How to Install Large-Format Sintered Stone Wall Slabs

Tools and Materials for the Installation

Prepare the complete working set before mixing anything. Once an extended-open-time adhesive is spread, missing equipment wastes the usable working window. The crew should also confirm that the slab can be carried from the unloading point to the wall without twisting it or striking corners.

• Cleaning and checking: clean cloths or sponges, suitable residue cleaner where approved, vacuum, long straightedge, level and measuring tools.
• Mixing and application: clean buckets, low-speed mixer with paddle, roller if the specified back treatment requires one, flat trowel and the notched trowel selected by trial coverage.
• Slab-back treatment: the documented workflow uses W50, a two-component liquid-and-powder treatment described in the supplied product material as a waterproofing, interface and roughening coat. The company sheet lists an 8 kg pack and approximately 20 m² per bucket; actual use changes with surface texture, roller loading and film thickness.
• Setting material: the workflow uses S100 large-format slab adhesive. The supplied company sheet lists a 20 ± 0.5 kg bag, JC/T 547-2017 C2TES1 classification and approximately 2.5 m² per bag. Coverage changes with trowel geometry, wall flatness, back-buttering and final bed thickness.
• Handling and bedding: clean vacuum cups, a rigid carrying frame for long thin slabs, sufficient trained installers, an approved tile vibrator or anti-bounce float, and temporary supports where required.
• Joint control: spacers, clip bases and wedges selected for the slab thickness and specified joint. These help control lippage; they do not replace a flat substrate or movement joints.
• Safety: W50 MSDS report RT202406120002 classifies skin irritation, allergic skin reaction, serious eye damage and respiratory irritation hazards. Provide ventilation, avoid breathing dust or mist, wear protective gloves, clothing and eye/face protection, wash after handling and keep the SDS available on site. Cutting or drilling requires a separate silica-control plan and compatible wet-processing equipment.

The W50 MSDS is a handling and emergency-response document. It does not establish bond strength, field coverage, cure time or warranty terms; those decisions require the current product data sheet, project approval and any separate written warranty.

Set the Technical Requirements Before Work Starts

The images show the physical sequence, but acceptance begins with documents. Record the slab name, thickness, backing type, final cut size, wall construction, exposure, mounting height and the exact setting products. Check that the wall is cured, stable, clean, dry and free of dust, grease, efflorescence, loose coatings and abrupt irregularities.

A long panel will bridge highs and lows that a small tile might follow. Correct the wall with a preparation product suitable for that substrate; do not use extra setting adhesive as an improvised leveling layer. Anatolia's January 2026 slab installation manual applies substrate-flatness limits to both floors and walls and requires a compact, void-free adhesive bed. The tolerance is system-specific, so place the selected manufacturer's figure on the site checklist rather than copying a generic number.

LATICRETE TDS-1170 states that complete adhesive coverage is essential for gauged porcelain panels. It recommends specialty notched trowels, back-buttering, straight parallel ridges, movement perpendicular to the ridges, wet coverage inspection and vibrating pads where appropriate. That technical logic matches the sequence documented below.

Documented demonstration settings

• W50 mixing: liquid first, powder second; mix, rest for 3–5 minutes, then remix without adding water.
• W50 readiness: the recorded workflow waits approximately 2–3 hours and proceeds only when the coating is dry to the touch. Temperature, humidity and film thickness can change that time.
• S100 mixing: the narration states a 1:4 water-to-dry-adhesive ratio for the shown batch, without specifying whether the basis is mass or volume. Use that figure only when the current bag instructions confirm the same basis.
• Adhesive placement: key a contact coat and form parallel ridges on both slab and wall, with the ridges running in the same direction.
• Joint control: the demonstration spaces clip bases approximately 15–20 cm apart. The selected leveling system, slab thickness and project detail determine the site layout.

Step 1: Inspect and Clean the Slab Back

Support the slab on a stable, clean worktable. Check the face, edges, corners and back before coating or adhesive hides evidence of damage. The demonstration uses a clean, slightly damp cloth to collect surface dust and residue. Use that method only where the slab and backing instructions allow it, and let the back dry completely before the next product is applied.

Also identify whether the slab has factory mesh, resin or another reinforcement. Bonding to that layer is not equivalent to bonding directly to the ceramic body. Obtain written system compatibility when a backing is present.

Step 2: Apply the Specified Slab-Back Treatment

The demonstrated workflow uses a two-component treatment mixed from liquid and powder, then rolled across the slab back. This is a system-specific step, not a universal instruction for every sintered stone slab. If the slab and adhesive manufacturers do not call for this treatment, do not add it independently.

The video places the complete liquid component in the bucket first and the powder second. That order helps prevent dry pockets and uneven mixing in the demonstrated system. Observe the stated component ratio, mixer speed, pot life and temperature limits; do not add water or unlisted liquid to change the consistency.

For this demonstrated treatment, the narration specifies a first mix, a 3–5 minute rest, and a second mix until no visible lumps remain. Keep that interval only when it matches the current product data sheet; changing the rest period or adding liquid during the remix can change the cured film.

Roll a continuous coat without leaving bare strips at the edges. The recorded demonstration allows approximately 2–3 hours and proceeds only when the coating is dry to the touch. Treat both conditions as product-specific: the current technical data, site temperature, humidity and applied thickness control the actual wait.

Step 3: Mix the Large-Format Slab Adhesive

Prepare a clean bucket, measured water and the complete mixing setup before opening the working batch. The video adds water first and states a 1:4 water-to-dry-adhesive ratio for the demonstrated S100 batch. This is not a universal slab-adhesive ratio: use it only when the current product data confirms the same measurement basis, then record the actual water and powder quantities.

Add powder in the manufacturer's order and mix with the stated paddle, speed and time. Let the mortar slake and remix only when the data sheet requires it. A smooth appearance is not proof that the ratio is correct; keep the batch record and discard material that has exceeded pot life or has begun to skin.

Large slabs need enough workable time for spreading, lifting, positioning and bedding. Hot, dry or ventilated conditions can shorten the open time at the wall. Mix a batch size the crew can place and inspect before skinning begins.

Step 4: Key and Comb Adhesive on Both Contact Faces

The demonstration describes two adhesive passes on each contact face. First use the flat side of the trowel to key a thin coat into the treated slab back; then add material and comb straight, parallel ridges with the notched side. Repeat the same two passes on the prepared wall. Keep the wall and slab ridges running in the same direction so trapped air has a short escape path when the slab is moved and vibrated.

The notch is a starting setting, not a promise of coverage. LATICRETE's panel guidance names Euro-notch and slant-notch profiles as examples that can make complete coverage easier; it does not turn one notch dimension into a universal rule. When practical and safe, lift an early freshly set panel or a representative test piece while the adhesive is wet. Inspect transfer across the field and at edges and corners, then adjust trowel, angle, adhesive consistency, ridge direction or bedding method.

Step 5: Lift, Position and Bed the First Slab

Inspect and clean every suction pad, then attach the rigid frame at planned positions. Use enough trained installers for the slab size and route. Carry long thin slabs upright and supported rather than flexing them flat. Confirm the bottom datum, side clearance, joint spacer positions and temporary support before the slab reaches the adhesive.

The recorded crew aligns the slab to the combed bed, applies light hand pressure, then uses a tile vibrator to compact the adhesive and remove remaining voids. Work from the center toward the perimeter, taking care around openings, edges and unsupported corners. Do not use aggressive impacts that can damage a thin slab.

Step 6: Set the Second Slab and Control the Joint

The video places leveling clip bases at approximately 15–20 cm intervals. That spacing records the demonstrated setup rather than a universal rule; the selected clip system, slab thickness, slab weight and project detail govern the actual layout. Clean adhesive from the intended joint before it hardens.

Prepare and bed the second slab with the same cleaning, back-treatment, adhesive and ridge-collapse controls used for the first. Bring it into position while the adhesive remains adjustable; do not force the edge sideways with a wedge.

Measure the visible joint and check the plane with a straightedge while adjustment is still possible. A narrow rectified joint is not a zero joint. Keep construction, control, perimeter and other movement joints open through the finish and detail them with the specified bond breaker and sealant.

Step 7: Cure, Inspect and Release the Wall

Protect the installation from impact, vibration, moisture changes and early loading. Maintain temporary supports for the specified period. Do not drill fixtures through a newly set slab, remove clips, grout or apply service loads until the adhesive data permits those actions.

The Anatolia manual cited above says to leave its wall-setting mortar for at least 24 hours or follow the setting-material instructions, and to grout walls at least 24 hours after placement. That is a manufacturer example, not a universal clock. Cure changes with adhesive chemistry, temperature, humidity, layer thickness, substrate, slab size and ventilation. Record the actual product requirement in the handover sheet.

After cure, complete the acceptance check:

• slab faces, edges and corners are undamaged and clean;
• the wall remains on the approved line and plane;
• joints are continuous, empty to the required depth and free of hardened adhesive;
• movement joints and perimeter clearances remain functional;
• temporary supports, clips and wedges are removed according to their instructions;
• fixture penetrations and loads follow the wall and slab engineering detail;
• the installer has recorded batch numbers, working conditions and the approved cure interval.

Where This Workflow Stops

This is an interior bonded-wall sequence, not a universal facade or ceiling detail. The cited Anatolia manual notes that wall surfaces above 3 m may use systems combining adhesive with mechanical clips, with clip selection depending on slab weight and wall height. Exterior exposure, high elevations, overhead work, fire-rated assemblies, movement-prone substrates and public safety conditions require project-specific engineering, code review and manufacturer approval.

For early material planning, review Funtek's sintered stone interior wall options, then send the actual elevation, slab size, thickness, substrate and site conditions for a compatibility discussion. Funtek supplies sintered stone slabs; the responsible designer and installer must approve the fixing assembly and execute the work to the applicable local standard.