b'Q&ATECHNICAL FEATUREEncaustic/cement/hydraulic tile Q&A: considerations for a successful installationBy John Cox, Cox Tile, San Antonio, TexasJohn Cox, in conjunction with Jim Whitfield of MAPEI, Rod Sigman of Custom Building Products, Martin Brooks of Heritage Marble and Tile, Rich Galliani of Galliani Tile Company and Steve Slutzah of Westside Tile and Stone, collaborated on this Q&A about issues that may arise with encaustic/hydraulic/cement tiles installation. Cox and his team are heading an effort to draft a document on these tiles for the 2021/2022 NTCA Reference Manual. How widespread is the use of encaustic or cement tiles?Cement tiles or hydraulic tiles are handmade tiles that originated in the 1850s in Spain. Due to the many colors and variety of the tiles, they have been used in Europe and the United States extensively. Cement tiles are not fired. They are a combination of fine dehydrated ground portland cement layer and a coarser layer of sand and cement. The pigment layer is hydraulically pressed into the surface and becomes a part of the tile. The name of the tiles has a variety of names: encaustic tile, Redondo tile, mission tile, and cement tiles.Theyhavebeeninstalledsuccessfullyforover150 years, but there are challenges with installing these types of tiles. We will try to address some of the questions that arise. Some of the answers are redundant but apply to each individual question.Some of the manufacturing origins today are from the U.S., Honduras, Vietnam, and Mexico. What do contractors need to keep into mind for success-ful installs with these products?Thesetilesarechallengingtoinstallduetosizing, moisture content, how fragile they are, and the poros-ity of the tile.Customers sometimes ask to butt joint the tiles, but thatwillnotmeetANSIspecsofnolessthan1/16. Thickness variations of the tile create challenges install- Cement or hydraulic tiles are handmade tiles that originated in Spain ing them. The old traditional method of creating a mor- during the 1850s.122020|TECH'