THIN TILE –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Reaching out to Tile Geeks The Tile Geeks page on Facebook is a place for tile installers to share their successes and get advice about their challenges. Like many online communities, there are active conversations about all sorts of topics related to tile installa- tion. Unlike some Facebook pages, the conversations are actively mod- erated to keep disagreements as civil as possible. As a conservative, family-owned company, MAPEI has maintained a measured approach to social media where disagree- ments can quickly become heated. However, in the last two years we have started putting together events specifically targeted to this audience where we can engage in person. Having a moderated forum specific to tile installers made the decision to invite the Tile Geeks to our training an easy one. This gauged porcelain tile panel training was the third such event specifically tailored to social media attendees. Through social media, we were able to directly ask what the partici- pants wanted to see. First, we added a second day to introduce them to MAPEI products. Next, we were able to tailor the list of products to ones they requested specifically. Finally, we were able to add a “fun day” on Saturday where we took the group fishing in the Florida Keys. This collaborative approach allowed for two focused days of very specific hands-on training MAPEI Ultralite™ S2 is a pre- mium-grade, lightweight, single- component thin-set mortar that is ideal for thin-tile applications. This high-performance, highly deformable, polymer-modified mortar is formulated with Easy Glide Technology™ for ease of application. MAPEI Ultralite S2 features a long open time, extended coverage and superior transfer properties to enhance back-buttering, which is ideal for thin porcelain tiles as well as ceramic tiles and stone mate- rial. MAPEI Ultralite S2’s unique Ultralite Technology™ provides twice the coverage of a stan- dard thin-set mortar per pound/ kg and is TCNA Green Squared Certified® for use on sustainable projects. www.mapei.com 88 TileLetter | July 2017