b'TECHNICAL System modularity Grid linesWhen laying out certain patterns,Usingagridsystemisnotthe it is necessary to use tiles that areonly way to do great layouts, but is modularinnature.Modularityisa tremendous tool.defined per ANSI A137.1 as TilesOne skill set that it seems most of various nominal dimensions areevery professional tile installer pos-sized so that they may be installedsessed in the past is the ability to lay togetherinpatternswithacom- out an entire floor using grid lines. monspecifiedgroutjointwidth.Withthismethodoflayout,the Verifyingsystemmodularityandentire area to receive tile is gridded specifying the allowable grout jointout with chalk lines to show where for the pattern of an actual tile to beeverytilewillbeplacedbefore installed are the responsibility of thethe installation starts. The attached design professional. If the tiles arepicture shows installation going in not modular or made for the patternthis way.youwillinstall,theremaynotbeThe advantage of this system vs. room to account for the grout joint. gettingreferencelinesandusing This diagram ofspacers is three-fold.a basketweave1. Youcanquicklycalculatethe pattern illus- exactsizeofeverycutinthe trates that theinstallation before you start and tile dimensions must allowcan communicate that informa-room for a grout joint in the mea-sured pattern. Anexampleofthisisabas-ketweave pattern. If the tiles to be usedwere4x8exactlythey would not account for the required groutjoint.Ifthetwoshortsides were exactly 4 and met the long side which is exactly 8, they would butt tightly to each other. However, ifthedimensionsofthetilewere 3-7/8x8thiswouldallowfor a1/4groutjointandtherefore bemodular. Thatisaverysimple examplebutthissameprinciple would also apply to many patternsUsing a grid system gives installers a great that include multiple sizes of tile. advantage on the job. 90TileLetter | June 2020'