THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL TILE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION BART A. BETTIGA, publisher bart@tile-assn.com LESLEY A. GODDIN, editor lesley@tile-assn.com MICHELLE CHAPMAN, art director advertising sales michelle@tile-assn.com MARY SHAW-OLSON, advertising sales mary@tile-assn.com Mailing Address: P.O. Box 13629 Jackson, MS 39236 U.S.A. Shipping Address: 626 Lakeland East Drive Jackson, MS 39232 Tel: 601-939-2071 Fax: 601-932-6117 Website: www.tileletter.com www.tile-assn.com Columns 6 Welcome new members 8 NTCA Tile & Stone Workshops 9 CTEF Workshops 14 Editor’s letter 18 President’s letter 22 Ask the Experts: Sponsored by LATICRETE International, Inc. 30 Business Tip: Construction Wages: skilled workers command higher pay By Lesley Goddin 62 Tech Talk: Respirable crystalline silica – it can take your breath away , Sponsored by TEC® /H.B. Fuller Construction Products 72 Member Spotlight: NTCA appoints Northern California Tile & Stone Inc. as 2018's first Five Star Contractor Sponsored by Custom Building Products 76 NTCA Benefits Box "Partnering for Success" voucher program 80 Thin Tile: Ponder prep before predicting price Sponsored by MAPEI Corporation 84 NTCA University Update: Regional Training Event mid-year wrap up By Becky Serbin, Training and Education Coordinator 100 News Briefs from Coverings 106 Coverings Products 115 Advertiser Index The National Tile Contractors Association, Inc. is an equal opportunity association and seeks to include qualified individuals and businesses in all phases of its activities. The National Tile Contractors Association, Inc. does not discrimi- nate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or disability. The National Tile Contractors Association, Inc. seeks opportunities to include these groups in its programs and activities. TileLetter is a free subscription to the tile, stone and allied products industries. To subscribe, visit www.tileletter.com -> click on Advertisers & Subscribers -> click on Subscribe. To make address changes or unsubscribe, please send an email to: webmaster@tile-assn.com. TILELETTER EDITORIAL POLICY: TileLetter is the official publication of the National Tile Contractors Association, Inc. (NTCA). TileLetter provides a medium for expressing views and opinions without approving, disapproving, or guaranteeing the validity or accuracy of any data, claim or opinion appearing under a byline, or obtained or quoted from an acknowledged source. Statements of fact and opinion are made on the responsibility of the authors alone, and do not imply an opinion or reflect the official position of NTCA. NTCA would not be possible with- out the dedicated service of our board and committee members, and regional and state directors. Meet these dedicated volunteers by visit- ing www.tile-assn.com and clicking on About Us. You can also find infor- mation and a continually updated list of Five Star Contractors at www. tile-assn.com – click on Find a Tile Contractor or Consultant. 4 TileLetter | June 2018