Tiling a balcony. Building a pool. Securing large format tiles over a waterproofing membrane. Gripset C-Lite delivers the C2TES2 performance these demanding environments require. It ensures secure, flexible adhesion where substrate movement, water immersion, or thermal cycling challenge standard adhesives.

Why this product exists

Gripset C-Lite is a premium-grade, highly flexible, and non-slump cementitious tile adhesive engineered for long-term durability. It provides exceptional versatility across critical tiling applications. This formulation prevents tile debonding and cracking, ensuring resilient performance where thermal expansion, substrate movement, or water immersion are constant factors.

The numbers that matter

• C2TES2 Classification: This is a premium-grade adhesive. C2 means it offers improved adhesion strength (≥1 MPa). T indicates non-slump properties, critical for vertical applications and large format tiles to prevent slippage. E provides an extended open time, allowing up to 30 minutes for tile placement, reducing waste on complex layouts. S2 denotes high flexibility, vital for accommodating movement in external areas, over underfloor heating, or directly over waterproofing membranes.
• Tensile Adhesion Strength (≥1 MPa): Maintaining a minimum of 1 MegaPascal adhesion after dry cure, water immersion, and freeze/thaw cycles means the bond holds firm in Australia's varied climates. This specification directly translates to exceptional durability for external and immersed applications.
• Extended Open Time (30 minutes) and Adjustment Time (40 minutes): The 30-minute open time provides a generous window to lay tiles without premature skinning, especially useful for larger tiles or intricate patterns. The 40-minute adjustment time allows for fine-tuning tile alignment, reducing rework and ensuring a professional finish.

What it's like to use

Mixing is straightforward: add 4.5 litres of clean water to each 15kg bag of C-Lite while stirring until a smooth, lump-free consistency is achieved. Allow a 3-minute stand time before re-stirring and application. Apply the adhesive using an appropriately sized notched trowel. For tiles larger than 300 x 300mm, back-buttering the tile is essential to ensure full adhesive coverage and prevent voids. The 30-minute open time allows efficient placement, and tiles can be adjusted for up to 40 minutes. Tiling should follow AS 3958 standards, including provisions for movement joints. Grouting can begin after 24 hours. Tools clean easily with water while the adhesive is wet.

For highly porous surfaces, priming with Gripset GP Primer is recommended. For non-porous surfaces, use Gripset OP Primer to optimise adhesion.

Where this product excels

Gripset C-Lite is a reliable choice for challenging environments where long-term tile adhesion is paramount:

• Balconies, Podiums, and Flashings: Its high flexibility and excellent bond strength are critical for external areas exposed to thermal cycling and movement, ensuring tiles remain secure for the long term. This product is often specified alongside Adheseal S100 for final sealing.
• Roofing (Concrete and Membrane-covered): For tiled concrete roofs or over membrane systems, C-Lite provides the necessary flexibility to withstand structural movement and harsh weather, particularly when paired with a damp concrete primer or Gripset OP Primer.
• Pool Decks, Swimming Areas, and Water Features: With proven adhesion after water immersion and freeze/thaw, C-Lite is purpose-built for continuously wet environments, often in systems featuring Gripset Elastoproof Base Collars and a suitable membrane.
• Large Format Tile Installations: The non-slump properties and extended open time make it ideal for setting large porcelain or vitrified tiles on both walls and floors, ensuring a level and lippage-free finish.

How it fits in a real system

Gripset C-Lite typically functions as the direct tile adhesive layer in high-performance waterproofing systems. In a tiled pool build-up, it is applied after the application of Gripset Elastoproof collars and the Gripset 2P cementitious membrane, providing the critical bond for tiles directly over the waterproof layer. Similarly, for external balconies and wet areas, C-Lite secures tiles over approved waterproofing membranes like Everflex Aqua-Ban Waterproofing Membrane. Its role is to securely bond tiles while maintaining the system's flexibility and water resistance, forming the final structural layer before grouting.

Choose this when

• When tiling high-movement areas: Such as external balconies, concrete roofs, or over underfloor heating systems.
• For wet areas and immersed applications: Including bathrooms, laundries, swimming pools, spas, and water features.
• Fixing large format or heavy tiles: Its non-slump characteristics prevent tile slippage during installation.
• Bonding to Gripset waterproofing membranes: Providing assured system compatibility and performance.
• Working with porcelain, vitrified, or non-moisture sensitive natural stone: Where a high-performance bond is required.

Don't use this when

• Not for: Direct application onto timber floors; specific preparation for timber floors is outside the scope of this adhesive.
• Not for: Use with moisture-sensitive natural stone; such materials may discolour or react with the adhesive.
• Not for: Application when surface or ambient temperatures are below 5°C or above 35°C; this affects cure rates and bond development.

Choosing between Gripset C-Lite and Gripset C-Mastic

Gripset C-Lite delivers premium, highly flexible (S2), non-slump (T) performance for the most demanding internal and external tiling jobs, including large format tiles, wet areas, immersed conditions, and over Gripset waterproofing membranes. It provides the highest level of assurance against movement and environmental stress. In contrast, consider Gripset C-Mastic for applications requiring a C2TE adhesive, which offers excellent adhesion and extended open time but with a standard level of flexibility. C-Mastic is suitable for general internal and external wall and floor tiling where the extreme flexibility of an S2 rated adhesive is not explicitly required.