Today’s installers have the benefit of many specialized grouts and mortars that make ceramic tile installation easier and better for the environment, while making the jobsite safer for both the installer and the homeowner.
All floor tile installation methods in the 2011 TCNA Handbook will include a new category of information: Typical Weight of Tile Installation. Under this subhead, the Handbook user will find the estimated weight of the tile installation.
Until recently, floor tiles have been 8 to 12mm thick and tiles less than 7.5mm were not intended for floors. However, tiles engineered to be thinner have now entered the marketplace. Made of porcelain, they are being marketed as “thin tiles.” Are they the same as their thicker brethren, except thinner? Being thinner they take fewer resources to manufacture and ship, but where and when can they be used?
Anyone
who has installed a few square miles of tile can no doubt teach others some
lighting lessons about ceramic tile. Those with less experience typically give
little if any consideration to the critical effects of lighting on ceramic
tile.
When properly selected, installed, and maintained, ceramic tiles are one of the most durable of all materials used to finish pools and spas. Certain types of natural stone tiles may be used in these areas, but the stones must have the same properties exhibited by vitreous or impervious ceramic tiles. They must also be strong enough to withstand the normal brushing, chemicals, and maintenance necessary for a pool or spa environment.
When I first entered the ceramic tile industry over twenty years ago, I did so with a small pamphlet of basic information I needed to know before I assisted my
first customer. Looking back, I would venture to guess that most of my
customers were more educated about how to install ceramic tile in their home
than I was. The training I received was really not that bad. However, the
company couldn’t afford for me to attend lengthy training programs. It was
Learn On The Job 101.
One area of ceramic tile installation that has been receiving increasing attention from both manufactures of setting materials and end users is that of crack isolation and waterproofing membrane systems.
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