The single most important change in the tile industry has been the materials used to install the tile. Thirty years ago all that was ever used on cement floors was plain cementitious material called thinset mortar and most of the vertical tilework was installed with organic adhesive sometimes called mastic. High technology has taken over the installation materials in the tile industry and the advancements are outstanding in a variety of ways:
- Ease of use in application, smoother, easier to mix, better workability
- Better control of the installation material pot life or working time
- Very high strength in bond to a variety of substrates (compression and sheer strengths)
- One installation material providing multiple purposes like crack suppression and a waterproof membrane system
- Setting materials with flexibility for specialty applications to hot / cold / and wet surfaces
- Bonding to special surfaces like glass, metal, plastic, wood
- Ability to hold a heavy tile in place on a vertical surface without sagging
- The ability to hold a heavy tile slightly elevated (at the intended floor plane) without sagging
- Installation of tile and quick drying, allowing use in a few hours
In three decades I have attended hundreds of product manufactures workshops and proprietary product training at their corporate facility and yearly conferences going booth to booth to see what's new.
- Knowledge of products and under what specification the material is to be used or can not be used is crucial
- Knowledge of manufactures recommended installation procedures is required by industry standards and to install a product in a manner not recommended by manufacture can be an infraction and void any warranty.
- Knowledge and use of installation materials can get the job done faster and better and overall cost less
- a.The material may cost a little more but the saving obtained from the ease of use and reduced installation time and quality assurance makes a system upgrade very worthwhile. . Better material can produce better workmanship !
- 1.Knowledge of products and product proper use is required and an essential component to tile forensics. To evaluate construction defects or errors and omissions in construction you must have a strong knowledge in product proper use
I maintain an architectural reference library with product specification and data sheet, architectural binders, product samples to use in specification and forensic work.
Below is a sample of reference material
Bostic Findley - Hydroment
- hydroment grouts
- installation materials
Customs Building Products
- installation materials grouts
- cement backerboard panel systems
- wonderboard liquid anti fracture
- waterproof membranes
Laticrete International
- installation materials grouts
- grouts
- water based epoxy grout liquid waterproof
- liquid waterproof membranes - anti fracture membranes
C cure
- installation materials
- grout
Tec - Specialty Construction Brands
- installation materials
- grout
Mapei Corporation
- grouts
- installation materials
Schluter Systems
- anti fracture - waterproof membranes
- crack isolation membranes
- metal and plastic tile trim
Noble Products
- sheet GOOD WATERPROOF membranes
niches and curbs
National Applied Construction Products N.A.C.
Mer-krete Systems
- liquid waterproof - anti fracture membranes
James Hardie Building Products
- backerboard panel systems
Georgia pacific - dens-shield
- backerboard panel systems
National Gypsum - Perma Base
- backerboard – panel systems
Fortifiber Building Systems
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