52 2018 | TECH increased grab and non-sag/slip for vertical installa- tions,” Carroll concluded. “The continued education and awareness of LHT mortars are assisting installers to make these a more common part of the installa- tion.” Gauged porcelain tile panel (GPTP) projects are no longer just a niche market – they’re flooding the construction channel and requests for installation training have skyrocketed. Will White, Director of Technical Communication and Training at Custom Building Products, noted that there are more aspects of install- ing large-format and gauged porcelain tile than the system of installation materials. “ANSI A108.19, the standard for GPTP, requires the contractor have specialized training in their installa- tion,” he pointed out. “This means more training is urgently needed. The good news is more companies and industry organizations like the NTCA and CTEF are now offering programs and most are free of charge. “The right system of installation products is also critical to meet GPTP requirements and service con- ditions for a successful project,” he added. “This includes achieving flatness, using an ANSI A118.15 mortar, and often incorporates a silicone joint treat- ment. Remind the engineer – don’t forget the move- ment joints.” Another avenue of large-format and GPTP installa- tion is a growing market for exterior veneers. White said, “A new standard for exterior installations will be available soon to support the growing market for exterior veneer applications. New handling tool advancements are in rush mode and are crucially necessary for conveyance and vertical installations. Could we see glazier tooling for exterior panel instal- lations?” TEXRITE is also setting its sights on developing products for the growing trends of large-format tile, stone and wood-look tile installations as demand continues to grow, focusing on products that provide superior performance with application of large-format tile and gauged porcelain tile panel/slabs. Alan Kin, TEXRITE Technical Sales Manager, said, “As installation and techniques evolve, so will the formulated products in bonding and grouting materials to match, improve or increase the pro- ductivity/installation process. Easier/softer troweling bond mortars with longer wet surface tackifiers will be more of the mainstream usage.” The other hot trend, according to Kin, is glass tile, a popular material that is consistantly gaining ground. Kin predicts, “The design professional will have more color grout options available,” especially in the pre- mixed category. Glass tile installations are continuing to increase. The design professional will have more color grout options available. TEXRITE has developed 3 new, pre- mixed grout colors to enhance these glass tile instal- lations. CAC/RTU grouts gain ease and performance kudos David Mowery, MAPEI’s Tile and Stone Installation Systems’ Business Manager for Color Products and UltraCare, believes the movement in tile setting materials, specifically grouts, is occurring on two fronts. “For Portland cement-pow- dered grouts, more installers are opt- ing to upgrade their grout selection to a rapid-setting, Calcium Aluminate Cement (CAC), which offers higher performance spec- ifications and typically adheres to ANSI A 118.7.” Given the trend to larger-format tile and gap widths in the 3/8” range, he explained, less grout is required per square foot. CAC grout performance features include no efflorescence, enhanced color consistency, rapid setting for earlier foot traffic, and no sealing. Merkrete’s Carroll agrees that high-performance CAC or RTU grouts offer contractors grout products that “have enough working time, spread easily, com- pletely fill joints, dry quickly, and are easy to clean. They do not want call-backs to clean grout haze and seal joints. “The costs of high performance and RTU grouts versus traditional cement grouts are higher but, when factoring in labor savings for faster installations, no sealing and reduced call-backs, these grout products are actually cost effective,” Carroll said. “Since the trend to larger-format tile and smaller joint widths is growing, less grout is required for each installation. This allows the contractor to justify using a higher- priced, higher-performing grout because the square foot cost is negligible.” – Louis Iannoco Mortars and grouts Will White David Mowery Alan Kin