One of the many benefits of being a member of the NTCA is technical support. One of the most prevalent calls we receive is about wash wall lighting. The design commu- nity has embraced this lighting that is located in the ceiling close to the wall and casts light down the wall and creates an undesirable shad- owing effect. The lighting reveals inconsistencies in the wall, tile, and the work. In a large commercial project where this type of lighting is used, a mock-up can be a great asset. Finding out early the effects that light will have on the instal- lation can save a lot of headaches and money. Moving the lights out from the wall can make a huge dif- ference. Discovering this informa- tion early from a mock-up makes the process quicker, easier, and cheaper. Setting expectations with your mock-ups One thing to consider when doing your mock-up is to be mind- ful of who you are selecting for that installation and to create the mock-up. If you have a large crew with several installers, there is a tendency to pick your best people to do your mock-up. Remember, this is an example of what the owner will expect throughout the project. Inevitably, we have differ- ent employees that work at differ- ent speeds with different skill sets. It would be best to pick someone of average skill and speed for your group. This will give a more real- istic expectation of what you can deliver. It’s said that it’s better to undersell and over deliver, than oversell and under deliver. Once the mock-up is complete, communicate potential problems, and get a formal acceptance of the installation for the standard on the remainder of the project. In conclusion, I hope you under- stand how mock-ups can: • Allow you to evaluate environ- mental conditions on the jobsite • Access substrate flatness • Define roles and responsibilities of each trade • Give a good indication of the time it will take to complete a project • Allow for evaluation of actual tile and grout color and shading • Set an agreed upon tile pattern and grout joint size • Help eliminate issues with criti- cal lighting • Manage customers’ expectations and reduce risk. TECH TALK –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 76 TileLetter | September 2018