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?
Tackstrip is just tackstrip, right? No! Tackstrip has a very important role in
the installation of carpet in many applications. Following is an explanation of the types of
tackstrip, its various uses, and tips to remember when selecting and installing
tackstrip.
It is amazing how many millions of square feet of Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT) are installed throughout North America each year. It is also amazing how much misinformation there is out there about this important flooring product--particularly among end users. VCT provides excellent performance at a value price point; and when properly installed and maintained, VCT construction will provide years of durable wear.
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.
Deflection is a problem that many installers face, yet few understand it or know how to measure it correctly. Charlie Martin, underlayment sales manager for the Halex Corporation explains what deflection is and how to check it.
The largest selling resilient flooring product in terms of square footage is Vinyl Composition Tile or VCT. It's inexpensive to buy and easy to install but like any other flooring product there are ways to do it well and ways to cut corners so the installation will not be as good as it could be. I see a lot of VCT installations in my travels, from schools to supermarkets to big department stores.
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