gptp trends t accessories...ultrabo c pt ombine utting-edg hemistr it h ates il echnolog reat...

June 2020

Magazine

www.tile-magazine.com

GPTP Trends

Tile Tools &

Accessories


AMERICA’S #1 GROUTJUST GOT BETTER!

ANNOUNCING POLYBLEND® PLUS!

The grout you love

✚ Brighter, More Vivid Finished Color

✚ Enhanced Color Consistency

✚ Better Resistance to Efflorescence

✚ Meets ANSI A118.7

DOWNLOAD CUSTOM’SMOBILE APP

CustomBuildingProducts.com

800-272-8786

4 www.tile-magazine.com I June 2020

ON THE COVER: Ege Seramik’s new Verona collection off ers a high-gloss wall tile featuring an incredibly unique “wavy surface.” The 4- x 12-inch subway tiles refl ect beautifully and will never looks the same from any two angles. They are available in four colors — White, Anthracite, Turquoise and Taupe — and are ideal for modern kitchens or contemporary bathrooms.

Features

10 Contractor Spotlight

14 Revamping a classic

20 Creating art with porcelain

24 A dimensional experience

28 Product Showcase: Tile tooling & accessories

32 Technical Focus: Gauged Porcelain Tile, changes in industry standards and the building code

37 Top-to-bottom tiling

44 Choosing a fl oor for function and aesthetics

Departments

5 Editorial

6 Industry News

48 Featured Product

48 Calendar

50 Ad Index

TILE Magazine Vol. 17, Issue 4 (ISSN: Print 1555-0567 and Digital 2329-2911) is published 8 times annually, Jan/Feb, Mar, Apr/May, Jun, Jul/Aug, Sep, Oct, and Nov/Dec by BNP Media II, L.L.C., 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $152.00 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in Canada: $187.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $212.00 (int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2020, by BNP Media II, L.L.C. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. Periodicals postage paid at Troy, MI and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: TILE Magazine, P.O. Box 2146, Skokie, IL 60076. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923 Send returns (Canada) to IMEX Global Solutions, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to TILE Magazine, P.O. Box 2146, Skokie, IL 60076. For subscription information or service, please contact Customer Service at: Phone: (800) 952-6643 Fax: (847) 763-9538.

Magazine

June 2020

Vol. 17, No. 4


20

32

44

June 2020

Magazine


GPTP Trends

Tile Tools &

Accessories


June 2020 I www.tile-magazine.com 5

Editorial

Navigating through the new normal

Group Publisher

David A. Madonia • [email protected]

(201) 286-7391

Associate Publisher/Regional Advertising Manager

Janelle Minghine

[email protected] • (734) 340-5211

Jennifer Richinelli, Editorial Director

[email protected] • (201) 291-9001 ext. 8611

Heather Fiore, Editor

[email protected] • (201) 291-9001 ext. 8616

Shannon Shortt, Art Director

Jennifer Allen, Production Manager


Jasmine E’Lon, Brand Marketing Coordinator

Regional Advertising Manager

Steve Smith


Turkey

Hilmi Zafer Erdem

[email protected] • 90-0212-257-76-66

Fax: 90-0212-287-00-99

Publishing and Sales Office:

210 Route 4 East, Suite 203, Paramus, NJ 07652;

(201) 291-9001

Corporate Office:

BNP Media II, L.L.C.

2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700

Troy, MI 48084

Phone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317

CORPORATE

Chief Experience Officer: Darrell Dal Pozzo

Human Resources & Information Technology Director:

Rita M. Foumia

Production Director: Vincent M. Miconi

Finance Director: Lisa L. Paulus

Creative Director: Michael T. Powell

Clear Seas Research Director: Beth A. Surowiec

Chief Event Officer: Scott Wolters

Audience Marketing

Lauren Atsalakis – Senior Integrated Media Specialist

Katie Gamble – Integrated Media Manager

Directory Development

Erin Mygal – Directory Development Manager

(248) 786-1684 • [email protected]

Online Development

Nikki Smith – Online Development Director

(513) 248-0395 • [email protected]

For subscription information or service,

please contact Customer Service at:

(800) 952-6643 • Fax: (847) 763-9538

[email protected]

Single Copy Sales

www.tile-magazine.com/scs

Reprints

Stacey Hurley • [email protected]

TILE®

As states begin to phase out of shelter-in-place orders and businesses begin to reopen, a lot of people are still hesitant to do

things that seemed second nature before this pandemic happened. Life as we know it has seemingly changed, for now at least. With new restrictions and different sets of rules for each state, it can also get confusing as to what’s allowed and what’s not, especially for

those who begin to travel again. There is definitely a new normal that we’ll have to get used to, but I’m confident that, as a country, we will be able to adapt, as we always have.

In this edition, we cover the evergrowing topic of gauged porcelain tile panels/slabs (GPTP), which has been gaining a lot of traction in the industry as of late. The larger-than-life panels, which stand as tall as 12 feet nowadays, have become one of the most desired items to use for countertops, full-height walls and floors and other household items such as furniture. One fabricator in Australia, known by many in the industry as the “porcelain artist,” has found his niche in creating artworks with GPTP, which are admired by professionals all over the world. Head to page 20 to learn more about his unique installation process and how he crafts these pieces of art.

For a more technical look at GPTP, we spoke with the director of technical services at MAPEI, Jim Whitfield, who outlined the installation and product ANSI standards, as well as recent changes in the International Building Code (IBC) regarding tile size for exterior installations. Learn more about these changes on page 32.

We also gathered a selection of new tile tools and accessories that were recently released, which can assist any builder, contractor or installer on the jobsite. Flip to page 28 to check those out.

As we all transition back to our normal, everyday lives, it’s important to be cognizant of those around you. Everyone has different reactions to what is currently going on and we have to respect each other’s boundaries. As the great Mark Twain once said, “Challenges make life interesting, however, overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”

Sincerely,

Heather Fiore, Editor


Coverings Honors Emerging Professionals with 2020 Rock Star Awards

ARLINGTON, VA — Coverings, the largest international tile and stone exhibition and conference in North America, recently announced the 14 winners of the prestigious 2020 Rock Star Awards. The Coverings Rock Star program recognizes emerging leaders in the tile and stone industry by awarding the best and brightest young talent.

The program commemorates its sixth year in 2020 and furthers Coverings’ mission to support the growth and success of the industry by distinguishing talented young leaders as well as fostering networking and educational opportunities.

“Coverings is honored to welcome this exceptional group of emerging leaders into the Rock Star program,” said Jennifer Hoff, president of Taffy Event Strategies, LLC, the event management firm for Coverings. “We look forward to seeing continued advancement and evolution for each of these young professionals as well as the impactful contributions they will continue to bring to the tile and stone industry.”

A committee of tile and stone industry leaders carefully evaluated nominations to select the 14 outstanding inductees for the sixth assemblage of Coverings Rock Stars. The 2020 Rock Star honorees represent a wide array of industry professions and include the following: Designer (1): • Brennan Broome, Designer, EoA Group,

Miami, FLDistributor (1): • Kristin Scholemer, Owner, Calia Stone,

Chicago, ILFabricator (1): • Michaela Steinbach, General Manager,

Mario & Son, Liberty Lake, WAInstaller (5): • Illisha Harris, Owner, Lead Designer and

Installer, Coastal Custom Tile and Design, Swansboro, NC

• Janice Hill, Project Manager, DW Sanders Tile & Stone Contracting, Inc., Marietta, GA

• Ulas Maris, Stone and Tile Installer, Maris Tile Pro, East Moriches, NY

• Joseph Mattice, Owner and Installer, On the Level, Simpsonville, SC

• Trey Toca, President, Toca Flooring, Metairie, LAManufacturer (2): • Arturo Duarte, USA Commercial Manager,

CREST, Monterrey, Mexico• Brittany Storm, Sustainability Manager,

MAPEI, Deerfield Beach, FLOther (PR Firm) (1): • Kristin Coleman, Vice President, Novità

Communications, New York, NYOther (Technology) (1): • Raj Katta, Technology/Functionality

Specialist, Stone Grid, LLC, Windermere, FLRetailer (1): • Jimmy Bellew, Owner, Bellew Tile, Sandwich, MATrade Association (1): • Ryan Marino, Standards, Development and

Research Manager, Tile Council of North America, Anderson, SC

Each 2020 Rock Star Award winner received a gift card and was recognized during Coverings Connected. The honorees will also be celebrated with a luncheon at Coverings 2021 and a year-long professional feature profile at coverings.com.

To learn more about the Coverings 2020 Rock Stars, please visit coverings.com/coverings-rock-stars.

Industry-Wide EPD Demonstrates North American Ceramic Tile has a Significantly Lower Global Warming

ANDERSON, SC — Tile Council of North America (TCNA) recently announced that

• Janice Hill, Project Manager, DW Sanders Tile

INDUSTRY

NEWS

A revolutionary hybrid-technology adhesive for gauged porcelain tile

There is a revolution in tile technology. MAPEI’s new ready-to-use, hybrid-polymer-based adhesive,

Ultrabond ECO GPT, combines cutting-edge chemistry with the latest tile technology to create a

time-saving and labor-saving necessity for GPT installation.

Hybrid advantages include:

• Labor savings: Ready to use

• No waste: Apply to the backs of tile only

• Non-sag, but adjustable with a window of 30 minutes

• Strong bond with flexibility

• Extended open time of 30 to 45 minutes

• Cleanability: Easy to clean off tile surface in wet or dried state

• Easy to trowel

This hybrid fusion of chemistry and technology is also eco-friendly. Low in VOCs, Ultrabond ECO GPT can be

applied in confined spaces and carries several industry sustainability certifications.

Join the hybrid installation revolution. For more details on Ultrabond ECO GPT, visit www.mapei.us.


the 2020 North American industry-wide Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for ceramic tile has been certified by Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL) and published to UL’s publicly accessible database.

This EPD, valid for the next five years, updates the previous North American industry-wide EPD for ceramic tile, which expired at the end of 2019. Effective immediately, products covered by the EPD can be used to satisfy architectural and green building specification criteria, including those established by LEED v4.1.

Over 85% of North American ceramic tiles are covered by the EPD and specifically those from the following companies: American Wonder Porcelain, Arto Brick, Crossville, Inc., Dal-Tile Corporation, Del Conca USA Inc., Florida Tile, Interceramic USA, Ironrock, Porcelanite-Lamosa, Portobello America, Quarry Tile Co., StonePeak Ceramics Inc., and Vitromex USA, Inc.

Simply stated, this industry-wide EPD is a report of the environmental footprint of the North American ceramic tile industry. The environmental impacts reported by the EPD are significantly lower than those reported by EPDs for flooring comprised of plastic based materials, such as luxury vinyl tiles and planks. In particular, a direct comparison to publicly available UL-Certified industry-wide EPDs for vinyl tile and rigid core board reveals the following: • Vinyl tile’s 75-year global warming potential

and fossil fuel resource depletion are two and three times higher, respectively, than ceramic tile.

• Rigid core board’s 75-year global warming potential and fossil fuel resource depletion are three and five times higher, respectively, than ceramic tile.“Global warming potential and fossil fuel

depletion throughout the full lifecycle of a product are key metrics in characterizing carbon footprint,” said Bill Griese, TCNA’s director of standards development and sustainability initiatives. “Not only does the North American industry-wide EPD for ceramic tile evidence a generally low carbon footprint, it also shows ceramic tile to have the lowest overall impacts in photochemical oxidant

creation (smog), ozone depletion, acidification and eutrophication potential when compared to publicly available EPDs for competitive flooring materials. Ceramic tile is the proven green choice for the good of the environment.”

For more information, refer to the EPD Guide for North American Ceramic Tile or the Guide to EPDs in the 2020 Tile theNatural Choice publication.

NKBA Kitchen & Bath Design + Industry Awards Opens for Entries

HACKETTSTOWN, NJ — The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) Design + Industry Awards are now open for submissions. As the authority on all things residential kitchen and bath, each year the NKBA recognizes the year’s most exceptional kitchen and bath designs. The NKBA is an all-industry association and this competition is open to all design professionals, including non-members. NKBA members do receive additional benefits including one free entry and reduced entry fees on all additional entries.

This year’s competition includes more than $60,000 in cash prizes and winners will also be featured in an issue of Luxe Interior + Design

magazine, as well as Kitchen & Bath Business magazine, the official publication of the NKBA.2021 Categories

• Contemporary Kitchen: Small/Medium (Under 250 square feet)

• Contemporary Kitchen: Large/Extra-Large (More than 250 square feet)

• Traditional Kitchen: Small/Medium (Under 250 square feet)

• Traditional Kitchen: Large/Extra-Large (More than 250 square feet)

• Contemporary Bathroom: Small/Medium (Under 55 square feet)

• Contemporary Bathroom: Large/Extra-Large (More than 55 square feet)

• Traditional Bathroom: Small/Medium (Under 55 square feet)

• Traditional Bathroom: Large/Extra-Large (More than 55 square feet)

• Outdoor Kitchen• Living In Place

diamondvantage.comdiamondvantage.com


For daily news updates on

industry happenings and events,

visit www.tile-magazine.com/

breakingnews.

Entry Guidelines

To be eligible, all project entries must have been installed between January 1, 2019, and July 3, 2020.

The competition is divided into two rounds. In round one, all entries must include two high-resolution (300 DPI) photographs, a completed entry form and entry payment. All entries must be submitted by Thursday, July 3, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

“We understand it’s been an extremely unusual year and there may be many designers who were anticipating having their projects professionally photographed, but haven’t been able to do it because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Suzie Williford, executive vice president and chief strategy officer of NKBA. “Good design is good design, whether it’s professionally photographed or not. Don’t let that discourage you from having your work recognized. The cameras on smartphones have come a long way. Our judges will take these unusual circumstances into consideration as they are evaluating the entries.”

Round two finalists will be announced on

July 15, 2020. As part of this second round of judging, all finalists will be required to upload additional materials to their submission folder. These materials include up to 10 more high-resolution photos, a detailed design statement, drawings (construction, floorplans, elevations and mechanical), a specifications form, client property and photographer release forms, a business owner form, a headshot and a brief biography.

A comprehensive list of information on the entry process, as well as competition rules and requirements, can be found here.

The winners will be announced on February 8, 2021, at the NKBA Kitchen & Bath Design + Industry Awards in Orlando, FL, as part of the NKBA kick-off to KBIS 2021. TILE

diamonddiamonddiamondvantagevantage.com.comdiamondvantage.com

DIAMOND VANTAGE®

DIAMOND VANTAGE

ULTRA THIN

TURBO X401

PORCELAIN

BLADE

at Diamond Vantage

designed to cut the most difficult materials,like this 6cm travertine paver

new and improved!

available 4” through 14”

watch this in action


Terry Wick

In this edition, we sat down with

Terry Wick, owner of A & T

Stoneworks, Inc. in Palmdale, CA.

TILE: How did you first get involved in the

tile industry? Please explain a little bit more

about yourself.

Wick: Growing up, my dad was a finish

contractor and later a general contractor. I

worked with him until I left for college. When

I returned, my dad told me a tile contractor

he worked with needed help. I worked with

this tile contractor for a couple of years.

At that time, we floated every job we did;

something that would continue throughout

my career. I learned a lot about technique,

quickly mastering floated countertops,

backsplashes, tubs and showers. I enjoyed

the work, not the contractor. I relocated to

work with a larger contractor in a bigger

market. My new boss did military barracks,

restaurants, custom homes and tract housing.

My knowledge and skill base expanded

exponentially. I soon moved up through the

ranks and began running large commercial

and residential projects.

TILE: Are you a company owner? If so,

what were some reasons for starting

your own business?

Wick: From the time I was a child, I wanted

to own my own business. My father and my

wife encouraged me to get my license. I’m

glad I listened and had my license when the

company I was working for decided to scale

back, downsizing from 20 crews to just himself.

He offered me some of the work he was giving

up. These were large projects I could not have

gotten just starting out. I jumped in with both

feet and never looked back.

TILE: Has the tile industry changed much

since you first started? If so, in what ways?

Wick: Yes, originally, we had to soak our tile

overnight in buckets of water and we set

it with pure cement. Thinset was yet to be

invented. Just kidding; although these things

happened, it was before my time.

Oddly enough, tile size is the most visible

change. An 8- x 8-inch tile was considered

large, and rarely if ever, used on anything but

a floor. Kitchens and baths were mainly 4 1/4-

inch formats and occasionally 6 inches. Now,

8 x 8 inches is tiny and we are installing 10- x

5-foot pieces of tile.

Nearly all kitchen and bath tile had a

variety of matching trim when I began.

Now more often than not, there is no trim

available and we are using metal to finish

the tile. Ceramic tile and laminate were the

most common countertop materials. Stone

was for exterior cladding not countertops.

Setting materials have come a long way, too.

Contractor Spotlight


There were no modified thinsets or grouts.

Everything was floated; there were no cement

boards or foam boards.

TILE: Is there a particular job you’ve

completed that stands out? Why?

Wick: My very first job stands out the most.

Three hundred barracks at Marine Corps

Recruit Depot in San Diego, CA. Yes, my first

contract was for 300 units. Each unit contained

two floated showers and 150 square feet of

wainscot. We ordered a train car of tile to get

started. I had to learn how to be a business

owner, how to find and deal with employees,

how to do certified government payroll, how

to manage cash flow — and all over 100 miles

from home. My second contract, also a barracks

on a nearby military base, hit in the middle of

this. I was just 24 at the time.

There is a residential project that also stands

out. We did a 15,000-square-foot custom

home on the beach in Santa Barbara, CA. The

owner was a legacy builder and his wife, a

well-known designer. We ordered custom-

made tile for each area of the home. Nothing

was off the shelf or readily available. For

the master bath, the homeowner selected

a mermaid he wanted to have made into a

mural for the shower wall. We found a studio

willing to do the commissioned work. We

designed the rest of the bathroom around

the view of the mermaid and the ocean from

the bathtub. The homeowners found a lovely

mural on one of their European vacations and

had kept it packed away for years, waiting

for a custom installation in the wine cellar.

Surrounding the mural with stone tiles, we

created the illusion you were peeking through

a window at the characters in the mural. One

of the most enjoyable designs was the wave

we created in the beach bathroom, custom-

floated to mimic a wave curling around a

surfer on their board. The homeowner found

a surfboard manufacturer willing to make a

surfboard emblazoned with the family crest.

We were able to place the surfboard in just

the right place in the wave; it would become

the shower seat. Imagine your grandchildren

surfing their way through the shower wave.

The floated wave was set with small glass

mosaics gradated to mimic the depth of colors

present on the beach, just a few steps away.

Beginning with the tan and yellow colors

of the sand, curving up to deep ocean blues

finishing with the whites of the sea foam atop

the wave, with the yellow and golds of the

sunset on the wall behind the breaking wave.

There were tiled custom murals on exterior

walls, with underwater scenery along the

pathway from the ocean to the first beach

shower located outdoors. There were more

unique features in the home than in any other

single project we have worked on.

TILE: What are some common issues you

have to deal with on the job site? How do you

overcome them?

Wick: Scheduling delays, prior trades work,

whether arriving at a worksite that is not yet

ready for you. Many issues can be avoided by

walking the job prior to sending crews out to

complete the work. Having trusted employees

who can think on their feet and help solve

many issues in real time on the jobsite. Most

importantly, having a good working relationship

with the contractors. Communicating with them

what you need done before you arrive and

knowing what to expect from each other.


TILE: What are some steps you take to

educate your customers about their tile

installation before you begin?

Wick: Client expectation is key. Often a client

will see something on a website or TV show

and think it will be perfect in their home.

Sometimes they are correct; their project will

be beautiful, function well and be timeless,

and they will still be happy with it for years

to come. However, other times they need to

be educated about how fragile that particular

product is, how the layout doesn’t fit their

space, and how a trendy application may be

dated just as soon as the job is complete

and will require maintenance beyond their

expectations. We make it a point to discuss

materials, layout, longevity and maintenance

with each client.

If you or anyone you know is interested in being featured

in a future edition of the “Contractor Spotlight,” please email

Heather Fiore at [email protected].

3 REASONSYOU SHOULD BE EXCITED

ABOUT YOUR NEW & IMPROVED

TILE MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION!

2

INSTANT AUDIO

While our digital edition has always supported audio in numerous ways, never

before has audio been put front and center in the reading interface — think

instant audio! With Audio Articles, you can open your digital edition on your phone

and simply click on the speaker icon to the right of an article to listen to it.

INSTANT AUDIO

Magazine

1

BEAUTIFULLY RESPONSIVE READING EXPERIENCES

Enjoy our intuitive interface that allows you to read Beverage Industry

on your desktop as a digital replica or in our new Contents View, and on

your phone as a scrollable series of articles.

SWITCH EASILY FROM THE TRADITIONAL VIEW TO THE CONTENTS VIEW

3

PERSONALIZED CONTENT STREAM

Using artificial intelligence, our digital edition can deliver a personalized stream of

suggested content based on your reading behavior and preferences. In the Menu

Bar of the digital edition you can find your own personalized content channel!

PERSONALIZED CONTENT STREAM

TILE: If you could lend any advice to

professionals just beginning their careers,

what would it be?

Wick: Get to know the people in the tile trade

organizations. Having a good relationship with

other people in the industry who are working

through the same issues as you are is key. Having

someone to call when you are unsure of a

situation you have encountered on a job can be

a great help. There are many relevant Facebook

groups; join them and learn. Learn what to do,

what not to do and how to know the difference.

Join tile organizations, go through their

training and get certified. Go to tradeshows, meet

tile manufactures, tool manufacturers, setting

material manufacturers and other contractors.

Never be afraid to learn. Education is

important. TILE


Revamping a clRevamping a clA Tudor-style home near the Twin Cities was modernized with a revamped design, which highlights colored glass and stone tile from Jeffrey Court

by Heather Fiore


classic

For the renovation of an original Tudor-style home nearby St. Paul, MN, designers opted for decorative marble tile from Jeffrey Court in the kitchen, which complements the room’s neutral tones. Photos courtesy of Jeffrey Court, Inc.


Jkath Design Build + Reinvent is a

residential remodeling firm located in St.

Paul, MN, which services the Twin Cities

and surrounding areas. The 10-year-old firm

specializes in kitchen remodels, main floor

updates, and whole house renovations and

additions, with a goal of creating a lifestyle

while enjoying comfort and function.

Jesse Kath founded Jkath Design Build +

Reinvent and currently operates the business

alongside his wife, Katie, the lead designer, and

a team of four talented professionals. One of

the company’s most recent ventures included an

extensive renovation of a local, Tudor-style home,

which was close to 100 years old, utilizing a range

of colored glass and stone tile from Jeffrey Court.

Colored glass tile from Jeffrey Court was also utilized throughout the home for various things, including the fireplace hearth.


“This design intent was a modern Tudor, preserving original character and integrity where it made sense, while adding modern amenities and updates to give this home another 100 years of life,” Katie Kath said of the 2,300-square-foot home. “We fell in love with the original charm and the overall historic neighborhood this house is in. The improvements needed were necessary, knowing we had creative autonomy with the selections and a new family would be able to call this home with quality finishes to last a lifetime.”

Since the home was purchased as an investment property, Kath wanted to complete a full renovation along with a two-story addition. However, she ultimately decided to nix the addition in place of

a small kitchen bump out to expand the kitchen footprint. The entire house was overhauled, including the mechanicals, plumbing and electrical updates throughout.

“Our goal was to touch every square inch of this home, with a small addition on footings and finishing the basement level, which is a huge property value add-on in this neighborhood,” she explained. “In the end, we made our goal, but had to research more cost-effective ways to finish the home; using footings and skipping the foundation for the kitchen bump out is a good example. We did not replace any windows in the home and opted to clean up the original stained window casings. While we changed the entire second story footprint to add a master

Floor mosaics were created in the bathrooms using different shades of glass tile from Chapter 14 – The Press by Jeffrey Court. The floor of the kids’ bathroom highlights a black-and-white, 13 1/8- x 13 3/8-inch hexagonal mosaic, known as the “Union Mosaic,” while the walls feature glossy, beveled 3- x 3-inch tiles in an off-white color, “Crisp Linen.”


suite, we made concessions in the basement level and did not add the fourth bedroom and fourth bathroom we had hoped to.”

With the kitchen and mudroom expansion on the first floor, two of the upstairs bedrooms were converted into the new master suite, which features a bathroom, two adjoining closets and a master bathroom with a soaking tub, standing shower and custom vanity. To create a contemporary vibe in the kitchen and master bathroom, Kath utilized two different types of Statuario marble tile from Jeffrey Court’s Chapter 15 – Classic Statuario series. For the kitchen range backsplash, 4- x 6-inch tiles from Chapter 15 – Classic Statuario in the “Botanic Imprint” design were used, which emulate a leafy pattern. In the master bathroom, 1 3/4-inch marble mosaics from the same collection were utilized to create

a herringbone design on the shower walls, along with 1-inch penny rounds, which were used on the shower floor.

“We chose tile that felt timeless, with character and resembled the original era of the home,” Kath said. “We used natural stone in most areas, as this is a quality and timeless material, with a playful nod in the kitchen area using the printed mosaic tile.”

Colored glass tile from Jeffrey Court was also utilized for the front entry, fireplace hearth, powder room and kids’ bathroom. As a contrast to the white brick fireplace surround, a 5/8-inch hexagon mosaic in black from Chapter 14 – The Press was used to create the hearth. The colored glass tile series was also utilized on the floors in the powder room and kids’ bathroom. The powder room’s floor features a unique 13 1/8- x 15 1/8-inch “Tribune Mosaic” in navy blue, while the floor of the kids’

The powder room’s floor features a unique 13 1/8- x 15 1/8-inch “Tribune Mosaic” in navy blue.


bathroom highlights a black-and-white, 13 1/8- x 13 3/8-inch hexagonal mosaic, known as the “Union Mosaic;” the walls of the kids’ bathroom also feature glossy, beveled 3- x 3-inch tiles in an off-white color, “Crisp Linen.”

“We knew Chapter 14, The Press, was made for this home,” Kath said. “With the early 20th Century inspiration, we had a few places to select and install this tile. The black and white contrast might be our favorite touch in the whole house.”

Around 370 square feet of tile was used, which was supplied directly from Jeffrey Court, Inc. in Norco, CA. “We always spend time laying out a portion of the tile together as a team on location, approving placement, direction and verifying grout color,” Kath explained of the installation process. “Aside from this standard procedure before we set our installer loose, we did not have any unexpected issues. The handmade tile behind the kitchen range was very delicate and we had a

For the master bathroom, 1 3/4-inch marble mosaics from Chapter 15 – Classic Statuario were utilized to create a herringbone design on the shower walls, along with 1-inch penny rounds, which were used on the shower floor.

Private residence

St. Paul, MN

Builder/Designer: Jkath Design Build + Reinvent,

St. Paul, MN

Tile Supplier: Jeffrey Court, Inc., Norco, CA

(Chapter 14 – The Press™, Chapter 15 –

Classic Statuario)

limited amount of waste on hand, so we did stay on location to oversee this install. Fortunately, we did not have any issues.”

The entire project was finished last year and took around five months to complete. “We have since specified the Chapter 14 – The Press tile in a recent project as this Tudor home inspired these clients,” Kath said. “We have also received many positive comments on the finished photography, with another project in the works for summer 2020 using the same tile in a different colorway.” TILE


InstallationCase Study

A porcelain artist from The

Land Down Under continues to

push artistic boundaries with

his innovative artworks crafted

from gauged porcelain tile

by Heather Fiore

Creating

art with

porcelain

Roberto Colonetti, known as the “porcelain artist,” crafts unique, three-dimensional sculptures using gauged porcelain tile, including this larger-than-life model of the Eiffel Tower.Photos courtesy of Roberto Colonetti


Roberto Colonetti is a well-

known professional in the

tile and stone industries, and

deservedly so. Known for his

innovative porcelain techniques, specifically

with large-format and gauged porcelain

Colonetti utilized one panel of 12-mm-thick Florim Stone in the “Statuario” design with a matte finish, which measured 63 x 126 inches (5 1/4 x 10 1/2 feet) and was imported directly from Florim Ceramiche in Fiorano Modenese, Italy.

A waterjet was programmed to intricately cut the gauged porcelain tile to emulate the famous landmark.

All of the work took 23 hours on the waterjet, with an additional eight hours to configure the software to make the precise cuts.


tile panels/slabs (GPTP), Colonetti refers to himself as a porcelain artist and truly prides himself on pushing artistic boundaries with the material.

At the beginning of this year, he began crafting one-of-a-kind, three-dimensional structures from GPTP, which emulate everything from the Eiffel Tower to a human head. The life-size Eiffel Tower model, which stands more than 7 feet tall, was one of the first projects he created, which was designed using Florim Stone’s Statuario marble-look porcelain.

“The goal for this project was the challenge of it,” said Colonetti, who works

Colonetti then interlocked all of the pieces to secure them, without using any glues or adhesives.

at European Ceramics in Osborne Park, Perth, Australia. “To make something like this in porcelain takes time to understand how big it should be to get all of the pieces interlocked together. The tower was commissioned from a French shop in New Zealand. They asked me if I was able to make something regarding the country of France and what’s better than the Eiffel Tower?”

To create the Eiffel Tower model, Colonetti utilized one slab of 12-mm-thick Florim Stone in the “Statuario” design with a matte finish, which measured 63 x 126 inches (5 1/4 x 10 1/2 feet) and was imported directly from Florim Ceramiche in Fiorano Modenese, Italy.

Although many installers utilize glues or adhesives to keep large porcelain pieces like this together, Colonetti stands out from the rest because of his unique installation process. “There is no glue; everything was interlocked together like a

puzzle,” he explained. “You can move the pieces at any time by yourself, and in the case one of the pieces breaks, it can be easily replaced.”

Colonetti crafted the Eiffel Tower over a 23-hour period using a waterjet, with another eight hours dedicated to creating all of the necessary software programs. “The most challenging aspect of the installation was making the right measurements, especially on the inclined parts,” he said. “Any mistakes meant re-cutting the piece. Another big challenge was the proximity of the cut to get all of the details of the tower. If I went too close, I would get cracks, and


In addition to porcelain countertops, Colonetti

specializes in these three-dimensional structures, and can

create pretty much any idea that is proposed.

imagine getting a crack after three hours of cutting when you’re almost done.”

By readjusting the positions on the software Colonetti used, he was able to successfully complete the tower, which has received hundreds of positive responses since its completion a couple of months ago. “Luckily, this is not my first project and I’ve learned a lot from my mistakes,” Colonetti said. “Everyone who has seen the tower has been impressed.” TILE

Eiffel Tower model

New Zealand

Designer/Installer: Roberto Colonetti, Perth,

Western Australia

Tile Supplier: Florim Ceramiche, Fiorano

Modenese, Italy (Florim Stone’s Marble

Statuario)


A dimensional

EXPERIENCE


An innovative feature wall was created in a private residence with dimensional concrete tiles.

Photos courtesy of M3LD


The tiles were created by local design firm, M3LD, in partnership with Californian tile manufacturer, Arto Brick.

A design firm in Salt Lake City, UT, crafted a unique concrete and ceramic tile collection in collaboration with Californian tile manufacturer, Arto Brick, which was used to create an accent wall in a local upscale residence

by Heather Fiore

3LD is an interior design firm in Salt Lake City, UT, which was realized in 2014 by three friends, Andrea Beecher, Brian Garrett and Jason Frederick.

With a focus on residential and commercial design, M3LD also creates artistic furniture, lighting and accessories to incorporate into their projects, and now, concrete and ceramic tiles.

“The collection we designed is called M3LD for Arto Brick,” said Beecher, co-owner and designer. “The tile designs are called ‘Brute’ and ‘Bruin,’ named after our paintable PVC wall tiles. Both are available in dimensional concrete or gorgeous tone-on-tone ceramic.”

The handmade tile collection, which was inspired by the cast concrete of brutalist architecture, is offered in three different


designs. “A lot of our design is inspired by the cast concrete of brutalist architecture of the mid-twentieth century, which is as versatile as it is striking,” Beecher explained. “Our concrete tiles are a direct homage to the beauty and cleverness of that era. Designed to be hung randomized or in a pattern, these 20- x 20-inch tiles recall a time when masonry was sexy. They can be used indoors or outside, as a focal wall or piece of art; the options are endless.”

For a local residence that sits at the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains overlooking the Salt Lake Valley, the team at M3LD was tasked with creating an eye-catching and unique accent wall that would withstand the test of time. “Because the house is an original Mid-century modern home built in 1967, we designed the wall to feel like it could have been installed when the house was built,” Beecher said of the 50- x 78-inch wall. “That’s the beauty of these tiles; they could easily be mistaken for an original architectural feature, but they also feel totally current. The client chose the style and color of the tiles, and magic happened.”

The tile collection, which was created in collaboration with Arto Brick in Gardena, CA, has been a hit with M3LD’s clients. “Arto Brick are masters of concrete, which is why we were so excited to work with them,” said Garrett, co-owner and designer. “They used our PVC wall tiles as molds, and each tile is painstakingly poured and cast by hand. The ceramic tile is also handmade, and then screen-printed for a stunning effect with multiple colors and finishes.”

For this particular project, the designers needed to ensure the trim and molding was the same depth as the tile to frame the wall, which is located near the home’s entrance in

Private residence

Salt Lake City, UT

Designer: M3LD, Salt Lake City, UT

Tile Supplier: Arto Brick, Gardena, CA (M3LD

collection)

The “Brute” design was chosen in gray, with a matte finish.

the living room. “With the deep dimensions of these tiles, the surrounding details matter,” Garrett said.

Although the wall took around seven weeks to fabricate, the installation was completed in two days. “We were there both installation days to make sure everything went smoothly, but really we were just excited to see the finished project,” Garrett said. “Everyone that sees it has to touch it. They can’t believe it’s concrete. The style fits so perfectly in the space, people constantly say that it looks original to the mid mod home it’s in.” TILE


Successfully

installing

tile or stone

requires the

right tools

to apply

subfloor prep

products,

mortars

and grouts

properly. SuperiorBilt® tools from Custom® are

engineered to deliver unrivaled professional-

quality performance. Comfortable, ergonomically

balanced and made from high-quality materials

for long-term durability, every tile pro should

have a full assortment of SuperiorBilt®

premium tools, including cut and mark tools,

prep tools, set tools, and grout and finish tools.

WWW.CUSTOMBUILDINGPRODUCTS.COM

Carpet Gear’s

Ergonomic

Adjustable Trowels

are made for

spreading material

with less fatigue

and strain to

the wrist. The

adjustability of

the handle design

makes it the easiest and most comfortable

trowel to use. With a 10-inch offset handle, it

allows for the installer to cut tight to the wall

without damaging knuckles. The innovative

design of the handle set at 15 inches below

center line allows for maximum height of

thinset material. Sizes include 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2,

1/4 x 3/8 x 1/4 and 1/4 x 1/4 x 1/4 inches.

WWW.HOMEDEPOT.COM/B/FLOORING-

FLOORING-TOOLS-MATERIALS-FLOORING-

TOOLS-TILE-TOOLS-SUPPLIES/CARPET-

GEAR/N-5YC1VZCDULZRH3

Accurate tile

setting requires

perfect tile

leveling to

prevent lippage.

Tiles that

seem perfectly

level during

installation

often show

a variance in

height after the thinset or adhesive cures.

Now, thanks to the Raimondi Leveling Spacers

available from Braxton-Bragg, the installation

process is faster and it eliminates or reduces

grinding to remove lippage. An added benefit

is that the low-cost Raimondi system provides

a huge savings over the other leading brand of

lippage reduction systems.

WWW.BRAXTON-BRAGG.COM

The Alpha®

Pool Coping

Kit comes

with all of the

components

necessary for

the coping

application for

5-cm (2-inch)

thickness.

Alpha also

offers a 6-cm (2 3/8-inch) Profiler V as an

optional profile wheel. The Profiler will create

a uniform bullnose edge with ease using the

VDP-700 variable speed rotary polisher when

used with wet sanding/polishing kit (WSPKIT).

Most of the popular paving materials have

a honed surface so that #80 Sandpaper will

create a matching finish on the profiled edge.

WWW.ALPHA-TOOLS.COM

Product

Showcase


The Tuscan

SeamClip™,

only from Pearl

Abrasive, is the

world’s first

one-piece tile

edge leveling

system that

virtually

eliminates

lippage on

a variety of

gauged tiles. Made in the U.S. from recyclable

material, the Tuscan SeamClip’s innovative

design dramatically reduces settling caused

by shrinkage. It is easy to use, as it interlocks

the tile creating a single slab surface, while

reducing the need to re-lift and re-set the tiles

to ensure alignment. No tools are required.

WWW.PEARLABRASIVE.COM

iQ Power Tools

introduces its

Cyclonic Dust

Extractor with

HEPA Filtration. The

iQ426HEPA utilizes

cyclone technology,

meaning less than

1% of the dust

reaches the filter.

It has four stages of filtration utilizing seven

cyclones. Its Power Management System

gives the unit the ability to control amp draw

automatically. In addition to the auto-start

feature, the system automatically balances

power between the tool receptacle and the

vacuum. Features include a steel cart with

an accessory rack, attachments and a 14-foot

anti-static hose.

WWW.IQPOWERTOOLS.COM

The new Diamond

Vantage TS400 Tile

Saw is designed to

handle bigger, harder

and heavier materials.

The lightweight saw,

which only weighs 65

pounds, is equipped

with a 2 HP motor that

is suited to cut tiles up

to 24 x 24 inches. The

unique stainless steel

horizontal rails are virtually impossible to bend,

and the horizontal bearing system holds the

table incredibly tight for precision cutting. An

adjustable motor is available for small or large

tiles. A complete package, including a blade,

side extension table, rip and diagonal guide,

miter wedge, wrenches and stand is available.

WWW.DIAMONDVANTAGE.COM/EQUIPMENT.HTML

TILE TOOLING & ACCESSORIES

Prosupport

Tube System

from Progress

Profiles is an

adjustable

support system

of seven

elements

only to realize outdoor floating floors from a

height of 29 to 1,000 mm. For 74 to 1,000 mm

heights, it’s recommended to insert the pipe

of the desired height into the base, push it all

the way and insert the ring. The screws have

to be screwed on the base with the hollow

side upwards for self-leveling; heads up to

5% slope or upside down to have fixed heads.

After this, the floor has to be laid on the heads.

WWW.PROGRESSPROFILES.COM/EN


The Spider

Tool Holster™

is designed

to change

the way you

carry your

power tools.

No more dropping or setting your tool down.

The Spider Tool Holster clips onto your belt,

putting any tool right at your hip and ready

to use whenever you need it. The Tool Holster

set includes one tool holster and one tool

grip. Equipped with a quick release lock, the

holster can attach to any belt or tool belt,

and accomodate tools up to eight pounds.

The elastic grip can easily stretch to fit any

handheld tool handle.

HTTPS://SPIDERTOOLHOLSTER.COM

The Rubi range of premium diamond blades

offers professionals the latest technology in

diamond blades to obtain the best possible

results. Rubi VIP blades offer the latest in Turbo

blades technology, with a specific design that

allows the cutting of hard materials (porcelain,

stone, etc.) with a 30% higher speed. The

VIP Dry diamond blade is recommended for

dry cutting hard materials, while the VIP Wet

diamond blade is recommended for cutting

hard materials. The blades are intended for

straight cuts and are not suitable for mitering.

WWW.RUBI.COM/US

Tenax 4- and

5-inch dry cut

blades work great

on Dekton®,

ultra-compact and

porcelain. These

thin blades will

produce a fast,

clean straight

cut with minimal

chipping during

the process. Designed with a rigid,

heat-reducing core, the blades were designed

for wet or dry use. They are available in 4-

(#4D-41952) and 5-inch (#4D-39794) formats.

WWW.TENAX4YOU.COM

Natural tones, as

well as black and

white, continue

to be the most

frequently used

and on-trend

colors in tiles.

Schluter-Systems’

popular Trendline

textured finishes

are available in the 4-inch square Kerdi-

Drain-Style series of shower drain grates and

Schluter®-Shelf shower shelves. The same

highly durable powder coating procedure used

to apply these finishes to Schluter profiles

is used on the drain grates and shelves. Six

different finishes are available on profiles,

grates and shelves: matte black, matte white,

stone gray, greige, cream and bronze.

WWW.SCHLUTER.COM/SCHLUTER-US/EN_US

Product

Showcase

Magazine

THERE’S MORE TO AT…EXPLORE

WEBINARS PRODUCTSVIDEOS

TILE-magazine.com

COLUMNSIMAGE

GALLERIES


Technical

Focus

Gauged Porcelain Tile, changes in industry standards and the building codeby Jim Whitfield, FCSI, CCPR, LEED AP, director of technical services at MAPEI

As Gauged Porcelain Tile (GPT) contin-ues to grow in popularity, so does the number of changes to our industry

standards and even the building code. When GPT first arrived in the U.S. from Europe in early 2010, the industry and install-ers were suspicious — “How can it be that

much larger and thinner, too?” In 2014, the industry released the “Position Statement on Thin Porcelain Tile,” written by the National Tile Contractors Association and tile setters unions. This document stressed the impor-tance of the tile contractor being cautious, as no industry standards were available to

The creation of the first GPT installation standard, ANSI A108.19, started in September of 2015 with a small group of industry consultants, union and trade association representatives, manufacturers of GPT tile and setting materials manufacturers, and took around 18 months to approve. Now, several industry organizations such as the TCNA are working vigorously to create new standards to accom-modate growing tile sizes and thicknesses. Photo courtesy of MAPEI


establish quality materials and installation techniques and stressed following the manu-facturer’s direction. At the time, I was work-ing as a product manager for a tile manufac-turer and in the process of creating a GPT, or what we called thin tile, product line. That seems so long ago, but here in 2020, we have ANSI product and interior installation standards that have been out for three years. The future looks positive for GPT as an exte-rior standard is nearing an ANSI vote and the International Building Code (IBC) will change

in 2021 to include larger sizes of all porce-lain tile on an exterior.

Sometimes, creating a new ANSI standard can be quite difficult, and many take years, even decades. The creation of the initial GPT installation standard started in September of 2015. A small group of industry consul-tants, union and trade association represen-tatives, manufacturers of GPT tile and set-ting materials manufacturers spent several days at Crossville Inc. in Tennessee, install-ing and observing different techniques and

The International Building Code (IBC) will change in 2021 to include larger sizes of all porcelain tile on an exterior. “When this code change goes into effect in 2021, we should have an ANSI exterior GPT installation standard to compliment it,” Whitfield said. “This will be a tremendous benefit to our indus-try and hopefully validate all the hard work that went into getting this building code change passed.” Photo courtesy of Scott Conwell


the results of the work. We removed the installed GPT panels the following day to confirm the coverage of the mortar; what difference did the different trowels make, different embedding procedures and what was repeatable? From these results, the ANSI A108.19 installation standard was developed. My understanding is that the tile technical committee started draft-ing the product standard about the same time. Through hard work, many conference calls and a couple of face-to-face meetings, approximately 18 months later, the ANSI installation and product standards were sent to the ANSI A108 committee and passed. This expedited timeline was unprecedented and accomplished due to the importance of the ANSI standards for GPT.

Soon, the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) published a separate ANSI document with both standards: ANSI A137.3 American National Standard Specifications for Gauged

Porcelain Tiles and Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels/Slabs and ANSI A108.19 Interior Installation of Gauged Porcelain Tiles and Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels/Slabs by the Thin-Bed Method. You may wonder why the names, “Gauged Porcelain Tiles” and “Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels/Slabs?” “Gauged” because, at this time, we were addressing thin tiles from 3.5 to 6.5mm in thickness. Today, many manufacturers of GPT also have thick tile from 2cm or 20mm (3/4 inch) to 3cm or 30mm (>1 inch) thickness. The TCNA is just beginning the conversation that there is interest in creating a product standard for these thick porcelain tiles. So, like wire, gauged more accurately describes the thick-ness. “Gauged Porcelain Tile” refers to GPT less than 1 meter (39 inches) in size, while “Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels/Slabs” mea-sure 1 meter and larger. Why “panels/slabs?” ANSI standards are adopted by a consensus process; some tile manufacturers wanted

New GPT methods were also proposed for the TCNA Handbook. In October of 2019 at Total Solutions Plus in Nashville, TN, a committee of industry professionals agreed to incorporate two new GPT methods. In the future, the goal is to have a publication solely dedicated to GPT for installers to refer to. Photo courtesy of MAPEI


panels, other manufacturers wanted slabs. Using the consensus process, they agreed to refer to it as “Panels/Slabs.”

Since the original publication, there have been some minor revisions to the ANSI A108.19 interior installation’s standard by three different ballots. One updated a vari-ety of parts of the installation standard, but primarily updated the language in the sec-tion 10.2 Installer Qualification Programs language. The second ballot updated infor-mation on protecting the installation. There were three appendix items added; one for a graphic visual of the 1/8 inch in 10 feet flat-ness tolerance and the second added a great graphic of the proper embedding of GPT on floors. The third ballot added Appendix 3, which describes the requirements for the proper format for a GPT installation train-ing program to qualify for a GPT Installer Qualification Program, as listed in the ANSI A108.19 standard.

What is next for GPT? Shortly after the installation standard for interiors passed, a committee was formed to begin work on the exterior installation standard. This has taken a few years, but remains very active and important to the ANSI A108 commit-tee. I would expect an ANSI A108 committee vote on the proposed “ANSI A108.20 Ameri-can National Standard Specifications for Exterior Installation of Vertical and Over-head Gauged Porcelain Tiles and Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels/Slabs by the Thin-Bed Method Bonded with Modified Dry-Set Cement Mortar or Improved Modified Dry-Set Cement Mortar 2020” standard in the upcoming months. It will address exterior vertical installations.

One of the issues tile contractors have faced with exterior installation of GPT was the limitation on porcelain tile in the IBC 2018, Chapter 14, 1405.10.2 Exte-rior Adhered Masonry Veneer - porcelain tile, which reads, “Adhered units shall not exceed 5/8 inch (15.8 mm) thickness and 24 inches (610 mm) in any face dimension nor more than 3 square feet (0.28 m2) in total face area and shall not weigh more

than 9 pounds psf (0.43 kN/m2). Porcelain tile shall be adhered to an approved back-ing system.” This language was not entered into the code because of GPT, it was regard-ing regular 3/8-inch (10-mm) porcelain tile. While GPT was well under the weight limit, GPT seldom comes in sizes <3 square feet in facial dimensions. Bill Griese with TCNA put a small committee together to address the recommended building code change. The committee included Ryan Marino, also with TCNA; Noah Chitty from Crossville, rep-resenting tile manufacturing; Brian Trimble from International Masonry Institute (IMI), representing labor; and myself, who repre-sented setting material manufacturers. We were scheduled to present a proposed code change on the size and weight of porcelain tile, including GPT, at the 2019 Code Devel-opment: Group B 2019 Committee Action Hearing in Albuquerque, NM. A lot of plan-ning went into this proposal before the August meeting. This small group worked on this with the TCNA and attended the meet-ing in Albuquerque on May 5, 2019, to pres-ent the new building code change proposal. The new proposal was based on larger tiles being the norm today, while being installed with improved mortars compared to when the original language went in the building code 20 plus years ago. We received a unani-mous 14-0 committee vote for approval. Just recently, on April 8, 2020, the Final Action Results on the 2019 Proposed Changes to the Proposed Changes to the Interna-tional Codes for Group B were finalized and released. Our proposal FS1-19 was accepted, as submitted. Many at the code hearing, which is composed a group of building offi-cials, architects and builders, felt it was a needed modernization of the building code for adhered porcelain tile exterior. The new language proposed, which will be printed in the 2021 IBC Chapter 14, 1404.10.2, read, “Exterior adhered masonry veneers-porcelain tile. Adhered units weighing more than 3.5 pounds (traditional porcelain tile, 3/8 inches) per square foot shall not exceed 48 inches in any face dimension not more than 9


About the AuthorJim Whitfield is the director

of technical services at MAPEI.

He manages a strong technical

services group that provides

support for MAPEI’s many

products for tile and stone

installation systems, floor covering installation

systems and wood flooring. Jim received the honorary

designation of Fellowship from the Construction

Specifications Institute in 2001 for his contributions

to education in the construction industry. He is

actively involved in the tile industry standards as the

current president of the MMSA, and is also an active

member of the NTCA Technical Committee.

square feet in total face area. Adhered units weighing less than or equal to 3.5 pounds (GPT) per square foot shall not exceed 72 inches in any face dimension not more than 17.5 square feet in total face area. Porcelain tile shall be adhered to an approved back-ing system.” So, traditional porcelain tile can now be installed even larger than 2 x 4 feet with a total facial dimension of up to 9 square feet — three times the previous size of no more than 3 square feet in total facial dimension. For tile weighing 3.5 pounds or less per square foot GPT, they can be up to 17.5 square feet in total facial dimension with no edge exceeding 6 feet.

When this code change goes into effect in 2021, we should have an ANSI exterior GPT installation standard to complement it. This will be a tremendous benefit to our indus-try and hopefully validate all the hard work that went into getting this building code change passed.

With guidance from a tile manufacturer and the TCNA, we have proposed GPT meth-ods for the TCNA Handbook. It was started off trying to add GPT to existing methods, and after working through a dozen methods, we realized this was a challenging route to go because it is difficult to include notes specific to GPT and small glass tile at the same time. With the TCNA’s help and labor’s involvement, we brought two methods to the TCNA Handbook committee meeting last October at Total Solutions Plus in Nashville, TN. We agreed that those two GPT methods and notes agreed upon would be incorpo-rated into more TCNA methods. I think origi-nally, we submitted 16 methods. The TCNA is currently making changes to those methods. If the committee can agree on more meth-ods, the notes and bullets specific to GPT, then many more methods can be added. The goal would be to have a publication for GPT that would include TCNA Handbook meth-ods and the ANSI standards for the product, installation standards for interior and exte-rior, all specific to GPT.

There are many more developments for GPT in every aspect of our trade. Setting

material manufacturers are launching better wall preparation products that are ideal for large-format tiles and GPT on walls. There are setting materials designed to comple-ment GPT installations with their charac-teristics like extended open time, non-sag and large and heavy tile mortars. Several of us have launched advanced adhesive tech-nology for the installation of GPT on inte-rior walls. Tool manufacturers continue to release lighter, stronger and more practical tools for the installation of GPT. Weekly, I see new tile manufacturers getting into GPT with amazing colors, styles and stunning visuals. This technology is here to stay, as one large slab or panel of GPT can yield a myriad of sizes and shapes cut from it. This GPT manufacturing technology uses less raw materials, less energy to kiln fire them, and because they are thinner, more can be shipped. If you have interest in learning more about the installation of GPT, get the installation standards and reach out to tile and setting material companies for training specific to GPT. My company did more than 80 GPT trainings last year in the U.S. in mul-tiple facilities and for many manufacturers. If you have been sitting back and waiting for this trend to die, settle in; you will have a long wait. TILE


InstallationCase Study

Top-to-bottom TILING

The new, 252,000-square-foot Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center located on the Texas A&M University campus spans eight stories and features more than 30 different types of porcelain, glass and stone tile throughout. Around 7,300 square feet of 24- x 48-inch porcelain tiles from Casa dolce casa – Casamood’s Stones & More 2.0 collection in “Stone Burl White” were used on the floors throughout the lobby. Photos courtesy of Paul Hester

More than 30 different types of porcelain, glass and natural stone tile was utilized to decorate the new Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center in College Station, TX


The new Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center is located on the Texas A&M University campus, directly across from Kyle Field stadium. The

8-story, 252,000-square-foot hotel and conference center officially opened in August 2018. The upscale hotel consists of a two-level podium, containing the conference center and ballroom. The upper six floors of the glass-and-brick tower house 250 hotel guest rooms/suites. Amenities of the 4-star, full-service hotel and conference center include upscale guest rooms featuring state-of-the-art technology, a full-service restaurant, bars and lounges, a gym, a business center and 35,000 square feet of meeting and event space. It also has an outdoor amenity level on the third floor with a swimming pool that prominently features the Texas A&M University logo and a view of Kyle Field.

Camarata Masonry Systems, Ltd. (CMS) installed more than 98,000 square feet of tile on the project. The original list of materials called for a combination of 33 different sizes and finishes. Nine different vendors were utilized in the acquisition of the tile. In addition to the 33 types, sizes and finishes for the tile, nine different colors of grout were chosen. These choices required meticulous procurement coordination and careful material distribution to the proper installation areas. This was critical since this hotel on was a tight completion schedule to open in time for the first Aggie football game.

The main lobby entry consists of Cerim’s Material Stones porcelain tile collection in “Material 06,” with an additional 7,300 square feet of 24- x 48-inch porcelain tiles from Casa dolce casa – Casamood’s Stones & More 2.0 collection in “Stone Burl White” throughout the remainder of the lobby.

The stone-effect tiles were also carried into the

elevator waiting areas.


In the buffet area of the restaurant, Camarata Masonry Systems (CMS) installed 1- x 3-inch tiles from Cepac Tile’s Arc series in “Matte White” on the backsplash accent walls and a contrasting accent wall in the exhibition kitchen with 2- x 4-inch porcelain tiles from Cepac Tile’s Contour series in “Steel Grey.”

The first and second levels of the hotel are serviced by two large sets of public restrooms. The restroom floors are tiled with 900 square feet of 12- x 24-inch porcelain tile from Emser Tile’s Boulevard collection in “Boulevard Gracia.”


The monumental staircase leading from the first to third levels is clad with Daltile’s large-format Panoramic Porcelain Surfaces™ on the steps and landings. Behind the concierge desk, various sizes of dry-stacked Winter Chop Ledge Stone was installed to complement the “Aggie Maroon” wall.

In the back of the house, there is a 10,000-square-foot kitchen to service the restaurant and bar areas. Stain- and slip-resistant 4- x 8-inch quarry pavers from Daltile’s Quarry Textures collection in “Ashen Gray” were installed in this area over a sloped mudbed.

In the buffet area of the restaurant, CMS installed 1- x 3-inch tiles from Cepac Tile’s

Arc series in “Matte White” on the backsplash accent walls and a contrasting accent wall in the exhibition kitchen with 2- x 4-inch porcelain tiles from Cepac Tile’s Contour series in “Steel Grey.”

The facade of the bistro counter wall features the “Catalyst Hydrogen” mosaic from Emser Tile’s Catalyst collection, which is a unique, multi-surface hexagon-shaped combination of glass, cast stone and natural stone tiles.

The first and second levels of the hotel are serviced by two large sets of public restrooms. The restroom floors are tiled with 900 square feet of 12- x 24-inch porcelain tile from Emser Tile’s Boulevard collection in “Boulevard

The facade of the bistro counter wall features the “Catalyst Hydrogen” mosaic from Emser Tile’s Catalyst collection, which is a unique, multi-surface hexagon-shaped combination of glass, cast stone and natural stone tiles.


Gracia.” The walls of the restroom stalls have 450 square feet of 9- x 36-inch Pulis Vision Tassellato porcelain tile, while the accent walls feature 150 square feet of 3/4-inch penny rounds from Cepac Tile’s Classic Rounds series. The installation of a Schluter metal cove base differentiates these restrooms from what would be found in a typical hotel.

The main function of the second level is the conference center. The pre-function/coffee break area floors for the conference rooms highlight 24- x 48-inch pavers from Casa dolce casa – Casamood’s Stones & More 2.0 collection in “Stone Burl White” and the elevator lobby walls are clad with large-format tile.

The 12th Man Bar was completed with a combination of quartz, marble and porcelain tile, which created a challenging installation. The finishes consisted of glossy, 12- x 12-inch St. Croix Brown marble tile from Emser Tile, 12- x 24-inch Bronze porcelain tiles, and pieces of Calacatta marble and Molten Gray quartz. The thickness of the quartz was 2 cm, compared to 1 cm for the porcelain tile, which meant that 1 cm of the quartz tile would be exposed. In order to provide a refined finish, CMS polished all edges of the quartz tile prior to installation.

The 250 guest rooms on levels three to eight utilize white porcelain tile from Dune Ceramics. Approximately 32,000 square

The 12th Man Bar was completed with a combination of quartz, marble and porcelain tile, which created a challenging installation. The finishes consisted of 12- x 12-inch St. Croix Brown marble tiles, 12- x 24-inch Bronze Matte porcelain tiles, and cut-to-size Calacatta and Molten Gray quartz.


Texas A&M University Hotel

and Conference Center

College Station, TX

Tile/Stone Installer: Camarata Masonry Systems, Ltd., Houston, TX

Tile Products: Florim Ceramiche S.P.A., Fiorano Modenese, Italy (Cerim’s Material Stones collection in “Material 06,” Casa dolce casa – Casamood’s Stones & More 2.0 collection in “Stone Burl White”); Daltile, Dallas, TX (Panoramic Porcelain, Quarry Textures); Cepac Tile, Chatsworth, CA (Arc, Contour, Classic Rounds); Emser Tile, Los Angeles, CA (Boulevard collection in “Boulevard Gracia,” Chiado™ collection in “Chiado Atolia,” Catalyst™ collection in “Catalyst Hydrogen,” St. Croix Brown marble tile); Anatolia Tile + Stone, Toronto, Canada (Baroque Stained Glass collection’s “Peperino” random-stacked mosaic); Dune Ceramics, Jacksonville, FL

Installation Products: Schluter-Systems, Plattsburgh, NY

The kitchen/bar area backsplash in each suite is accented with Anatolia Tile + Stone’s “Peperino” random-stacked, stained glass tile.

feet of 12- x 12- and 12- x 24-inch tile was used for the room entries and restroom floors. These restrooms are clad with 2,900 square feet of 2- x 2-inch tile on the shower floors, along with 20,200 square feet of 6- x 24-inch wall tile. As part of the quality control efforts on this project, CMS completed waterproofing tests for each shower prior to installing the finish tile to ensure the showers were water tight.

In addition to the typical rooms, there are two suites with upgraded finishes. Each room has a double-sided fireplace clad with 6- x 24-inch honed White Birch Ledgestone. For the flooring in the master bathrooms in each suite, 300 square feet of 24- x 48-inch pieces of Expanse Basalt tile and 360 square feet of 24- x 48-inch porcelain tiles from Casa dolce casa – Casamood’s Stones & More 2.0 collection in “Stone Burl White” were used, with an accent wall featuring 48 square feet of Splitface Silvertron Mini at the vanity backsplash. The wall behind the soaking tub is a combination of 24- x 48-inch Expanse Basalt, which was cut to 8-inch strips, with Splitface Silvertron Mini set on a 45-degree angle, creating a chevron pattern. The shower floor features Emser Tile’s “Chiado Atolia” 2- x 2-inch mesh mosaic from the Chiado collection. The kitchen/bar area backsplash in each suite is accented with Anatolia Tile + Stone’s “Peperino” random-stacked, stained glass tile.

Despite many changes that occurred during construction and the numerous types of tile and finishes on this fast-paced project, CMS was able to meet the schedule and provide a visually stunning interior to be enjoyed by alumni, current students and their parents or any other visitor.

The project has received national and international praise, including the 2019 Associated Builders and Contractors of Greater Houston’s Excellence in Construction Award for “Finish Interior.” TILE


The world’s largest cannabis dispensary is a Las Vegas showplace. Planet 13 includes a retail space, an entertainment complex and a factory that makes more than 500 cannabis-

based products.Planet 13’s designers looked for building

materials that could meet the strict requirements of food production while making a visual statement, which is why they opted for durable, commercial-grade ceramic tiles from Argelith Ceramic Tiles.

For the flooring, 4 1/4- x 5-inch tiles from the Hexalith collection were used, which are designed for food and beverage production.

C H O O S I N G A F L O O R F O R

FUNCTION AND AESTHETICS

Planet 13 in Las Vegas, NV, is an 115,000-square-foot facility that features restaurants, entertainment and cannabis processing equipment to make edibles and drinks. For the flooring throughout the facility, designers opted for a hexagon-shaped tile from Hexalith by Argelith, which was supplied by Argelith Ceramic Tiles Inc. in St. Charles, IL.

Their unique hexagonal shape allows them to be laid to any slope, making them an excellent choice for floors that must slope to drains.

“Being able to sterilize and clean the floor, then simply mop the solution into the floor drains has been a large time-saver throughout our production process,” said Stephen Markle, Planet 13’s vice president of production.

With a baked-on, easy-to-clean finish applied to the tile’s surface, microorganisms can’t grow in Argelith’s ceramic material, which is also slip- and water-resistant. The naturally hygienic tiles are so hard


Plant 13 Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV

Tile Supplier: Argelith Ceramic Tiles Inc., St.

Charles, IL (Hexalith by Argelith)

The 4 1/4- x 5-inch tiles are part of the Hexalith collection, which are designed for food and beverage production.

and dense they resist breaking and absorb almost no moisture.

The ceramic tiles don’t react to harsh cleaning chemicals or high-temperature steam cleaning. Their ability to handle swings in temperature make it a smart choice under commercial ovens and boiling kettles. Markle said boiling water used to flush out machines pours right onto the floor and runs to the drain.

Planet 13 wanted to protect its foundation from heavy machinery, including its 1,000-gallon reverse osmosis system. The Hexalith tile keeps the weight and vibrations from the machinery from affecting the slab beneath.

The final floors not only meet Planet 13’s functional needs, they have a sleek, high-end look that visitors love. Since ceramic

tile does not fade or stain, it never wears out. Hence, as the years go on, Planet 13’s floors should continue to be as functional and beautiful as when they were brand new.

Markle has become an evangelist for Hexalith in the cannabis industry. “Argelith was extremely responsive to my information requests,” he said. “I have recommended Argelith tiles to other businesses and I will continue to do so.”” TILE


Underlayment Guide

Custom Building Products Address: 7711 Center Ave, Ste 500, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 Company Contact: Diane Stewart URL: www.custombuildingproducts.com Phone: 800-272-8786 Fax: 800-200-7765 Underlayment Products:

LevelQuik® RS (Rapid Setting) Self-Leveling Underlayment; EasyMat® Tile and Stone Underlayment; RedGard® Uncoupling Mat

MAPEI CorporationAddress: 1144 E. Newport Center Dr., Deerfield Beach, FL 33442Company Contact: Jennifer Kramer – Communications ManagerURL: www.mapei.usEmail: [email protected]: 888-US-MAPEIUnderlayment Products:Mapeheat Membrane is a lightweight uncoupling,

crack-isolation and waterproofing membrane for electrical floor heating featuring rounded square reliefs, providing a channel guide into which the Mapeheat radiant-heating cables securely snap.

Mapeguard UM is a lightweight, waterproofing and vapor pressure-equalizing underlayment membrane designed to perform over challenging substrates for both residential and commercial applications.

Planislope RS is a rapid-setting (1-2 hours), pre-blended polymer-modified mortar that provides a quick and effective solution for sloping needs for a variety of substrates.

Maxxon CorporationAddress: 920 Hamel Road, Hamel, MN 55340Company Contact: Phil CiesiulkaURL: www.maxxon.comEmail: [email protected]: 800-356-7887 or (763) 478-9600Fax: (763) 478-2431Underlayment Products:Level EZA go-to self-leveler for multifamily and commercial renovation. No mechanical preparation required, just clean, prime and pour. Sets fast, can be walked on in as little as 4 hours and levels from ¼”—2”. Provides an exceptionally smooth, flat surface ready for tile installation.

Gyp-Fix EZ PatchPolymer-modified gypsum-based, non-shrinking, high-strength trowelable patch for use over gypsum or concrete substrates. Mixes and applies easily then dries fast. Can be feathered out to produce a smooth, even surface.

Acousti-TopFor sound control that is ANSI rated for Light Commercial use and multifamily renovations, converting carpet to hard surface flooring. Fast and easy installation that is only ¹⁄16” thick.

Merkrete Address: 4125 E. La Palma Ave., Suite #250, Anaheim, CA 92807 URL: www.merkrete.com Email: [email protected] Company Contact: Tom Carroll Phone: 714-778-2266 Underlayment Products:UNDERLAY RS A fast-setting troweled polymer-

modified underlayment. Ideal for achieving a slope base foundation.UNDERLAY SLU A Portland cement based pourable,

pumpable and free-flowing underlayment for rapid leveling of interior substrates. Specifically formulated to smooth out substrates with excellent durability.

BUILDYOUR SKILLS

Earn free CEUs and expand your expertise at:

con t i nu i ngeduca t i on . bnpmed i a . c om

PH

OTO

CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

DE

CO

RA

TI

BA

SSA

NE

SI


FEATURED

PRODUCT

Super Hellion blade by Helix Professional Tools

Helix proudly presents the Super Hellion blade for UCS and porcelain materials, which is designed to cut 4- to 40-mm material thickness. The Super Hellion is the flagship blade from the Hellion III series. The flanged core is machined from a single piece of steel. This prevents blade deflection and vibration from transferring to the material during the cutting process — decreasing the chance of breakage as well as minimizing chipping.

The blade is proven to cut UCS and porcelain materials at speeds ranging from 100 to 180 inches per minute, all while leaving razor-sharp miters and straight long cuts.

The Hellion III series is comprised of three blade types: non-silent core reinforced (flat), non-silent core reinforced (flanged super

CersaieNovember 9 to 13, 2020Bologna Exhibition CenterBologna, Italy

WWW.CERSAIE.IT/EN

Total Solutions PlusOctober 25 to 27, 2020Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & SpaIndian Wells, CA

WWW.CTDAHOME.ORG/TSP/2020

The International Surface Event 2021January 25 to 28, 2021Mandalay Bay Convention CenterLas Vegas, NV

WWW.INTLSURFACEEVENT.COM

The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) 2021February 9 to 11, 2021Orange County Convention CenterOrlando, FL

WWW.KBIS.COM

NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS) 2021February 9 to 11, 2021Orange County Convention CenterOrlando, FL

WWW.BUILDERSSHOW.COM/HOME

Calendar of Events

For an even more complete

calendar of industry events, visit

www.tile-magazine.com/events.

WWW.HELIXTOOLS.NET

hellion) and silent core. The line comes complete with small diameter grinder blades, core-bits and cup-wheels. In addition, color-matched adhesive options are offered by the manufacturer — taking the guesswork out of finding the right adhesive color match for your specific porcelain project.

Blade sizes available for the Hellion range from 4 1/3 to 20 inches, and any arbor size is available upon request.

Earn your CEUs with the CE Center. Chose from articles, live and on-demand webinars, award-winning editorial articles, browse and request a lunch & learn or earn 6-9 credits within one of

our 13 Academies! Whatever your need, we make it easy for you to stay up-to-date with the latest trends while earning your CEUs!

CE Center Highlights

Start exploring the CE Center today at

continuingeducation.bnpmedia.com

Whatcan the

do foryou?

6.7 million+ credits served

171,770 CE test taken annually

2.5 million tests taken on the CE Center

380+ courses available 24/7

35 different association credits offered

TRACK credits earned through our easy-to-use Credit Tracker


Company Name Page Number

Ad Index Editor’s Note: The Advertiser’s Index is provided as a service to our readers. No liability is created nor accepted for any inadvertent errors or omissions.

Stay up to date with valuable training materials for tile professionals from TILE Magazine

Contact Katie to order: 248-244-1275 or [email protected] shop online at www.tile-magazine.com/books

A.

B.

A.

D.

C.C.

B.

D.

A. Designing and Living with Glass Tiles: Inspiration for Home and Garden - $24.99A wide variety of tile patterns, finishes, textures, sizes, and shapes are available. See the latest tiles from

leading design and manufacturing firms, including Orsoni Smalti Venezianna, Sicis, Adagio Art Glass, Ann

Sacks, Dolce Glass Tile, Mixed-Up-Mosaics, and Ultraglas Tile, to name just a few. This book is a fantastic

reference for architects, designers and homeowners.

B. Ceramic Art Tile for the Home - $29.95This book is a wonderful introduction to art tile, loaded with ideas and resources that will charm and inspire.

Hundreds of breathtaking photographs of installations in and out of the home show the work of today’s

leading contemporary tile artists. Insightful text guides readers to an informed appreciation of this timeless

art and its marvelous suitability for all areas of the home.

C. Dimension Stone Design Manual, 8.0 with AutoCAD - $349.00The newly revised Version 8.0 of the Dimension Stone Design Manual is the stone industry’s single-source

reference for dimensional stone design and construction facts and details. Contents include a new Restoration

and Maintenance Chapter, as well as a new Tolerances Chapter and a revised Wet Areas Chapter.

D. ANSI A108, A118, And A136 American National Standard Specifications For The Installation Of Ceramic Tile March 2019 - $64.95These voluntary standards define the installation of ceramic tile as well as the test methods and physical

properties for ceramic tile installation materials. They are intended to serve as a guide to the general

public, manufacturers, distributors, specifiers, architects, tile contractors, testing laboratories, and other

businesses and professionals in the tile industry.

Custom Building Products 2

(800) 272-8786 WWW.CUSTOMBUILDINGPRODUCTS.COM

Diamond Vantage 9

(866) 322-4078 WWW.DIAMONDVANTAGE.COM

Jeffrey Court 3

WWW.JEFFREYCOURT.COM/TILE15

MAPEI 7

(800) 426-2734 WWW.MAPEI.COM

Maxxon 52

(800) 356-7887 WWW.MAXXON.COM

MSI 51

(714) 685-7500 WWW.MSISTONE.COM

Parex USA, Inc. 13

(866) 516-0061 WWW.PAREX.COM

Stile puts our love of beautiful veins and modern sophistication on display in large

format, lightweight, and ultra-thin polished porcelain panels (6 or 12mm-thick).

But why stop at the countertops? Stile is a modern-day marvel suitable for

virtually all your interior and exterior residential and commercial projects.

TAJA

PER

LA

ARABESCATO VISIO BASALTINA NERA CALACATTA LUCCA CEMENT ASH

MSISURFACES.COM

SLABS & COUNTERTOPS

PORCELAIN & CERAMIC

LUXURY VINYL TILE

HARDSCAPES

NATURAL STONE

DECORATIVE ACCENTS

Let's get started.

• Levels at 1/4", easy finishability

• Suitable for virtually all floor coverings

• Floor goods ready next day

• More than 100 UL Fire Rated Designs

• Part of the Maxxon Multifamily EZ Renovation System®

Bring old floors back to life with Level EZ®,

a versatile, low-prep self-leveling underlayment ideal for

leveling, smoothing and repairing interior gypsum and

concrete surfaces prior to the installation of finished floor

coverings. Providing consistent results that you can rely

on, Level EZ is sure to become your go to self-leveler.

800-238-8461

www.Maxxon.com/123EZ

THE EZ WAY TO REVIVE AN OLD FLOOR

gptp trends t accessories...ultrabo c pt ombine utting-edg hemistr it h ates il echnolog reat...

Documents