Articles

“In addition to the leaps and bounds the grout and mortar categories have made in terms of long-term sustainability, safety, and ease-of-use, some of the latest innovations seen today are the endless amounts of features that allow for the finished product of an overall floor installation to succeed,” shared Mitch Hawkins, senior manager of technical services with Laticrete. “From customized colors, to fast cure rates, stain resistance and antimicrobial protection, which inhibit stain-causing mold and mildew in the grout, the grout and mortar category continues to evolve to benefit both the end user and installer.” Read More

Gaged Porcelain Tile Panels and Natural Stone Slabs: Plus, large slabs are available in different varieties of tile and stone so consumers can find the perfect product for their space. According to Mara Villanueva-Heras, vice president of marketing, Emser Tile, large format porcelain slabs have grown by double digits in the last several years, “with specifications for countertops increasing while natural stone countertop requests have slightly decreased. Porcelain panels, like quartz are nonporous and require less maintenance and are more hygienic than natural stone for commercial applications.” Read More

At Total Solutions Plus 2020 Virtual Conference Bart Bettiga interviewed two NTCA Recognized Industry Consultants Richard Goldberg and Donato Pompo.  The roundtable discussion gave insights into the many issues related to tile and stone installation.  Read More

In 2020, natural stone might not match up well with the Color of the Year announcements of Sherwin-Williams: Naval (SW 6244), Behr: Back To Nature/Light Green S340-4, Pantone: Classic Blue 19-4052 or Benjamin Moore: First Light 2102-70. Although there are blue, green and pink marbles and granites, I would expect that the tried-and-true whites, beiges and grey natural stones will conti nue to be preferred for fl oors, walls, and countertops this year. Read More

The key ingredients to being a successful architectural sales representative is to be knowledgeable about the products you represent, knowledgeable about industry standards, and knowledgeable about what products are suitable for your client's intended uses. Read More

Potential problems with thin brick exterior veneer applications can be avoided with good MasterFormat specifications, including adequate quality assurance (QA) testing and quality control (QC) processes. Read More

Gauged porcelain tile panels/slabs are the latest and greatest buzz in the tile industry. As an installer that’s all you needed, right – one more tile to learn how to install plus the need to buy a whole new set of tools? Read More

Natural Stone – Unlimited Potential by Kent Klaser, CTC, CSI, CDT – TileLetter April 2016 – Just when you thought that the stone found in a… Read More

By Donato Pompo, CTC, CSI, CDT, MBA – TileLetter, March 2016, page 90 – Curbless showers are showers without a raised shower dam as is traditionally found… Read More

By Donato Pompo, CTC, CSI, CDT, MBA – TileLetter, March 2016, page 46– Tile lippage is the vertical displacement between two adjacent tiles of a ceramic, glass, or… Read More