Custom Building Products was featured in last week’s episode of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The show is known for providing dramatic home renovations, performed in seven days, to deserving families who are experiencing hardship or tragedy. Custom’s tile installation system was selected for the project because of the reputation and reliability of its products, according to the company. 

The project, located in Medford, Ore., features a dilapidated home belonging to C.J. and Lindsay McPhail, who have devoted their lives to an organization that provides support for children with devastating medical conditions. These parents now find themselves in need of help as they raise their three children, including two young sons with autism. Their home, situated on a 50-acre property that is adjacent to Lindsay’s parents, had to be rebuilt from the ground up by the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition team.

Plans for the new home included extensive use of porcelain, glass and ceramic tile, and natural stone, totaling approximately 1,000 square feet.  Tile contractor Herbert Meierl of Herbert Meierl Tile, Rogue River, Ore., was selected by general contractor Ark Built Renovations to direct the entire installation, which included three bathrooms, a laundry room, and a kitchen backsplash.  The timeframe for the entire installation was just 10 hours. Herbert Meierl immediately consulted with Custom Building Products Technical Sales Representative Tom DeNure to determine an installation system that could be used throughout the project, would cure quickly enough to meet the demands of timeframe, and would provide long-lasting performance for the McPhail family.

DeNure recommended a system using ProLIte Rapid Setting Tile and Stone Mortar, Prism SureColor Grout, and Custom’s new Uncoupling Mat Mortar with an uncoupling mat underlayment.

“I have worked with Custom products, and with Tom, many years, and knew that Custom was the only choice for this difficult, high-profile project,” said Herbert Meierl. “Tom was with us on-site as part of the team for the entire 10 hours, which was critical to our success.”

The installation itself took place overnight, on a single 10-hour shift.  During the process, described by DeNure as “controlled and well-orchestrated chaos,” the tile team had to work with – and around – at least 18 other teams who were responsible for doors, cabinetry, windows and other construction elements in the home. Within 90 minutes of laying the floor tile, contractors were able to lay planks and walk on the installation without causing any damage.

Tiling the shower stalls in both the master and the secondary bath proved a little unorthodox, because shower pans were specified for the floor-to-ceiling stalls, and could not bear the weight of a ladder. Using ProLite RS, the installers were able to remove the pan temporarily, place a ladder in the stall, and tile the shower from the top down, without slippage. Once the tile was down to within arm’s reach, the ladders were removed, the shower pans replaced and the remainder of the tile was installed.

“It was a privilege to be involved in this project, with some of the finest construction professionals in our industry coming together to make a difference for a wonderful family who has spent so much time giving to others. It’s an experience I will never forget,” DeNure added.