Expert Answers in Standards
What is the Stone Industry Standard for the Allowable amount of Marble Tile Lippage?
ANSWER - Per the Natural Stone Institute Dimension Stone Design Manual the tolerance for the allowable lippage for a for a calibrated marble or any calibrated natural stone floor tile is 1/32". This is based…
Read MoreHow thick should the Mortar Be for a Shower Pan Floor in a Shower?
ANSWER - First of all, the way you construct a shower pan is to first apply a pre-sloped mortar bed to establish a slope to the drain of 1/4" per foot. You can float over…
Read MoreWhy is by Exterior Covered Deck Tile Backer Board Installation Causing Tile to Crack?
ANSWER - Normally when you get cracking over a suspended floor following the joints of the tile backer board that the tile was bonded to, it is due to a combination of excessive deflection in…
Read MoreHow do we determine what caused our Tile Shower to Fail?
ANSWER - You are asking a lot that can't be answered without performing a forensic inspection to determine what is causing the failures. I can make some general statements that may or may not apply…
Read MoreIs it a problem if Schluter Ditra is installed on the walls of a Steam Shower?
ANSWER - Based on the Schluter literature, although they only show floor applications, they don't say it is only for floors. The Ditra is waterproof if installed correctly for waterproofing. It does have a key…
Read MoreWhat kind of Water Resistant Barrier or Vapor Barrier should be used For Exterior Tile Veneer Installations?
ANSWER - W244E can be a ceramic or glass tile or a stone application for an exterior framed wall with cement backer board over it. If it is a cementitious backer board then they would put…
Read MoreWhat are the standards for grout joint widths and properly filling with grout?
ANSWER - The Natural Stone Institute (previously the Marble Institute of America) Dimensional Design manual state that the grout joint on a stone should never be less than 1/16" wide and preferably 1/8" wide. To…
Read MoreWhat is Acceptable Color Variation from the Tile Sample Selected to What is Provided?
ANSWER - What is called Shade Variation is normal in the tile industry, but what is considered reasonable variation depends... In the industry we have what is called in ANSI A137.1 Aesthetic Classes, which is…
Read MoreWhat is the proper Installation Method for Installing Large Format Tiles?
ANSWER - It is hard to see exactly what they did. Your message says “photo thin set 1/16” is on the floor, 1.5” to 2.5” of mortar mix with less than 90% coverage, and thin-set 1/16”…
Read MoreWhat are the standards for the proper alignment for tile installations?
ANSWER - ANSI A108.02 are the standards for tile installer workmanship. Some of the standards are quantitative, but many are qualitative and subjective. The only reference to alignment is that the tile should be installed…
Read MoreWhy is my Tiled Balcony Leaking and How Can I fix it?
ANSWER - When there is a problem it normally is not due to one deficiency, but due to multiple compounding deficiencies. You state that the peel and stick moisture barrier was properly installed. If if…
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