in the industry for many years and we rely on its performance,” said Eric Gubelman, Creative Stonework General Manager. There is no doubt that setting these large tile and stones on a vertical surface presents their fair share of installation challenges due to the tight tolerances used to maintain the beauty of the tile and overall aes- thetic of the installation. So, selec- tion of the setting material is critical, especially when installing large-and- heavy tile (LHT). LHT Mortars are not for leveling or truing the sub- strate, instead they are intended to help fill the irregular space between the tile and the underlayment. Merkrete proved the perfect match for a specific challenge again, considering the strength of the mortar it called for. “We used large-and-heavy natural stone, which requires a mortar with a super-high bondability that can handle the weight of the panels,” says Gubelman. John McIntrye adds, “Merkrete 855 XXL is a high- performing, multipurpose, poly- mer-modified setting adhesive for installing extra-large-format porce- lain, ceramic tile and natural stone for both floors and walls, and can be used as thin or medium bed set- ting adhesive for stone. Merkrete proved it could hold its weight allowing Creative Stoneworks the versatility they required.” Creative Stoneworks’ preferred mortar is MERKRETE’s 855 XXL LHT Mortar for these types of appli- cations. “The smooth and creamy material makes for easy spreading, especially when speed is a fac- tor,” says Gubelman. 855 XXL LHT Mortar works great for both floors FEATURE: Merkrete Systems provide protection to Naples Fire-Rescue Station The Naples Fire-Rescue Department moved into its new home on May 1, 2019. 56 TileLetter | July 2019