TECH TALK –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H.B. Fuller Construction Products introduces TEC® Ultimate 6 Plus Polymer Modified Mortar specifi- cally designed for installing gauged porcelain tile panels/slabs and large heavy tiles (LHT). TEC has devel- oped Ultimate 6 Plus Mortar to meet the particu- lar challenges of installing excep- tionally large thin tile panels and LHT on floors or walls. The new mortar offers extreme versatility. TEC Ultimate 6 Plus Mortar has a unique set of features that allows grouting in six hours – even when installed over the most impervi- ous substrates such as uncoupling membranes. Easy-to-use Ultimate 6 Plus Mortar has an extended pot life of two to three hours and open time of 50-60 minutes, allowing installers much-needed time to get full coverage and make adjust- ments. While this TEC mortar is formulated for gauged porcelain tile panels/slabs and LHT, it also works well on traditional tile for both floor and wall applications. TEC Ultimate 6 Plus Mortar exceeds ANSI A118.4TE and A118.11. www.tecspecialty.com. There is more to this issue than meets the eye, and must be con- sidered. The floor covering indus- try is changing, and changing fast. With the ever-increasing demand for large-bodied tiles plus the advent of gauged porcelain slabs and panels, the demands for flat and level floors has increased dramatically. Add to this the ever-growing demand for lux- ury vinyl tiles (LVT) that also demand extremely flat and level floors, and it is plain to see that nearly every type of floor covering other than carpet requires a minimum of 1/8” in 10’ flatness levels. Case in point Progress is not being made along these fronts and it is not fair to any- one involved. Let me give you an example: In the spring of last year I received a frantic phone call from a good tile contractor friend of mine in Houston, Texas. He had a large ceramic and resilient tile project in progress for one of the largest build- ing contractors in the country and was up against the wall with a sub- strate issue that was going nowhere Laser set up with a 50” control reading 60 TileLetter | March 2018