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Flooring InstallationColumnsTile & Stone FlooringInstallation How-ToCTEF Tile Tip

Tile Installers Aim to Meet Tile Industry Standards

By Scott Carothers
flooring installation jobsite conditions

This jobsite is an installer’s headache.

Photo by CTEF.

February 4, 2021

The primary focus of tile installers is to set tile on a substrate the meets tile industry standards, but many times these conditions are not provided. These site conditions place the tile installer in a tough spot and an even tougher decision; accept it as is or say no.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) specifications provide several industry standards that are there to help the installer obtain good site conditions. ANSI A108.02 states the following:

4.1 Inspection of surfaces and conditions: Prior to commencing ceramic tilework, the tile contractor shall inspect surface to receive tile and accessories, and shall notify the architect, general contractor, or other designated authority in writing of any visually obvious defects or conditions that will prevent a satisfactory tile installation. Installation work shall not proceed until satisfactory conditions are provided.

4.1.1 All surfaces shall be structurally sound, clean dry, and free of oily or waxy films and all foreign matter. Concrete surfaces shall be free of form oil, curing compound, laitance, and cracks.

4.1.4.3.1 Sub-floor surfaces: For tiles with all edges shorter than 15 in. (0.38m), the maximum allowable variation is no more than 1/4 in. in 10 ft. (6 mm in 3 m) and no more than 1/16 in. in 1 ft. (1.6 mm in 0.3 m) from the required plane, when measured from the high points in the surface. For tile with at least one edge 15 in. (0.38 m) or longer, the maximum allowable variation is no more than 1/8 in. in 10 ft. (3 mm in 3 m) and not more than 1/16 in.in 2 ft. (1.6 mm in 0.6m) from the required plane, when measured from the high points in the surface.

Given these standards, one would think that a good installation would be easily achieved, but that is not how it works in the field. The two most important requirements are for the substrate to be flat and clean. Unfortunately, this is where site conditions go wrong. 

Getting the floor flat can be achieved most times with a good quality floor patch, or in really poor conditions, a primer and self-leveling underlayment will work. The real difficulty is getting the floor clean. The attached photo shows a really nasty jobsite that is unacceptable and should be rejected. Sure, you can scrape off the joint compound to get it looking decent, but will the patch and thin set mortar bond to it? Scrubbing the floor with a mop and water is probably the worst choice that could be made. The scrubbing does clean the floor, but the drywall dust and joint compound are now liquefied and driven into the pores of the concrete. At this point, the contaminated concrete may never yield a suitable bonding surface. If the surface is questionable, run a bond test. See if the thin set will bond. If not, walk away.

Sometimes the best jobs you see may be the ones that you did NOT get. Remember, the above-mentioned ANSI standard states, “Installation shall not proceed until satisfactory conditions are provided.” If you accept it, you own it. Think about it before you say, “Okay, I’ll do it.”

KEYWORDS: industry standards installing tile Surface Preparation

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Scott carothers 2025

Scott Carothers is the Academic Director of the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) headquartered in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee (Nashville area). In 2007, he was hired and tasked with creating the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) program and in 2012, he was part of the team that created the Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT) program. 

For eighteen years, he has been providing training and education to others in the tile industry. Carothers has been involved in the ceramic tile industry for over 44 years and was the owner of a successful retail store and installation firm prior to coming to CTEF. 

Carothers served as President and Chairman of the Board of the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA), Chairman of the NTCA Technical Committee, named the NTCA Tile Person of the Year in 2005 and received the NTCA Ring of Honor in 2013. He is a voting member of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) Handbook, and NTCA Technical Committees. 

Scott has authored over 185 articles in tile industry print magazines including Floor Covering Installer, Tile, TileLetter, and eMagazine/Newsletter publications such as Floor Trends & Installation and TIleLetter along with covering numerous topics on the CTEF Blog, thereby sharing his knowledge and installation experience with his readers. Additionally, he recently retired from being a presenter and trainer for the NTCA Workshop and Regional Training programs and the NTCA Technical Hotline.

He may be contacted at scott@tilecareer.com or 864-222-2131.

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