Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers installation Installation Guidelines Movement Joints

How can I incorporate movement joints in my tile work while maintaining aesthetics.

ANSWER -  The TCNA EJ171 standards for installing movement joints in tile work are general recommendations.  There is an ASTM C1472 standard for calculating movement in movement joints, so you can consider the coefficient of…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers Inspections installation Installation Guidelines Lippage Movement Joints Standards Workmanship

How can I verify if my tile was installed correctly?

ANSWER - Unfortunately it is difficult for consumers to determine how to select qualified tile installers.  Most installers haven't had any formal education on how to install tile nor do they know what the industry…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers installation Installation Guidelines

How do we install tile over an aluminum substrate?

ANSWER - In the past we would always use an ANSI A118.3 epoxy adhesive to bond to steel floors in freezers and elevators.  The steel would have to be scarified and cleaned first.  Then grout…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers Grout Installation Guidelines Movement Joints Standards Workmanship

Are there Tolerance Standards for Grout or Caulking Joint Width Variation?

ANSWER - You are correct to install caulked movement joints at the perimeters and inside vertical corners of the tile installation.  Caulk should be an ASTM C920 silicone sealant per TCNA EJ171 standards.

The ceramic…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Concrete Substrate Slab Expert Answers Exterior Free Tile and Stone Installation Guidelines installation Installation Guidelines stone

How do we install tile on a new concrete side walk?

ANSWER - First of all you need to determine what kind of tile to install?  It needs to be slip resistant, and it needs to provide a relatively flat surface so no one trips.  If…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Concrete Substrate Slab Expert Answers installation Installation Guidelines

Can I embed Ceramic Tile into a fresh Concrete Slab?

ANSWER - It is possible to embed 12x12 inch ceramic tiles into a freshly poured concrete slab, but there are a lot factors to consider.  It is recommended to let the concrete cure for 28…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers Installation Guidelines Movement Joints stone Wet Areas

Where should movement joints be installed in a small bathroom?

ANSWER - Yes, movement joints, sometimes referred as expansion joints, should be at all plane transitions and where there are transitions from different substrates and materials.   Door thresholds, wall penetrations around escutcheons, and light…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers installation Installation Guidelines Standards stone

How to Achieve 95% Thin-set Mortar Contact when Installing Tile versus Spot Bonding?

ANSWER - Per ANSI A108 and per the TCNA Handbook for Ceramic, Glass, and Stone Tiles they say that the thin-set adhesive coverage under the tile should be 80% with full support along tile edges…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers installation Installation Guidelines Moisture Problems

How can I install Porcelain Tile over a concrete slab with moisture?

ANSWER - I assume that the concrete slab is an interior application.  Generally speaking you don't what to install tile over a concrete slab that has a hydrostatic water problem unless it is remediated first.…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers failures Installation Guidelines Moisture Problems Waterproofing Wet Areas

What are the standards for properly installing tile in a shower?

ANSWER - There are a number of shower configurations that are considered acceptable shower assemblies depending on the substrate conditions you have and the materials that were selected for the substrates and other components of the…

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