To me, Bondera sounds like some kind of female action hero. Her super powers include making things stick to each other and assisting Dog The Bounty Hunter find bail jumpers.
BONDERA!
Oh, imagination, you are fun.
In reality, Bondera is a new product that makes tiling easier, cleaner and faster. It’s a sticker-like adhesive that you peel and add to the back of your tiles, eliminating the need for mortar or mastic in the installation process. Just peel, set, install and add grout – all in one day (no waiting for things to dry).
Bondera has been used for kitchen backsplashes, counters and even shower, tub and bathroom tiles (yes, it works in water and humid environment – it repels water and is mold resistant). It can also be used on any clean, flat, stable surface including drywall, plywood, old tile (in certain circumstances), laminate and Formica. It is NOT designed for floor or ceiling use.
BONDERA!
Currently, the Bondera TileMatSet is only available in Lowes stores across New England, they do have a contact form for those outside the area should you be interested. Different rolls and sets run between $14 and $40 each, but the total costs depend on the size of your tiling job.
Have you tried it? Let us know what you think!
i am currently using this product to do my first tile job (back splash in a kitchen). its pretty easy to use, and is forgiving when you need to remove a tile. but if some gets on the wall… thast another story=can get messy.
my problem is that my grout is cracking within 24 hrs after application. i used a grout made for mosaic tiles (turned out it was sanded grout)-which i was later told was the wrong type to use.. I just dont know whwy my grout is cracking and what is the best way to fix it. i am thinking cauk after the grout has completely dried.
Please don’t waste your money. I have tile experience and used this product for what seemed to be the perfect project, a backsplash. It was to be an in and out install and grout the same day. Forget about it. It cost me 2 more days and the embarrassment of removing the tile and mat to use what I knew was the only way to go. It may be good for small areas with just about no surface irregularity. Even then there is a small amount of flex that will crack grout joints when scrubbed. A fortified grout would help but why chance it.
I used Bondera on my first tiling project, so I don’t have anything to really compare it to. I will say the stuff is incredibly sticky. Unroll the back adhesive as slowly as possible, flattening the material out the best you can as you go along. My installation was on a wall and I STRONGLY suggest supporting the bottom row of tiles since they will fall ever so slightly. Since most would be using this product on a counter I would suggest putting the bottom tile on the counter instead of trying to get a grout joint there – otherwise you may get a slightly wavering line b/w tiles.
I am right now in the process of redoing my main bathroom and would really like to try this product. There is a similar product at Home Depot but it is pricier per square foot and can’t be used in showers. If this stuff works I will be thrilled, only wish they carried it in Utah…guess I’ll order it offline. I will post follow comments after I have tried it to let you know what I think.
Thanks for the note Sarah. . . . we’ll look forward to hearing your feedback after you’ve had a chance to try it firsthand! Good luck with the bathroom project in the meantime.