Culminal, Culminal Plus, and Combizell cellulose ethers

Words: Dan Kamys

Thin-bed mortar is becoming a widely used, multi-functional approach to tiling, providing extended installation time, greater flexibility and strong adhesion. The popularity of large porcelain and stoneware tiles fixed on vertical substrates demands high-performance ceramic tile adhesive with outstanding sag resistance (high yield stress). Culminal and Combizell cellulose ethers help dry mortars to be applied more easily and to perform better, according to Ashland. All three products provide water retention and cohesiveness to mixtures. Key mortar benefits include the following:

Controlled thickening
Adjusted water demand and improved workability
Good open time and pot life
Reduced sag and increased strength
Compatibility with different electrolytes such as salts and alkali.

Ashland also supplies a wide range of Jaypol acrylates for D1 and D2 categories of latex based tile adhesives.

LVCC: N212

Download

The New Equation for Masonry Profit: Predictable Hardware and Proven Data

July 2026

The masonry industry is built on tradition, but modern growth requires a shift from guesswork to absolute certainty. When we talk about the philosophy that you cannot improve what you do not measure, we are looking at the literal minutes and manpower lost

Erin Koets Shayne Sanders

Build Smart

MAP Partner

The Walls We Build

July 2026

As masons, we spend our careers building walls. We build them with brick, block, stone, and mortar, and we take pride in making them straight, strong, and built to last. But over the years, I’ve learned there is another kind of wall we build—the walls we

Kent Huntley

Chairman’s Message

Owen Heimbach

July 2026

This month, the MCAA had the pleasure of speaking with SkillsUSA First Place Winner Owen Heimbach, a young mason just starting out whose enthusiasm for bricklaying is truly contagious. His passion for the craft was evident throughout our interview.

Justin Stengel

GEN NXT

Backfill Your Foundation

July 2026

I’ve been noticing an uptick in a very specific kind of application lately, and once you see the pattern, you can’t unsee it. The résumé usually reads like a family photo album. “Started helping my dad when I was 15.” “Worked summers, then full time.” “R

Corey Adams

Building More

Interested in working with us? Learn about and join the Masonry Alliance Program →