b'TECHNICAL Why you need movement jointsQuick and easy waysBy Scott Carothers, Director of to achieve them correctly Certifi cation and Training, Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) Hopefully,asatileinstaller,listings in the Tile Council of North youveheardalotaboutmove- America (TCNA) Handbook under ment,expansion,ormovementMethod EJ171. Without movement accommodation jointsand regu- joints, failure is lurking in the shad-larlyplanthemintoallofyourows, waiting to strike. This is true installations.Unfortunately,tooespecially on fl with ceramic,oors many people who regularly installporcelain, glass, and natural stone tile are not aware of their impor- tile that is subject to sunlight, in-tance. Were going to explore whyfl heat, and/or moisture. Manyoor theyareabsolutelynecessaryinstallations that appear to be well and how to provide them correctly, quickly, and easily. TheNationalTileContractors Association(NTCA)Reference Manual glossary, provides this defi -nitionofanexpansionjoint(aka movement joint): A joint through thetile,mortar,andreinforcing wire down to the substrate. By integrating these stress reliev-ers into the tile assembly, expan-sionandcontractiontakesplace without compromising its integrity. But who is responsible to make this happen?Sadly, movement joints are prob-ablytheleast-used,most-misun-derstood,andoften-eliminatedAn unfortunate example of tented tile. The part of a tile installation. However,really sad part of this situation is that the installer did an excellent job, except for they are one of the most importantthe lack of any expansion joints.94 TileLetter | July 2020'