ARDEX in brief: products, EPDs, and the spec gap

5 min read
Published: December 20, 2025

ARDEX is a global construction chemicals brand known for tile-setting mortars, self‑leveling underlayments, waterproofing, and repair systems. Their catalog spans many application areas, yet public EPD coverage is still spotty in regions that buy on LEED v5 readiness. Here is the fast read on where they play, how well they are covered, and where a missing EPD might cost a spec.

Logo of ardex.com

Who ARDEX is and what they sell

ARDEX makes systems for tile and stone installation, subfloor prep and leveling, grouts, waterproofing, concrete repair, and decorative wear toppings. In North America the portfolio also includes resilient flooring adhesives through the Henry brand. This is not a single product company. It is a broad construction chemistries house that shows up across interior finishes and building envelope touches.

How many product families and SKUs

From a buyer’s point of view, ARDEX participates in a dozen‑plus families that span substrate prep to finish installation. The combined catalog likely runs to hundreds of SKUs across bagged mortars, liquids, primers, membranes, and patching compounds. Exact counts vary by region and channel so use this as a directional guide.

EPD coverage at a glance

We see current EPDs for select European products such as a tile adhesive, a calcium sulfate leveling compound, and a gypsum wall filler. That confirms the company is publishing, but the footprint is still thin across the wider global assortment. In North America, many of the flagship mortars and self‑levelers that dominate day‑to‑day bids are not yet consistently paired with product‑specific EPDs in public registries. Translation for sales teams. There is real room to grow coverage where specs ask for it.

Where the commercial risk shows up

Self‑leveling underlayments and large‑format tile mortars are frequent submittals on office, education, healthcare, and multifamily. When a product lacks an EPD, project teams often default to a competitor with a publishable document to avoid carbon accounting penalties. It is not about marketing points. It is about staying selectable in shortlists where documentation is a gate.

Concrete example of the gap

ARDEX K 15 is widely promoted as a benchmark self‑leveler in North America. That makes it a likely target for rapid EPD coverage. Several direct competitors already publish self‑leveler EPDs that specifiers can download during submittals. LATICRETE lists a product‑specific EPD for NXT Level on its product page. MAPEI’s Ultraplan line includes multiple EPDs registered with the International EPD System, including entries for Ultraplan Trade and other Ultraplan variants (EPD International, 2029). Missing an EPD can slow spefication when the project team needs a one‑click submittal set.

Who ARDEX most often meets on projects

  • Tile and stone systems: MAPEI, LATICRETE, Sika, Bostik, Custom Building Products.
  • Self‑leveling underlayments and toppings: MAPEI, LATICRETE, Sika.
  • Waterproofing membranes and primers: MAPEI, Sika, Custom Building Products, Schluter in certain assemblies. These brands all surface in similar applications across interiors and wet areas. Several already maintain EPD libraries for high‑volume mortars, grouts, and underlayments.

Why EPDs matter more under LEED v5

LEED v5 was ratified by USGBC members in 2025 and strengthens materials transparency incentives in design and interiors workstreams (USGBC, 2025). Many owners now embed EPD expectations in master specifications and procurement playbooks. Teams that arrive with clean, product‑specific EPDs avoid extra carbon assumptions that can make otherwise competitive products harder to choose.

Signals from ARDEX on sustainability

ARDEX publicly targets climate neutrality in Europe by 2035 and globally by 2045, and has public content on renewables, energy management and site‑level upgrades (ARDEX, 2025). That direction aligns with buyers who look for credible roadmaps plus product‑level declarations. See their sustainability pages for more context, including SDG alignment and energy initiatives (ARDEX sustainability).

Fast path to close the EPD gap

Here is a practical, first‑wave playbook that mirrors how successful manufacturers prioritize.

  1. Start where volume lives. Publish EPDs for the top self‑levelers and top two tile mortars per region. Think the K‑series and an everyday large‑format tile mortar.
  2. Match the dominant PCR your competitors use so submittals compare cleanly. This keeps reviewers from questioning apples versus oranges.
  3. Cover the system. Add primers and key membranes that are always co‑submitted so a project can pick an end‑to‑end package without switching brands mid‑spec.
  4. Plan renewals now. Check expiry windows to avoid gaps that force substitutions late in a bid cycle.

Bottom line for commercial teams

ARDEX already plays in many categories that show up on every interiors schedule. The brand wins on performance and breadth. To win more often where LEED v5 and corporate policies are the norm, expanding product‑specific EPDs across North American mortars and self‑levelers will remove an avoidable barrier to selection. The incremental effort pays back quickly when a single mid‑size project keeps the full system in spec from prep to grout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ARDEX publish a sustainability roadmap with time‑bound targets?

Yes. ARDEX communicates a climate neutrality target of 2035 in Europe and 2045 globally, alongside energy and site initiatives (ARDEX, 2025).

Which rival product families already have EPDs that compete with ARDEX staples?

Self‑leveling underlayments and mortars from LATICRETE and MAPEI commonly appear with product‑specific EPDs in public sources such as manufacturer product pages and the International EPD System. A typical example is MAPEI’s Ultraplan family with multiple valid listings through 2029 (EPD International, 2029).

Why reference LEED v5 when planning an EPD roadmap?

LEED v5 was ratified in 2025 and continues to reward documented materials transparency, which makes product‑specific EPDs a practical requirement on many commercial projects in North America (USGBC, 2025).