66 2018 | TECH Lippage Control Systems CONTRACTOR PERSPECTIVE –––– Ken Ballin Skyro Floors, West Creek, NJ If you’ve spent any amount of time online in the past several years, specifically in any of the flooring or tile Facebook groups, then you probably rolled your eyes at the sight of this arti- cle and then again when you saw my name attached. To say that this subject has been discussed regularly would be a massive understatement. Daily – heck hourly – may be more accurate. We’ve seen banter about how one system is better than anoth- er system, and how one system is way overpriced. We’ve even seen people finding their way into unrelat- ed conversations just to brag about the system they prefer because what better time to try and make a sale for a company you don’t work for than the moment you see someone post a picture of their dog? (In their defense, the dog WAS wearing one of those cool MLT bucket hats.) So for your reading pleasure I give you a quick overview of the category and my thoughts on the subject. Different installers prefer different systems for different reasons. There! I said it! One system is NOT better than the others. Now before the angry mob shows up, let’s go over the options. Yes, I’ll probably miss at least one so feel free to fwd your hate mail to my Facebook inbox and I promise, at bare minimum, I’ll see that you sent it if I don’t just delete it. Option 1: MLT, the Cadillac of lip- page systems. Yes, I know MLT is a brand and not a style of lippage system but let’s be honest, they’re the big name in the “cap style” cat- egory and you knew EXACTLY what I was talking about as soon as you saw “MLT”. They’re not the cheapest, but they have the coolest accessories out of any of these companies. They’ve got clips for porcelain, clips for stone, clips for large-format tile, one-piece clips, two-piece clips, rubber feet for soft materials, metal inserts to get tighter grip longer – and they’ll even print your logo on the MLT caps you Eliminating lippage for aesthetics, safety, and standards With the growth of larger tile formats year after year, the need for an effective system to manage lippage issues has grown too. Lippage is a condition where one tile edge is higher than an adjacent edge, resulting in a fin- ished surface having an uneven appear- ance, said Grey Perna, Marketing Director for International Wholesale Tile. It’s a sign of poor craftsmanship and major concern to property owners. It can also be a safety or tripping hazard. Bowing that is inherent in the larger tiles, especially the popular wood-look plank formats, presents a particular problem, he added. “The increased weight associated with heavier large tiles can cause tiles to slump, present- ing another challenge to manage and overcome.” An effective tile leveling system should be strong enough to align and support large-format and heavy tile surfaces, and have the ability to apply enough force to effectively eliminate bowing while securing tiles in place while the mortar bed dries, he added. “The right system should also provide the desired grout joint spacing and offer multiple spacer size options, increase workflow and eliminate call backs,” Perna concluded. Larry Reinschmidt, Jr., President of Rheinschmidt Tile and Marble, Inc., a NTCA Five Star Contractor, as well as President of MLT North America, Inc., which imports MLT products, pointed out that ANSI A108.19 for Interior Installation of Gauged Porcelain Tiles and Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels was released in November of 2017. “Within this new standard there are both requirements and recommenda- tions regarding the usage of lippage con- trol systems with gauged porcelain tiles and panels,” he explained. “The lippage control systems were already gaining popularity and becoming more visible at many of the tile and tool distributors. With the addition of this new standard, lippage control systems are now some- thing every contractor needs to be aware of.” He emphasizes that the standard makes using lippage control systems when using certain size panels manda- tory. “Specifically, the standard requires the use of lip- page control systems when installing gauged porcelain with any side greater or equal to 39 inches,” he said. “The standard also recommends that the system should have both a base or foot that allows for complete mortar encapsulation, and a cap that is removable to allow for cleaning excess mortar around the lippage control device. Spread the word,” he concluded. – Louis Iannoco Grey Perna Ken Ballin Larry Reinschmidt, Jr.