50 2017 | TECH Substrates the primer. Now that the primer is properly cured it is time to pour. Make sure you come up with a game plan to establish a start and end point. Also, set your gauge rake to the planned thickness for this pour (no less than 1/8”). Be sure that anyone stepping into the mate- rial is wearing cleats of some kind to keep their feet up and out of the LBB. During your pour, move material around with your gauge rake to insure a consistent product depth. You can then go over it with a smoother or a spike roller to break the surface ten- sion and achieve maximum flatness. We choose this method of substrate prep because it makes getting proper thin-set coverage much easier. If done correctly, you should be able to key in your mortar, directional trowel, back butter your tile and set, until your floor is done, not having to lift up a single tile to add more thinset. This same method can be used over radiant floor heating by installing the heat cable directly over the plywood. Always be sure to check factory specifications on all products being used to insure each product is approved for this method. Prep is everything. LEVELING –––––––––––––––––––– Phil Green P.G.C. Construction, Remodeling and Design Gilberts, Ill. https://www.facebook.com/Phil5555 S e l f - l e v e l i n g underlayment, or SLU products, pri- marily consist of cement-based, free- flowing compounds. Even though they are called “self-levelers,” they are used to help flatten a tile substrate. Remember, level is desired, but flat is required. The definition of large-format tiles, as per the TCNA Handbook, is, “any tile that measures 15 inches or larger on any one side.” This includes the popular plank-type tiles. These larger tiles need a very flat surface on which to tile to help to reduce lippage. With this introduction of large-format tiles into today’s tile trends, the industry requirement for floor flatness has gone from 1/4” in 10’ to 1/8” in 10. Due to this new requirement, the utilization of SLUs is very helpful to achieve this standard. Many “new and improved” self-leveling prod- ucts have been steadily added to the product lines of the major thin set and powder manufacturers in recent years to help meet the ever-changing needs in our tile industry. Proper selection of the SLU product you choose should be based upon your specific needs for your project. Most SLUs can be poured from a feather finish all the way up to 3” in a single pour. Primers designed specifi- cally for self-levelers should be used as per manufacturer’s instructions, and can easily be applied by brush or roller. They benefit your pour in many ways including creating a bond- ing agent for the SLU, helping the product to flow by water retention in the mix, as well as replacing the air in voids of the substrate so air doesn’t get trapped under the SLU, creating a blister and a possible failure. Due to the nature of the self-level- ers being highly liquid and flowable products, care should be taken to provide a perimeter containment so that the materials do not flow into unwanted areas. Tapes, spray foams, caulks and products like Edge Strip Kits (www.edgestripkits.com) should be installed for this purpose. The use of self-levelers has also become a benefit in the floor warm- ing division of our industry. Electric floor heat systems benefit from the use of SLU pours by providing a fast, easy and efficient way to encapsu- late and protect the wires/cables of the floor heat prior to tiling. Now it is possible to use mosaic type or smaller tiles over floor heat giving a wider range of design ideas. If you follow the guidelines as pointed out in this article, as well as follow the specific manufacturer’s instructions as printed on the bags, you should have a successful pour of your self-leveling underlayment and achieve the desired flatness on which you can apply your choice of floor coverings. Jamen Carrizosa Icon Tile & Design Kirkland, Wash. www.icontileanddesign.com Currently, here in Seattle – the seventh fastest-growing city in our country – all fields of construc- tion are saturated: remodels, new con- struction, commercial, residential and repairs. In this climate, the old adage, “time is money” becomes over-emphasized to the point that consumers just want the job done as quickly as possible so the project will go on the market and sell quickly. The mentality is, “Hurry it up!” This usu- ally comes back to bite...typically, in the way of failures. When we’re installing tile on floors, we have tolerances as to the flat- ness of substrates, as well as suit- able deflection ratings that must be achieved dependent on the products you are using. The CNA Handbook outlines that when installing ceramic tiles on a floor the flatness require-