24 2017 | TECH ting materials convinced the TEC technical team to make an exception. Once Blakley’s made the determination that the sub- strates were suitable, they used TEC MultiPurpose Primer to prep the existing substrates for the Laminam instal- lation. Both the schools’ CMU, with epoxy and other paint coatings, and the glazed tile were tough-to-bond-to surfaces; but TEC’s innovative water-based primer made the substrate preparation process easy. The advanced primer technology meant that Blakley’s installers could clean the existing surfaces, prime, allow drying time and then simply install the new Laminam gauged panels. With the game-changing TEC Multi-Purpose Primer, Blakley’s surface prep process became much more efficient – a big help in meeting the challenging project timeline. TEC mortar is perfect fit for gauged porcelain panels The evolution of installation products for gauged por- celain panels/slabs also helped meet the Tipton project’s timetable. As the format grew in popularity and the industry grew in experience with it, installation methods evolved to resolve issues. At first, installers believed that the best mortar for such large panels was fast-setting, to make certain that the tiles were set in a reasonable timeframe and the center dried. In the field, however, the fast-setting mortars produced other challenges. Installers found they needed more time to achieve full coverage, place and adjust the panels than the fast-setting prod- ucts allowed. TEC saw the need and developed new TEC FEATURE STORY (continued) Cafeteria restroom ready for fixtures and ceiling. Blakley’s Greg Tucker, Trevor Hodson, Andrew Uk, Daniel Schwartz (l. to r.).