mercial carpet is 1/8” of an inch below the edge of the tile. This fac- tor would definitely exacerbate the problem. This may be particularly challeng- ing, because you may not know the carpet pile height when discussing and developing a mockup for the project. Unless you consider the various possibilities, you may over- look the right product needed to finish the project successfully. The tile otherwise has served the area well and looks great, but the chipped tile along the edge makes the entire job look unsatisfactory and unacceptable. The real problem here is that when consumers see problems of this type, they often decide not to use tile in their next project. Their rationale is simple. If tile looks and performs like this (as seen in the photo), they don’t want it and will pick something else, which means everyone in the tile industry loses the job. Proactive input eliminates problems A small amount of proactive input prior to the job beginning would have eliminated this problem. Many times the installer is not consulted on the design end of the project. But in this case, the installer gets blamed for the ugly result when in reality, he or she had no part in the process. The really odd thing about this hotel upgrade project is that all of the other installed tile surfaces includ- ed edge profiles. The point here is that, as an installer, you should speak up and make recommendations that will enhance the project outcome and be a long-lasting testimonial to the durability and beauty of properly installed ceramic tile. Certification signals your commitment to details like tile edge protection If you haven’t already, consider becoming a Certified Tile Installer (CTI). As a CTI, you set yourself apart from the crowd and know how to anticipate tile installation problems before they occur. Do it right the first time and get paid accordingly. Visit https://www. ceramictilefoundation.org/tile-certi- fication-overview-ctef for details. TECH TALK –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Certified TileInstaller WANTTOBETHEBEST? TheCertifiedTileInstaller (CTI)programistheonly third-partyassessmentofa tileinstallationprofessional’s skillandknowledgethatis recognizedbythetileindustry. Visitourwebsiteandputyourself abovethecompetition. GETCERTIFIED! 864-222-2131 info@ceramictilefoundation.org www.ceramictilefoundation.org 48 TileLetter | December 2017