b'NTCA MEMBER SPOTLIGHTdidnt satisfy me. There was an itch inside me that needed to create. I needed to explore construction and art; I needed to set tile. It was the only thing that would pass the time in an enjoyable way for me. I went Designedtodeliverattractive,to a local box store and picked up high-qualitytilesurfaceswhilesomematerialandtiledakitchen preventingcall-backs,Customin 2000, and then a friends moms BuildingProductsPrismUltimatebacksplash, and then a shower. PerformanceCementGroutistheNext, I met Rob Yatesa NTCA proven,go-tomemberat the supply house. We optionfora widevarietyofhad not met before, but had mutu-installationproj- alfriendsandstartedtalking.He ects. A high-per- mentioned that I should check out formance cementthe TCNA Handbook and go to a groutmeetingNTCA seminar when it was in town. ANSIA118.7,I didand everything completely its formulated forchanged,again.Iwasinvigorated higherstrength,with new knowledge and access to moreresistanceyearsandyearsofpreviouswork to cracking and less water absorp- the handbook contained. tiontoreducethelikelihoodof staining.Ahomegrowntilecompanyhad PrismUltimatePerformancebeen created: Deen Contracting, Inc. Cement Grout can be used in joints(deentile.com),basedinRochester, from1/16to1/2.It willnotIll.Inthemiddleofacornfi eldin mottleorshaderegardlessoftileCentral Illinois, I got a job with one type,temperatureorhumidity,andof our local farms. I was dying to try does not contribute to ef orescence.tile installation on a 3D-scale and I Thedensityprovidesstainresis- wanted to do crown molding with a tance while its rapid-setting formulawaterfall off it for bathing. I had an expeditesprojects.PrismUltimate ideaandthehomeowner,Dennis, Performance Cement Grout is light-weight, giving installers unmatchedmade the plumbing workhe can handlingandworkabilitywhileprobably fi x an alien space craft if it contributingto LEEDcerti cation.crashed in a fi eld! I fi eld-framed the Availablein17-poundboxes,crown ledges from 1x 4 pine and Prism Ultimate Performance Cementthen I clad it in cement board and Groutcoversthesameareaasamembrane. Next, I used foam. I have 25-poundbagofstandardgrout.evenused.050-gaugealuminum www.custombuildingproducts.com.sheets and bent them into forms to be fi lled with mortar. My fi rst ledge 60 TileLetter | April 2019'