Expert Answers in

ANSWER - Porcelain tile is impervious and cannot absorb more than 0.5% to meet the standards for a porcelain body tile.   If the tile was installed correctly and if the substrate is not moisture sensitive,…

ANSWER - The term "fissure" is used commercially in the stone industry to describe a visible separation along intercrystalline boundaries of a natural stone.  This separation may start and stop within the field of the…

ANSWER - Per the tile industry standards it is acceptable to install new tile over an existing tile installation.  Of course the new installation is only as good as the underlying installation.  If the only…

Post-Tensioning is a method of compressing the concrete with high-strength steel tendons and end plates installed prior to pouring the concrete that counteracts the natural tensile forces created by subsequent loading of people and equipment. …

Tile Installation Guidelines and Instructions for Installing Ceramic Tile, Glass Tile, and Stone Tile for Residential Installations

ANSWER - The manufacturing standards for ceramic tile (porcelain is a type of ceramic tile) in the USA are stated in ANSI A137.1 and ANSI A137.3 for Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels/Slabs. All ceramic tiles will…

ANSWER - The standard practice for suppliers and fabricators of natural stone slabs for countertops and other applications is to have the client inspect and approve the slab before fabricating it.   Typically there is paperwork…

The TCNA EJ171 now allows for zipper or sawtooth generic movement joints in tile installations, where you follow the grout joints within the tile assembly, not into the mortar bed. It is not uncommon for…

Well… I assume when you say dolomite you are referring to a type of marble, that might in fact be a type of limestone that is commercially referred to as a marble.  I assume you…

ANSWER - I assume that the wood finish ceramic tile is a porcelain tile.   I have seen a couple of cases where it appeared that the thin top layer of the wood looking tile was…