As a leading tile installer in the Southwest, Carlson Tile Company is known for using innovative products and methods in its projects. “Not only do we look for new ways to save time and money,” said Ron Marx, project manager for Carlson Tile, “but we want the quality of our jobs to be the best in the business.”

Headquartered in Gilbert, Arizona, Carlson Tile has been installing ceramic tile in residential developments, especially tract homes across the Southwest, for more than 18 years. Licensed in Arizona since 1986, the owner, Arne H. Carlson, has completed in excess of 25,000 tile installation jobs. He and his current management team – Ron Marx, Jim Christensen and Mike Payne – have a combined total of more than 100 years of tile experience and employ about 50 installers. In addition to being certified as ceramic tile consultants, they are also experts in tile design and sandblasting.

Over the past 10 years, the company has installed kitchen and bath tile in 4,000 Maracay Homes, one of the largest home builders in the area. It has also completed tile projects in more than 400 custom Classic Stellar Homes, with 40 more luxury homes on the horizon for the home builder.

Quality home builders such as these prefer to use only the best materials. In keeping with these standards, Carlson Tile is always looking for new ways to improve the quality of its tile installations. So, about two years ago, when Monterrey Tile, a local tile distributor, recommended a new flooring underlayment, FIBEROCK® Brand AQUA-TOUGH™ Underlayment from USG, Carlson Tile was game to try it.

“We first used about 4,000 sq. ft. of 3-ft.-by-5-ft. FIBEROCK panels for a tract home project,” said Marx. “In each home, we installed the underlayment panels in the 150-sq.-ft. master bathroom and in the second 50-sq.-ft. bathroom. We then covered the underlayment with 1/4-inch standard tile.”

Pleased with the results, the management team became satisfied converts. “In the past two years, we have used the underlayment on 95 percent of our projects, installing about 80,000 sq. ft. each year,” said Marx. “It performs well, especially in areas of the home that are subject to moisture penetration, such as kitchens and baths.”

The unique moisture-resistant underlayment is made from 95-percent recycled gypsum and cellulose. In addition, the panels offer greater mold and indentation-resistance than traditional products and can be used throughout a home in both wet and dry areas. Carlson Tile’s team also finds the panels easy to work with.

“Superior performance is the reason we switched to FIBEROCK Brand underlayment,” said Marx. “We have had absolutely no callbacks on our work, which has saved us time and money, and we definitely plan to use the panels for future residential projects.”