How To Mix Thinset - Essential tips for small batches

Learn everything you need to know about how to mix a perfect batch of thinset tile mortar on the first try. Learn how to mix thinset in small batches and how much thinset to mix.
The challenging thing about mixing thinset is that as a DIYer you rarely want to mix an entire bag at a time, and since the directions on the back of the bag of thinset usually only give you the ratios of water to thinset for the entire bag, it can be difficult to get the right consistency.
In this video I'll show you two ways to get the right consistency of thinset - which is very similar to peanut butter.
Mixing thinset is actually very straight forward and can be done in several steps:
1. Add the water to the bucket first - You'll want to use about a quart of water to start with for your first time mixing thinset.
2. Next, slowly add in thinset and mix until you reach the desired consistency. You want it thick enough to hold a notch, but thin enough so that it actually sticks to the wall. If it's too thick, it won't want to stick to the wall. If it's too thin it will just run all over the place.
3. Once you've reached the desired consistency, continue mixing for 3-5 minutes
4. After the initial mixing period, just let it sit to slake for ten minutes. This allows the water to mix with the chemicals in the thin set and starts the chemical reaction.
5. Once the slaking period is over, it's time to mix again for a couple of minutes. For the mixing times, you'll want to follow what it says on the bag of thinset that you have since they are all different. Never add more water after the slaking period, otherwise, you will compromise the integrity of the thinset and potentially make it weaker.
One way to ensure you get a perfect mix is to do some math and calculate the exact ratio of water to thinset. In my example, I had a 50-pound bag of Schluter All-Set Thinset Mortar - which is a modified Thinset. It says to mix 5.5-6.5 quarts of water for the entire bag. So, if I simply do some math and divide 50 by 5.5, and then 50 by 6.5, then I learn that I need about 8 to 9 pounds of thinset per quart of water. I can then use a scale to measure out 8 to 9 pounds of thinset and add it to exactly one quart of water.
For a complete list of tools visit www.handymanstartup.com/how-t....
To learn how to install tile in a shower step by step watch this video: • The Complete Guide to ...
List of Tools and Links to Buy:
Three five gallon buckets - amzn.to/2jJlBAJ
Two 1-3 quart plastic measuring containers - amzn.to/2XJmhJ0
Mixing Paddle - amzn.to/2XJZ35C
Power Drill or Mixer - amzn.to/32pVtMH
Gloves - amzn.to/2xJRtst
Safety Glasses - amzn.to/2lep62x
Dust Respirator - amzn.to/2jKNt7o
Scale (Optional) - amzn.to/2lgFhwj

[@DavenH]

Awesome perspective shots from the bucket!

[@maxi-me]

"You do not want the tiles to fall off the wall, 2 weeks after you set it" _ideally this part of the process should be prolonged for several months_ 😆

[@CAMPFIRESKY]

Exactly what I was looking for - Great video - THANKS!!!

[@gborden100]

Lake Forest, CA. I'm new to using thin set. Thanks to you I am more confident to begin the task

[@StayHandy]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@charlesullo7793]

Very detailed and precise.

[@timbawktoo6063]

Awesome info! Thank you!!

[@waylandyan2334]

Great video, extremely helpful, thank you so much Dan.

[@StayHandy]

Glad it was helpful!

[@luislau2284]

thanks for your time and effort put on this video and above all your last advice related to health concerns.

[@StayHandy]

Glad it helped!

[@handy-remodeler]

Thanks Dan. Good job!

[@StayHandy]

Thanks TJ! I appreciate the positive comment.

[@wemcal]

Great video and great information

[@mariellaabrams1809]

Thanks. This is very helpful.

[@haydenwatkins2494]

Excellent video. Great advice on not sacrificing your health.

[@Audioelement1]

Great video, lots of helpful information.

[@StayHandy]

Glad you found it helpful

[@gerrymcintosh4477]

Thanks for the tips. I’ve always been a little inconsistent with mixing my thinset initially, but get it after the third batch. Cheers and great video

[@georgedavall9449]

Excellent !!!

[@RichGuckel]

thx! Mixed too much last time :)

[@josephgonzales692]

great, great, great video

[@richardcassidy8320]

Thank you thank you

[@randyiihill6446]

Great tips.........the no add more water was the best for me....thx

[@StayHandy]

Glad to hear it. Thanks for leaving a comment!

[@northernlightsrenovations1710]

I carry a portable weigh scale to weigh out the thinset and a measuring cup to get the water content correct.

[@kdeltatube]

Same here, not using precise ratios is prone to error

[@_hipflexion]

Cheers!

[@StayHandy]

Cheers!

[@bigdawg7703]

Good video. However he makes it seem like a degree is needed for beginners. The peanut butter consistency is a very good example for the first time setting tile. After one or two times you will just get the hang of it. It's simply look and feel. Oh yeah there is one very important rule to follow. Never add the water to the powder. Always add the powder to the water. If you do the first mentioned you will understand.

[@toonybrain]

Agree. Thinset videos act like it’s rocket science.

[@robinjackson7540]

2:15. Bro- That was almond butter. Great video though 🫡

[@nobodyspecial9359]

Use basic math, a kitchen scale and an old coffee can for the dry part, and measuring cups and a bucket for the water. If you're doing it yourself, you saved enough $$$ to buy a wet tile saw. Read and follow products instructions. Triple-check your layout, and do a dry run if you're doing fancy patterns. Use tile spacers for consistency, and check for the tiles lining up in plane. A good tile job with care to details is something that usually pays for itself; doing it poorly is a waste of time and money.

[@StayHandy]

Agreed

[@timothywargo3530]

I put stucco over my block kitchen . going to do tile. Using a thin set with polymers . Should I use a paintable bonding agent.

[@byronmoreira7274]

You're gonna be the next big DIY KZbinr bro. Can't wait for how to tile videos.

[@jameshan304]

Yeah, right. Don't make me laugh. This kid's a boob, clearly doesn't know what he's talking about; and he talks WAY TOO MUCH WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING OF SUBSTANCE. I wonder, when YT has an abundance of professional. credible tile installer videos on this subject, who in the heck would ever want to listen to this kid. Byron, you must be his next door neighbor, or maybe your the photographer here.

[@lexiemaep7930]

I didn't know tiles could fall off after put on the wall!😳😳 new fear unlocked 😭😭😭

[@AlecShernAPS]

Wow i had so much trouble "eyeballing". Always too little, or too much. Definitely going to be getting a cheap scale and some measuring buckets. Wow what a pain! Kudos to the people who can get it with eyeballing. A slightly wrong mix is so horrible to work with.

[@StayHandy]

Agreed

[@franeddington3279]

thanks for your tips and knowledge! i’m over here mixing 3 feet at a time.. laying 8 small 10cm tiles at a time 😅😂 so scared i’m gonna screw it up

[@codywhiteman4354]

Hope it went well. I’m a little nervous to start mine lol

[@kidkrash6k]

1st timer here. Thanks for the video. I will update this post with my results...lol Update #1 - First batch felt dry and didnt spread well. Need to increase the amount of water.

[@StayHandy]

I usually mix it toward the wet side of the recommended range in the bag.

[@bdm1000]

Schluter DOES warranty their products using other manufacturer's thinset mortar, however, it has to be an unmodified thinset (ANSI A118.1) as opposed to ANSI A118.4 (modified mortar), ANSI A118.11 (Exterior Glue Plywood) or ANSI A118.15 (improved modified mortar). But oftentimes the thinset bag will only say it meets or exceeds ANSI A118.4 and/or ANSI A118.11 standards but NOT the ANSI A118.1 standard. Notice the latter two are only off by one digit (an extra hundredth). When in doubt, it does make sense to use Schluter's product like you said, but you don't necessarily have to, but it better meet the right standards in the event invoking their warranty is needed in the future (and more important, to avoid damage). The "modified" mortar is engineered to dry faster. So basically Schluter is saying we'll honor the warranty using the slower drying mortar meeting the ANSI A118.1 standard (but nothing else).

[@StayHandy]

Thanks for the clarification.

[@juventusventuno9213]

for a 50lb bag of allset, a small batch might be 5lbs, or 10%. then use .85q of water (8.5 q for full bag). Isn't this the more accurate way? Or .65q (6.5q) for tile.

[@Rayquesto]

2:50 What about the cone method?

[@jgkrus]

Didnt know you can use electric drill. Seems like its ok if on small amounts...Yeah, I made the mistake of dumping the whole bag but that's what it showed on the back..I am using Laticrete 4 XLT... Even giving the correct water amount it was was to thick... Seems like you use more water with thin set then what they say...

[@jeff58436]

Overall good advice, but you're going to burn out your drill trying to use a normal hand drill for mixing thinset; either buy/rent a mixing drill (yes, that's a real thing) or else use a small trowel and mix by hand. Don't try to use an ordinary drill unless you're just looking for an excuse to buy a new one anyway.

[@StayHandy]

I agree. I’ve since purchased a proper mixer.

[@sombongi]

Lol the answer I was looking for. First time mixing thinset and my drill started smoking and was wondering what’s wrong with my drill which always works perfectly fine in other jobs around the house.

[@user-ir6co7ir2t]

can't you just put a lid on thinnest?

[@StayHandy]

No

[@paulness8352]

Watching you comb that mortar on the wall, the swirling is incorrect. Lines should be straightto allow air escapment and the mortar to collapse. Swirling mortar will trap air and prevent the ridges from collapsing properly.

[@StayHandy]

The lines are vertical and parallel when done. The swirling is only to get it on the wall.

[@HomesbyBrianSklute]

Can’t you just tell me how many ounces of water per pound of Schluter Thin Set?!?

[@tishela1134]

In the 52 years I've been alive I have never seen Anyone use a respirator with thin set. Unless it's a construction site where there are clouds of thin set dust floating around in a enclosed area.

[@tagheuer02]

Breathing in silica is quite dangerous

[@andyb.5945]

Let's see if you make it past 80..

[@UnpracticallyPerfect]

This has to be some Gen Z’er joking around, pretending to be a Boomer, because even Boomers have to have realized by now just how idiotic they sound saying shit like this, right? But on the off chance you’re actually serious, of course everyone knows that “the way we’ve always done it” is always totally safe, sound and foolproof. We certain don’t learn new things all the time, and it’s not like anyone has ever died from breathing in crap 50 years ago because they didn’t know it was bad… Do I have to point out the utter sarcasm here and actually say the word “asbestos”? I don’t generally like to be obvious…

[@newbtuber333]

Yeah I’m using a respirator just because you said this

[@Robert-jl2tl]

All of the cancer warnings on the bag of thinset scared me away from working with it.

[@chrishenning8829]

Just wear a dust mask, or better yet a respirator. And mix outside. You aint gonna get cancer from doing this a few times. It's eazy, and not rocket science. As a homeowner you can take all the time you want to get it right, and save $ by doing it yourself.

[@robinjackson7540]

I feel that! Just mix it up outside, and face the same direction of which the wind is blowing, when opening up the bag.

[@jameshan304]

Absolute nonsense. This video -- how I ever stumbled across it is beyond knowing -- contains nothing but foolish statements uttered by someone way out of his league when it comes to tile setting and all that it entails. Not even sure where to start but how about this gem @ 3:16, "I typically just use my best judgment but I don't always get it right and it can be a little bit frustrating when I don't" in connection with correctly mixing small batches of thin set "because you won't be able to use it all (50 lb bag) before it hardens". LMAO. I'm embarrassed for you bro.

[@bchalk6669]

I mix entire 50lb bags regularly. I've NEVER had it go hard before i was done. That's working at a slow not even trying to hurry pace.

[@firebirdude2]

Maybe he's using the quick-dry thinset? Your typical homeowner sure as hell isn't laying 50lbs of thinset fast enough for this...

[@allent1034]

Nope. This is right on. Obviously you are not setting intricate shower tile patterns. Mixing 50 lbs would be a rookie mistake. Unless all you have ever done is floor tile, an experienced person would know that for many jobs, you don't need a whole bucket of thinset. The title gives it away but people watch this video because they need to mix small batches. There is no reason to scoff simply because you haven't had that experience yet.

[@dallashill23]

What a fkn jerk of a comment

[@stevenperry4941]

I have never been able to get through an entire 50# bag. I usually mix about 1/2 and even then it starts to harden before I’m completely through with it!