Material sourcing guide

Adhesives and mortars, defined by bond task and substrate

Organize adhesives and mortars around the material being bonded, the receiving surface and the project quantity basis. Request the proposed product with its companion preparation materials so offers can be compared as a complete package.

A mortar sack, tile adhesive and a notched trowel beside a tile sample.
A mortar sack, tile adhesive and a notched trowel beside a tile sample.
01 / Materials & uses

Start with the right material groups.

Tile and slab bonding materials

For fixing tiles or slabs, state the facing material, substrate and fixing zone. Ask suppliers to list required primers and trowel-applied mortars as one package.

Masonry and bedding mortars

List brick or block bedding mortars by unit type, joint detail and wall location. Keep structural concrete repairs in the separate repair and grout package.

Special bonding adhesives

For non-porous or demanding surfaces, identify the two materials being joined and exposure conditions. Avoid transferring a generic bond offer across different substrates.

02 / Package boundaries

A material price is only part of the package.

Your material schedule
01Tile and slab bonding materials
02Masonry and bedding mortars
03Special bonding adhesives

One schedule, clearly separated scopes. This is a request outline, not an installation drawing.

Included materials

Adhesives and bonding mortars arranged by fixing task, substrate and zone, with pack size and total quantity stated.

Connections & interfaces

Primers, preparation layers and companion materials identified with the proposed adhesive or mortar system.

Confirm separately

Site preparation, mixing, application, cleaning and waste responsibilities confirmed separately from material supply.

03 / A comparable request

Six details that make offers clearer.

Product designation and required performance
Give the exact project-prescribed product name or performance class and the required bond or strength level for this location.
Materials being bonded
Name the facing or repair material and the substrate surface so compatibility can be assessed by the supplier.
Substrate condition and preparation
Describe the actual receiving surface condition and confirm whether preparation primers are included or listed separately.
Zone and exposure conditions
State the fixing zone and moisture, temperature or movement exposure relevant to the bond location.
Pack content and quantity basis
Request pack weight or volume, stated coverage assumptions and the total number of packs needed for the defined area.
Shelf life and application constraints
Ask for remaining usable life on delivery, storage requirements and any declared limitations for the proposed use.
Illustrative request lines
Item & descriptionQuantity
AM-01Tile adhesive for internal wall zone B; facing tile type and substrate condition attached for supplier review.80 bags
AM-02Bedding mortar for the scheduled masonry walls; unit type and joint details attached, pack mass stated.120 bags

Example quantities only; no live prices or supplier offers. Use your project schedule for final values and ask suppliers to list deviations.

04 / Compare the whole offer

Three checks before you decide.

Coverage requirements vs pack size

Confirm each supplier's stated coverage assumptions against your project area before comparing total pack counts.

Preparation and companion products

Check primers, preparation layers and cleaning materials that may sit outside the headline adhesive or mortar price.

Use limitations and handling

Review declared application constraints and handling requirements against the project schedule and site conditions.

05 / Practical questions

Details worth clarifying early.

Can one adhesive be reused across different tile surfaces?

Ask the supplier to confirm compatibility with both facing materials. Different weights, porosity and substrates may require separate product selections.

How should preparation primers be requested?

Request primers as named companion products within the same package so compatibility and total material quantity are visible together.

07 / Your next step

Turn your material schedule into a request.

Create a Matravo account to prepare your request. For account or sourcing-flow questions, visit support.