Spain; NF DTU 52.2 covers defined work in France. Their scope and the project determine use.
Product limits
The current data sheet defines permitted substrates, preparation, primers, thicknesses, times and conditions for that product.
Pre-installation control
Recording measurements, cracks and tests helps prevent an unresolved problem from being hidden under the finish.
03
Preparation sequence
This order reduces the risk of repairing twice or trapping moisture and movement.
- 01
Identify the substrate, use, water exposure and the documents that apply in the project country.
- 02
Inspect stability, cracks, existing joints and intermediate layers.
- 03
Clean and remove anything that impairs bonding, then vacuum residual dust.
- 04
Measure flatness and moisture with suitable methods and record the results.
- 05
Repair or level with a compatible product and observe its curing time.
- 06
Apply primer or waterproofing only when specified by the documented system.
04 · Stop point
Stop and obtain technical confirmation
Do not cover the substrate when any of these conditions remain unresolved.
- Active cracks, movement, deformation or an unresolved structural joint.
- Persistent moisture, leakage, salts or an unknown source of water.
- A friable, hollow or contaminated substrate, or layers whose adhesion cannot be verified.
- No documented compatibility between the substrate and the proposed system.
- Flatness outside the permitted range with a proposal to compensate only with more adhesive.
05
Sources and scope
CalcuCeram summarises technical criteria in its own words. Check the complete document applicable in Spain or France, the project and the current system data sheets before work.
Spanish regulatory requirements for hygiene and protection from moisture when the work falls within their scope.
↗UNE 138002:2023 · edition summarySpanish reference for bonded tile installation. The summary confirms the edition but does not replace the full standard.
↗NF DTU 52.2, June 2022 · CSTBFrench reference for bonded tile installation. Use the part that applies to the substrate, location and system.
↗SikaCeram®-260 Flexible · Spain data sheetExample of requirements and limits for one product sold in Spain; they must not be generalised to other products.
↗06
Frequently asked questions about substrates
Can I correct flatness by using more adhesive?
Do not assume so. Adhesive has a documented thickness and field of use. If the substrate is outside tolerance, use a compatible levelling solution and observe its curing time before tiling.
Does every substrate need a primer?
No. It depends on absorption, cohesion, substrate material and the selected product. Use only the primer specified by the data sheet or documented system.
Can I tile over existing tiles?
Only after checking stability, adhesion, cleanliness, flatness, joints and compatibility. Covering a hollow, loose or contaminated tile does not repair it.
07