[1] The thick bed mortar would then be compacted and screeded (made flat and/or level) prior to installation of tile or stone.
As the slurry coat dried it would bond the mortar bed to the concrete surface on which it was installed.
Mortar beds were used underneath almost every tile or stone installation until the late 1950s when a chemical engineer, Henry M. Rothberg, invented the technology which introduced latex to sand/cement mortar mixes, and created a new industry based on thin bed adhesive installations by founding Laticrete International.
[5][6] However, with advancements in technology and materials, the potential strengths of the thick bed mortar system have increased.
This means that a consistent mix can be achieved without the need for a laborer to blend sand/cement and possibly lime at the jobsite.