Are you out shopping for thin-set mortar for your bathroom tiles installation project?
Why not check my Schluter All-Set vs. Mapei thin-set mortar review. Here I’ll show the features and comparisons between the two best all-purpose thin-set mortars.
While Schluter all-set mortar is available in White and Grey, Mapei mortar is available in bright white. Besides, Schluter all-set works on more substrates than Mapei. But there are many other vital differences you must know before deciding on one.
Picking up the right product involves extensive knowledge about those products. So, let’s go and find out every detail available on these two mortars.
A Quick Comparison Table
Here is a quick comparison table between Schluter All-Set vs. Mapei thin-set mortar:
| Aspects | Schluter All-Set | Mapei |
| Mortar Type | specially modified thin-set mortar | modified thin-set mortar With Polymer |
| Special Feature | creates a strong bond coating | Use on submerged areas |
| Benefits | Offers More Benefits | Offers Fewer Benefits |
| Usages | Interior and Exterior | Interior and Exterior |
| Performance | Superior Performance | High Performance |
All About Schluter All-Set Mortar
Schluter All-Set is a premium professional-grade thin-set mortar that’s purpose-made to be used with Schluter tile installation systems and membranes.
Here’s an overview of Schluter All-Set Mortar:
- Suitable for use with all Schluter membranes and tile installation systems
- Can be used for interior and exterior applications
- Polymer-modified for flexibility & increased adhesion
- Excellent workability and long open time
- Contributes to LEED points
- Available in grey and white
- VOC-compliant, non-flammable
- Freeze-thaw stable – won’t damage if frozen then thawed
Some of the key benefits and selling points of Schluter All-Set include:
Designed for Schluter Products – Schluter All-Set is specifically designed as the ideal companion product for all Schluter tile installation systems including Ditra, Kerdi, Shower Kits and more. It takes the guesswork out of finding the right thin-set for these applications.
Polymer-Modified – Contains latex polymer additives that make the mortar more flexible and workable. This allows the thin-set to move with the natural expansion and contraction of the tile assembly better than unmodified mortar.
Excellent Bond Strength – Formulated to provide superior adhesion for ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tiles on Schluter underlayment and waterproofing membranes. Gives great grab with minimal shrinkage.
Long Open Time – Schluter All-Set has an open time of 30 minutes or more. This is the amount of time you have to adjust tiles after mortar is spread before it begins to set. Helpful for tricky installations.
Contributes to LEED – Contains recycled content and regional materials. Can help tile projects gain LEED certification points. More eco-friendly.
Easy to Work With – Spreads smoothly without soupy or sticky consistency issues. Very workable mortar that’s easy to tile over.
Now that we know the key benefits and features of Schluter All-Set, let’s learn about Mapei Ultraflex Thin-Set Mortar.
Introducing Mapei Ultraflex Thin-Set
Mapei Ultraflex is a top quality professional-grade thin-set mortar designed for demanding tile setting applications. It’s a popular mortar known for its super adhesion and flexibility.
Here’s an overview of the key features and benefits of Mapei Ultraflex Thin-Set:
- Can be used for interior and exterior installations
- Excellent bond to concrete, masonry, cement boards and existing tile
- Formulated with special dry polymer for flexibility
- Contributes to LEED points
- Extended open time – adjustability up to 45 minutes
- Freeze/thaw stable – won’t be damaged by freezing
- Available in grey and white
- Meets ANSI A118.4 and A118.11 standards
Some of the main reasons to choose Mapei Ultraflex Thin-Set include:
Superior Bond Strength – Incredibly strong adhesive properties allow it to bond porcelain, ceramic, glass, and stone tiles to nearly any common substrate. Holds up to heavy traffic.
Polymer Flexibility – Contains dry polymer additives that prevent shrinkage and allow the mortar to flex slightly along with the tile assembly. Prevents cracks.
Very Low VOC/Eco-Friendly – Low VOC formula helps projects gain LEED certification. Makes it safer for the environment and installers.
Long Working Time – The extended open time of up to 45 minutes gives you more adjustability when setting tile. Helpful for large or intricate tile layouts.
Freeze-Thaw Stable – Can withstand multiple freeze-thaw cycles without damaging performance. Great for outdoor and cold climate installations.
Meets Industry Standards – Formulated to meet or exceed all applicable standards for latex-modified thin-set mortars. Gives assurance it will perform as expected.
Now that we’ve got a good handle on the features and benefits of each thin-set mortar, let’s compare them head-to-head.
In-Depth Comparison Between Schluter All-Set And Mapei Thin-Set Mortar
Now that you gathered some basic ideas on both mortars, it’s time we look for more details. To understand which one will work best for you, you need a comprehensive comparison between Schluter and Mapei mortars.
Here are some key differences between Schluter All-Set vs. Mapei thin-set mortar:
- Product Type
Even though both mortars serve similar purposes, Schluter all-set and Mapei thin-set mortars are made differently.
Schluter All-Set is a specially modified thin-set mortar formulated for tiles application and used with Schluter membranes and boards.
You can easily spread this smooth and creamy formula across your project site.
Besides, it works excellently on interior and exterior vertical as well as horizontal applications.
On the other hand, Mapei Adesilex P10 is a premium mosaic and glass tile mortar with Polymer. You can use this bright white thin-set mortar for multipurpose applications. Mapei has specially designed it for glass tiles, mosaics, and natural stones.
- Different Features
As premium-grade thin-set mortar, Schluter All-Set and Mapei bring a lot of high-quality features. Knowing them will help you pick up the right one.
Schluter All-Set mortar is a modified thin-set mortar, and its specialized formula creates a strong bond coating in tiles applications. You’ll get a smooth and creamy mortar with a white and grey formulation.
As a sag-resistant formula, Schluter All-Set Mortar helps install various tiles and Schluter membranes and boards.
On the other hand, Mapei Adesilex P10 thin-set mortar has Polymer in its formula. As a result, you will get an even stronger and more durable bond from this premium-grade mortar with non-sag properties.
Besides, Mapei mortar exceeds the bar while testing for bond strength. So, you know it will give you an excellent result.
- Benefits Variation
The most crucial benefit of Schluter All-Set mortar is that it’s very easy to handle and spreads evenly and smoothly across project sites. You can use this mortar for both vertical and horizontal applications.
That means installing tiles on both walls and floors will become easy and fast with Schluter All-Set mortar.
On top of that, you can install large and heavy tiles on both interior and exterior with this Premium thin-set mortar.
In contrast to Schluter, Mapei Adesilex P10 Premium thin-set mortar can be mixed with water and Keraply. As a result, you can use this bright white mortar for regular uses and increased performance and submerged installations.
Besides, you will get a high-quality and controlled color matching formula for consistency. Plus, you can use it for sheet-mounted mosaics.
- Usages
Schluter All-Set is designed for installing ceramic, porcelain, and stone tiles. You can use this mortar on various substrates, including plywood, concrete, gypsum, vinyl flooring, etc.
Mapei Adesilex can be used on most interior and exterior tiles installations. With this thin-set mortar, you can also install ceramic, porcelain, glass tiles, etc. Besides, it will work excellently in submerged areas and with large glass tiles.
- Performance
In just 24 hours, Schluter All-Set mortar can take heavy traffic. Besides, it will take only 12 hours to grout.
Depending on the trowel size, you can cover 100 square feet to 200 square feet on various membranes and substrates.
In contrast, Mapei Adesilex P10 only works between 4°C and 35°C. But it takes more time to cure itself.
You will have to wait for 7 days before it can handle heavy traffic. Generally, it can tolerate some traffic after 24 hours.
Besides, you can cover 11 square feet to 24 square feet per 10 lbs. bag, depending on the trawler size.
Which Thin-Set Mortar Is Best For You?
Looking at my discussion, we will see that Schluter All-Set Mortar performs better than Mapei Adesilex P10 Premium Thin-Set Mortar. So, I would suggest you use Schluter All-Set mortar for installing tiles.
Using Schluter mortar will get the final result significantly quicker than Mapei. Plus, it covers more areas and works on more substrates.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)
Schluter All-Set and Fast-Set are both high-performing and specially modified thin-set mortars. The Schluter All-set formula is specially designed to use with Schluter membranes and boards. Schluter Fast-set provides rapid setting on substrates.
Although Schluter All-Set is specially modified for Schluter membranes and Boards, it works excellently with tiles, including various heavy and large ceramic, porcelain, stone, etc.
Mapei has both modified and unmodified mortars. But Mapei Adesilex P10 is a premium grade modified mortar because it has Polymer in its formula.
Schluter Modified Thinset is a very high-quality mortar. You will get excellent results upon using various tiles on different substrates.
Yes, Mapei thin-set mortars like Ultraflex can be used with Schluter membranes and underlayment systems like Ditra and Kerdi. However, Schluter recommends using their All-Set mortar as it’s specifically designed for optimum compatibility and performance with their products. But Mapei thin-sets will also work well.
The “best” thin-set mortar depends on the specifics of your tile installation, but some top recommendations are:
Schluter All-Set – Best for use with Schluter membranes
Mapei Ultraflex – Best for demanding applications needing maximum flexibility and adhesion
Custom Building Products Versabond – Best all-purpose thin-set with excellent bond strength
LATICRETE 254 Platinum – Best high performance thin-set for large format tiles
Final Thoughts
Installing tiles is a hectic job and an expensive one. After finishing one, you will not want to take another for several years. Using the right modified thin-set mortar will help you in achieving that.
After reading my comparative review on Schluter All-Set and Mapei thin-set mortars, now you know which mortar is the best choice. Use it, and you won’t have to think about another tiles project for a long time.