Is pre mixed thinset just as good as thinset you mix yourself?

premix is better, if you mix it you might add too much water or too much powder,

Good answer from Blake. Powder type for the floor. here's the way I mix it. You need a drill with a mixer paddle. Put 1 inch of water in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. Pour in some powder and mix it up, adding powder until you get a nice firm consistency. You'll know it's right if it slowly drips off the mixer blade when you lift it out of the mix. If it runs off, it's too thin, if it's too dry, it won't drip off, and it will bee difficult to spread. You'll get the hang of it pretty quickly, it's pretty forgiving. Once it's mixed, let it sit undisturbed for 8 - 10 minutes, then mix it again, and you're good to go.

They are pretty much equal; obviously pre-mix is easier, but it is also more expensive. You can mix it yourself if you get a mixing paddle that fits in a drill, add enough water to make it about the consistency of peanut butter and mix only enough to last about15-20 minutes in a 5-gallon pail.

The easy way is to buy pre-mix...both will do the same job.

Hi, I’m Blake from Home Depot’s online community. This is a great question and luckily the answer is pretty simple. Premixed thinset (also known as mastic) is great for use on small jobs where there will not be excessive moisture, a strong instant bond is needed, and you will not need a large amount of adhesive. Such jobs may include backsplashes and countertops.

Mastic or premixed thinset is quite a lot more expensive than normal mortar which rules it out for large flooring jobs, it should also not be used on projects such as shower surrounds or pool tile installations as water will eventually break down mastic. Where mastic shines is in the application of decorative tiles to vertical surfaces. With its strong initial bonding properties, mastic is great for mosaic work on walls. Although it should be added that mortar with an acrylic admix can also be used for vertical surface applications.

I hope this helps!

-Blake

Yes, it is the same. Even with premix, you should mix the contents of the bucket before using. They tend to separate a bit through shipping and storage.

If you have a big job, the powder that you mix is much cheaper than premix, but you will also have to get a fairly large drill and paddle to mix it, so the cost for one job might even out.

I cannot directly answer your question. However, I'll give you some good advice: if this is your first time doing such a thing, in my mind the pre mix makes more sense. At least you can't screw up the mix of the adhesive. If I were doing it, that's how I'd proceed.

Premixed Thinset

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Thinset pre-mix is probably your best bet, because it's mixed to the manufactures mixing ratios. It maybe a little more expensive due to the waste amount (if you don't use it all, and throw it away), but in the long run you'll have better luck with it's performance. If you mix it too thin you'll create a longer cure time, and less stand up adhesion. If you mix it to thick it's harder to work with, and also can alter it's strength due to it's drying time being shortened, thus altering it's cure rate. At any case I wouldn't attempt to use Thinset of either variety in temperatures less than 50. Preferably 55 to 75 degrees is best.