require more lateral movement to collapse mortar ridges than some of the specialty trowels. 6. Directional troweling is a must! Right to left, left to right, or top to bottom allows for air to escape. It’s best to trowel the ridges perpendicular to the short edge of a rectangular tile. No swirls! 7. Use enough mortar so when you move the tile to collapse the ridges there are no voids. Realistically, complete mortar coverage on every tile you set won’t happen but the closer you get, the more success you’ll have. Happy tiling! –––––––––– Mike Micalizzi is the Sr. Director of Technical Services for Custom Building Products. He is based at CUSTOM’s research and train- ing facility, Custom Technical University, located in Santa Fe Springs, CA. In this role, Mike assists industry professionals with recommendations on commer- cial projects presenting a variety of installation challenges. He also pres- ents the “Top 5 Tips” educational video series for tile contractors and design professionals. Prior to becoming involved in product tech- nology, Mike owned a tile and stone installation company in New Haven, Conn. He currently serves on techni- cal committees for the Tile Council of North America (TCNA), Materials & Methods Standards Association (MMSA), National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA), Marble Institute of America (MIA), American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and ASTM International. TECHNICAL FEATURE ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Certified TileInstaller LOOKING FORTHE BEST? Hiring a CertifiedTile Installer means peace of mind that an elegant bathroom or sophisticated kitchen tile installation will be done right the first time and will look spectacular for years to come. SearchourCertifiedTileInstaller Locatoronourwebsitetofind aninstallernearyou. 864-222-2131 info@ceramictilefoundation.org www.ceramictilefoundation.org 96 TileLetter | October 2018