44 2017 | TECH BACKERS ––––––––––––––––––––– Bastian Lohmann, director/vice presi- dent, marketing, technical services wedi Corp. North America/Australia www.wedicorp.com The trend towards foam- core backer boards continues. New products in this category are flood- ing the industry, and many will help ensure there is a next generation after cement board. The benefits are overwhelming- ly many. Claims range from being lighter, cleaner, safer, stronger and water- and mold-proof. To sustain the success of this new market, however, we have also massively increased efforts in the area of user and con- sumer education and installation training. Educational programs are a most important value that responsi- ble manufacturers should offer. They create knowledge and transparency, so customers can distinguish safe quality product from inexperienced unsafe product that is often quickly thrown into the market, or made in areas without regulation. I believe that, if the serious manu- facturers in this new foam-backer industry can prove consistently high quality and a safe installation experi- ence (which won’t be possible with cheap product), these products will completely change our industry. CRACK ISOLATION ––––––––––––– Nick D’Andrea, marketing specialist ARDEX Americas www.ArdexAmericas.com Gone are the days of tiles being considered “large- format” that are simply 12” x 12”. The adaptation of innovative press and print tech- nologies has provided materials that are more aesthetically pleasing and extremely durable. • Large Heavy Tile (LHT) are tiles with one edge larger than 15”, have typical thickness ranging between 3/8” – 1-1/2” (10 mm – 30mm), and consist of ceramic, porcelain or stone composition. • Super-Format Tile (SFT) are tiles or a panel/slab that has been man- ufactured to a specific nominal thickness, range in thickness from 3.5 mm to over 20 mm. • Gauged Porcelain Tiles are less than 1 square meter and • Gauged Porcelain Panels/Slabs are 1 square meter or larger. Proper substrate preparation is even more critical when installing these tiles, along with using the right installation tools and setting materi- als, and working with a single-source supplier with its attendant system warranties. Brian Petit, vice president, operations NAC Products www.NACproducts.com The hard surface floor- ing market continues to evolve with more options and styles of floor- ing available now than ever before. Membranes help protect these fin- ished floors and create a new sur- face for tile installation. The increase in flooring options places a greater emphasis on surface inspection and preparation since the bond to the substrate is integral to a successful floor installation. New concrete substrates must be fully cured, prior to flooring instal- lation. All concrete substrates must be clean, dry and free of bond break- ers. Porous or chalky concrete should be sealed and hardened while sub- strates with moisture issues must be treated to promote a permanent bond to the substrate. Floor prepara- tion including leveling products or mud beds should be completed prior to the installation of membrane. The trend toward super or large-format tiles in recent years has provided installation professionals with obsta- cles never before seen in the industry. These larger – and ultimately thinner – tiles offer a sleeker, more stylistic look, requiring fewer joints, which drive their popularity. Since first debuting in the industry as one-to-two-foot tiles, all the way to today’s 12” x 24” to 40” x 120” sizes and beyond, the preparation techniques needed to install these tiles correctly and in a timely fashion have advanced as well. Preparation of substrate and flatness are key to the challenges presented with the installation of super-for- mat tiles, while utilizing the correct installation materials for each job. In the ensuing section, manufacturers give their perspectives as to how the latest in underlayments, backing and waterproofing aid in the installation of super-format tiles and gauged porcelain tile panels. — Louis Iannaco Substrate preparation: underlayments, backing and waterproofing products Substrates This section begins our analysis of product trends according to category, with accompanying product entries and contractor comments. – Louis Iannaco