b'HOT TOPICS BUSINESS TIPContractors(AGC)slobby.We is sponsored by had to wrap three elevators with 5x106mmgaugedporcelain panels, and install 6 x 47 planks on the fl oor, Carrizosa said.Of course, no project is without challenges, and this was no excep-Theinstallationoflarge-formattiletion. For the AGC lobby, the slabs presents a unique set of challenges forwere too big to fi t in the elevators installers.DemandsuponthesettingsoIconhadtocuttheminhalf. mortar require a product that wets outWedidnothavebook-matched the back of the porcelain tile or stone aspanels, but I took the time to try well as the substrate. The mortar needsandconnectalltheveinslikea toproducesuperiorbondstrengthspuzzle, she said.whiledeliveringthedeformabilitytoInaddition,thesubfl oorcon-accommodateahigherdegreeofditionsweresignifi cantlyoutof expansionandcontractionresultingtolerance, and the elevator thresh-from larger tile sizes.MAPEIsThixoTechnologyLHTolds made it even more diffi cult to mortars exceed these large-and-heavy- get them to a manageable level. tileinstallationrequirementswithButCarrizosasaid,Wewere products that perform multiple functions.able to solve the issues with some Thixotropic formulations allow MAPEIshelp from our friends Mick Volponi Ultra orPlus,Ultra exLFT who has a wealth of information andUltra exLHTtobeusedason gauged porcelain panelsand bothstandardthin-setmortarsandARDEXrepShaughnLeeCapua, large-and-heavy-tile mortars with non- whoknowscommercialprojects slump performance. Ultra ex LFT andvery well.Ultra exLHTmortarsalsomeetISO non-sagperformancerequirementsTheresultisastunningand forverticalapplications.Allthreebeautiful installation.LHT mortars hold ridges when larger-sizedtrowelsareused,providingRachel Cahalan maximumsupportandcoverage.Tile by Rachel, LLCwww.mapei.com. Spring eld, Va. TilebyRacheltackledthis gorgeousherring-bonebacksplash,a projectwithavery tightdeadlinetoset Catania Blue 6 x 12 ceramic tile from The Tile Shop. 84 TileLetter | October 2019'