Their website: www.bonderatilematset.com
I have been waiting for just the right project to give the Bondera Tile Mat Set a good test. The perfect situation presented its self in a kitchen backsplash. To prepare the area before the Bondera product was used, I removed the old existing tile as well as the drywall behind it. Some new electrical was ran, and the drywall replaced and taped smooth.
I went about this they way I think most of us do, I tried to just figure it out, and then went back and read the instructions to verify that I did things right. I hit about 90%. So, although it is an assault on my manhood, I will recommend that you read through the Bondera instructions as there are some good tips in there. Gee, I wonder why.
The mat is installed to the wall by exposing one of the adhesive sides and… well… sticking it to the wall. Not much there. After the desired surface area is covered, and you are ready to begin tile installation, peel off the exposed sticky side with the provided pull strips (see instructions) and discard the plastic cover.
To try and make things easier, I went around and first installed all the tile that did not need to be cut. I did this because I found one thing that did slow up this very fast process. Wet tiles. If you are snap cutting, never mind the following. But I was using a wet saw and wet tile will not stick to the Bondera product. I found I would need to mark and cut tile and then blot them dry with a towel, and let air dry. As I got more and more impatient, I took out my head gun and accelerated the dry time.
The tile stuck very well to the mat and if need be, I was able to scoot the tile over and up or down as needed before fully pressing it into place. If you have to pop one off, good luck. It is better to take your time in alignment than to try and dig one off.
It was here that I realized how clean my work area was. Without the mess of the adhesives or mortars, my customers home stayed a lot cleaner, something they noticed and commented on.
I then masked off the counter tops and began to grout in the usual manner. It was very nice not having to clean the thin set or adhesive out from between the tiles. After application of the grout, several cleanings and a buff, the backsplashes looked great. The next day I sealed the corners with Polyseamseal clear and the electrician installed the under-cabinet lights and devices and covers. All done in two days rather than three!
Three rolls of 12” x 10’ material was used for this kitchen. The cost of the Bondera product was higher than that of traditional adhesives, but the speed and lack of mess was completely worth it and I will definitely use this when and wherever I can from here out. Give it a try!
