Articles by Joe Grady

It has been said that, because they encompass so many different situations, grout joint problems generate the largest number of complaints.

Waterproofing membranes are available in a variety of forms. Among these are liquid-applied products, sheet membranes and composite membranes (which are made on site by combining two or more components).

Electronic moisture meters are rapidly becoming an important, even essential, item in the contractor’s toolbox.

You must understand that every installer/contractor has one irreplaceable asset - time. So, don't waste yours on complaints or callbacks. We have all heard the expression "labor-intensive." I urge you to make your labor profit-intensive.

The shear values of Type I and Type II ceramic tile adhesives remain the same in the ANSI A-108-99 handbook. The differences in values between Type I and Type II mastics vary according to their intended uses.

Suppliers, installers and consumers of ceramic tiles tend to believe that there is little mystery in the installation of ceramic tile and grout. However, there are a number of complaint situations that seem to defy explanation. Others exhibit more obvious reasons for failure.

Increased demand for hardwood floors, on the part of both residential and commercial customers, and the elimination of chlorinated solvents, has served as a wake-up call to providers of adhesive.

Last year, I penned an article about preparing on-grade slabs for flooring installations. For this article, I've decided to revisit the topic and expand upon it with the addition of new information pertaining to cement backerboards, coated glass mat board and organic adhesives.

Moisture, in the form of vapor, continues to be a serious source of concern to the floor covering industry. A major problem is the lack of understanding as to how, when and why this vapor transmission appears. With a basic understanding of these conditions, or phenomena, it will soon become apparent as to how a flooring contractor can proceed safely and avoid future complaints.

Crack-isolation systems have been created to alleviate fracturing in ceramic tile and marble floors. In fact, development of these systems has become an industry unto itself, mainly because of manufacturers’ increased production of larger-sized ceramic tiles and thinner sections of marble tile.