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 8460 2016 | TECH based on execution of our knowl- edge. The knowledge of training and safety is our first goal. The CTI testing confirms that our training was suc- cessful. The continued seminars and now the ACT certification gives each employee additional goals to attain. Management has the goal of prop- er execution of those certifications and motivation for our employees to continue to function using our best practices. This is our baseline and leads us to the new technology available to us. I am a Schluter Authorized Dealer and all of my employees have been to the Schluter workshops. Their sys- tem aligns with ours. They provide outstanding training directly to my employees. They support us. We sup- port them. We use Schluter prod- ucts for a sealed shower system. The presloped pan and drain is simple to install and easy to explain to the customer. My installers are familiar with the products and have access to video if there is a question. The new systems are great, howev- er about one third of my clients will pay for the better system installed properly. We still hear comments from consumers trying to justify sim- ple concrete board and no water- proofing, except on the pan. We will continue to educate our clients to upgrade to the products designed to provide a long-lasting shower sys- tem, however consumer education is still the key. Shower Systems Mortars Tony Pasquarelli, marketing services manager Custom Building Products www.custombuildingproducts.com Large and heavy tile is not going away any time soon and mortar tech- nology has pivoted to stay aligned with this trend. Tile contractors today have more options than ever before, and they must choose their instal- lation materials based on tile size and weight. For tiles with any side greater than 15”, an LFT or large- format-tile mortar must be selected. Sean Boyle, senior director of marketing and product management LATICRETE www.laticrete.com Tile and stone have become larger and heavier in recent years. Furthermore, archi- tects and builders continue to specify installing these materials in ever more challenging locations and environments. To keep up with evolving demand, advanced adhesive technologies have been formulated that allow these materi- als to be installed both safely and productively. The best technologies exceed ANSI A118.15, the industry’s highest performance standard for a cementitious-based adhesive mortar. Brian Pistulka, business manager for Tile & Stone Installation Systems MAPEI www.mapei.com The Tile Council of North America’s (TCNA) efforts to establish a defini- tion along with characteristics for large- and-heavy-tile (LHT) mortars in the Setting Materials Selection Guide of the TCNA Handbook is making a significant impact on the products manufacturers formulate and con- tractors use. An LHT mortar is a thin- set bonding mortar for ceramic and Mortars have undergone a huge evolution in recent years to keep pace with harder-to-bond porcelain tiles, larger-format tiles (12” x 24” and plank sizes are all the rage right now) – and to support slim tiles, large thin gauged porcelain panels and the like. Without the proper bond, the installation is a nightmare of hollow spots, cracked tiles or worse – tiles falling from walls and caus- ing injury. At the same time, manufacturers have persevered to make mortars that are easier to work with, more spread- able, lightweight, with better open times and faster cure times. These are not your grandfather’s mortars. Take a spin through the comments below and the new products in the sidebar to learn about new technologies that can make your projects easier, faster, more secure and better- performing. – Lesley Goddin Kevin and Renata Insalato with some of their tilework.