Kerapoxy CQ, MAPEI’s new epoxy grout, uses a proprietary aggregate to achieve its durable color, making it excellent for high-traffic areas and areas needing stain and chemical resistance. Easy to maintain, Kerapoxy CQ contains BioBlock technology to help protect against mold and mildew. Kerapoxy CQis efflorescence-free and has excellent resistance to chemicals, staining, alkalinity, chlorine, bacteria, cracking and color deterioration. Because Kerapoxy CQis impervious, this ensures that spills stay at the surface level for easier maintenance.

These superior characteristics met the needs of the architect specifying materials for a new 10,250-square-foot tile floor installed earlier this year in the common areas at the Niagara Falls Conference and Event Center in Niagara Falls, New York. One particular aspect made Kerapoxy CQ the stand-out product of choice – its ability to withstand high-temperature cleaning, a necessity at the well-patronized venue.

Installers from the Tiede Zoeller Tile Corp. in Cheektowaga, NY, removed 8” x 8” tiles from the floors and replaced them with today’s more popular large-format tiles. For this job, they used StonePeak’s Materia 3D12” x 24” tiles in a combination of heather gray and sisal colors.

Before the tile-setting could begin, though, the installers had to prepare the concrete substrate. They leveled the uneven surface with MAPEI’s Primer T andUltraplan 1 Plusself-leveling underlayment and patched small voids with Planipatch. Next, they rolled on Mapelastic CI, a quick-drying, liquid-rubber crack isolation membrane, to prevent any in-plane cracks up to 1/8 inch in thickness from transferring through to the tile installation.

For the tile installation, the Tiede Zoeller crew set the large-format tile with MAPEI Ultracontact mortar. Ultracontact is a high-performance full-contact mortar whose superior wet-out characteristics achieve outstanding transfer to the back of the tile and eliminate the need for back-buttering.The installers grouted the tile joints with Kerapoxy CQ#11 in Sahara beige and sealed all edge joints and expansion joints with Mapesil 100% silicone sealant. The finished job looks great and will provide a durable, sustainable floor for the Niagara Falls Conference and Event Center.

MAPEI’s products can be used in construction projects large or small; public or private; residential, commercial, industrial or infrastructure. For more information on all of MAPEI’s products, visit www.mapei.com.