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TileWise Cartoons
Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Debonding Tile failures Glass Tile installation stone Tile Debonding TileWise Cartoons
To Bond or Not to Bond
About To Bond or Not to Bond
When a tile debonds from a surface, it’s important to take note of where the failure occurs to help determine the cause. Did it fail adhesively between the back of the tile and the thin-set mortar or adhesively between the substrate and thin-set mortar, or did it cohesively fail within the thin-set mortar or tile? If the thin-set mortar only bonded to one surface, either the tile back or the substrate, then the problem is likely installer error and not the result of a bad batch of thin-set. Obviously thin-set mortar adhesives are made to bond to both surfaces. So if the thin-set bonded to the tile but not the substrate, it would suggest that the substrate had some sort of contaminate or condition that interfered with the bonding of the thin-set. One of the most important steps in tile or stone installation is preparing the substrates. Clean them and remove all surface residuals. Make sure water readily absorbs into cementitious substrates, and if it doesn’t, scarify the substrate to open up the pores. It’s just as important to clean the backs of tiles before installation in order to remove any residue that could act as a bond breaker, particularly on stone tiles.
About the Tilewise Cartoons
TileWise cartoons were developed under Donato Pompo's leadership for Club '84 (Ceramic Tile Action Group). Club '84 was a non-profit organization of accomplished individuals from all segments of the ceramic tile industry. The group's mission was to develop and distribute educational aids to educate, train and bring quality awareness to the distributors, specifiers, installers, and consumers of Ceramic Tile.
The TileWise cartoons were created to communicate issuses and concerns in the business of using ceramic tile for all segments of the industry. The objective was to educate to promote the quality use of ceramic tile. In each cartoon the screen exaggerates what you shouldn't do or emphasizes an issue or concern, then George the Bucket (named after CTI founder George Lavenberg) says what is correct. The cartoons ran for twelve years in each issue of the Tile Industry News, a major industry publication, published by the Ceramic Tile Institute until 1999 when it ceased.
Use these cartoons to educate your customers and employees to help avoid potential problems, and to promote a positive image of your company through newsletters, posters or mailings.
We hope you can put these cartoons to good use to help your industry and your business, and we know you will certainly benefit from them if you do. Good Luck!
The TileWise Cartoons will be displayed and available for your use. Restricted to limited single use. Randy’s cherished wife, Suzanne, is working hard to care for their precious sons, Rudie and Remie. Randy’s sudden illness left them with limited resources. If you can benefit from the use of the TileWise Cartoons, and if you can afford it, a donation to Randy's family would be very much appreciated. Please see form below to pledge whatever amount you would like to donate.
Right click the cartoon of your choice (Restricted to limited single use) and do a "Save Picture As..." to your hardrive.
(over 50 TileWise cartoons for your pleasure, and to use to educate your customers and employees)
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