Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116 Page 117 Page 118 Page 119 Page 120 Page 121 Page 122 Page 123 Page 124 Page 125 Page 126 Page 127 Page 128 Page 129 Page 130 Page 131 Page 132 Page 133 Page 134 Page 135 Page 136 Page 137 Page 138 Page 139 Page 140TECH TALK –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The new TEC® Level Set® 300 Self- Leveling Underlayment is a premium underlayment formulated for fast-track flooring installations. TEC Level Set 300 is a high-performance, calcium alumi- nate-based, fiber-reinforced, self-leveling underlayment ideal for quick turnarounds. It is walkable in just two to three hours, providing a flat, extremely smooth, durable surface for finished flooring installations. TEC Level Set 300 is suited for a feather edge to 2” single application and boasts a compressive strength of 5,500 psi. It is pourable or pumpable for interior appli- cations. TEC Level Set 300 Self-Leveling Underlayment accepts non-moisture sensi- tive floor covering in 16 to 24 hours. TEC Level Set 300 is part of a recently expanded lineup of 10 new TEC surface preparation products including self-lev- eling underlayments, skimcoats, patches, crack isolation systems, and specialty products. The expanded breadth of the new line extends the company’s commit- ment to provide product excellence while helping contractors save time and money. www.tecspecialty.com In showers and other submerged applications, waterproofing is a critical step in surface preparation. A conventional shower is made to absorb and drain water, but a surface waterproofing keeps the substrate from absorbing the water. This is especially critical to help prevent mold and mildew below. Cement board, backer board, thin- set mortar, tile, grout and sealers do not form a watertight surface themselves. A growing popular approach to tile projects that need waterproof- ing – such as a shower wall tile installation – is the use of water- proofing boards. They are screwed into place and combine backer board installation and waterproof- ing in one product. However, installation must be done carefully and according to the manufacturer, as these boards have their own spe- cific installation method that differs from cement backer board. The boards vary in size and thickness and installers must carefully select the proper boards for their tile installation. In some cases, drains and slopes are already incorpo- rated into the boards to save time. Tiling can begin immediately once the boards are in place; however you may need to waterproof the sides of the boards with a liquid waterproofing membrane. Many contractors consistently rely on IAPMO-approved liquid water- proofing membranes for water- proofing areas exposed to moisture 64 TileLetter | September 2016