TECH 2020 President's Letter

Stick to what you know

60+ years ago, the common installation materials used for tile consisted of two basic components – sand and cement. Tile installations 60+ years ago also consisted of two basic installation methods, mud-set and – wait for it – thicker mud-set!

Things are very different today. It would be difficult for one person to be aware of the multitude of different tile, tile installation products and installation methods available for use today. Even the thickset and scratch coat methods have been updated, modified, additive-enhanced and membrane-assisted. They bear little resemblance to the original versions that lasted for generations as successful setting and leveling beds for tile and stone. Multiple brands offer several levels of products with various performance characteristics developed to assure optimal performance and longevity for installations over problematic structures and substrates. As materials are developed and installation methods continue to evolve, the challenges facing installers, specifiers, consumers, and manufacturers are evolving as well.

No matter how you participate in the tile industry, it is likely that you are touched in some way by the industry’s technical and installation manuals. The ANSI manual, TCNA Handbook for Ceramic, Glass and Stone Tile Installation and NTCA Reference Manual are intended to provide guidance and to establish performance requirements as well as give basic installation recommendations. Along with manufacturers’ installation instructions, they are resources to instruct users how to properly apply and integrate multilayer tile assemblies. In a worst-case scenario, if you have a failure or complaint, your liability may be determined by how well you followed the standards in the application of the finishes.

For the past few years, an initiative led by NTCA staff, volunteers and other industry professionals are working on revising the American National Standards Specification for the Installation for Ceramic Tile (ANSI A-108, A118, A136). The initiative intends to ensure that the ANSI document addresses the requirements of the evolving capabilities of new tile manufacturing, products and methods as well as ensuring the revised standard is capable of incorporating new materials or methods yet to be known or developed. As the complexity of tile assemblies grows, and the size of the tile modules explodes, the need for high-quality stable structures and substrates becomes critically important for any successful tile installation. It goes without saying that it is important these documents are current and address the application of “modern” construction, while not unfairly or unevenly exposing the consumer, user or installer.

Usually, the tile installation professional is directed to a substrate over which they will apply the tile. One proposed change to the ANSI document will likely be to move away from instructing other trades on how to correctly prepare their specific finish that precedes the application of tile. Other than referring to work as “Preparation by other Trades,” the Ceramic Tile Installation Specification may not be the best place to look for instruction on the preparation of the structure under where the tile is installed. If the tile contractor does not tell the concrete contractor how and where to install rebar in concrete, why does the ANSI A-108 Standard for the Installation for Ceramic Tile presume to be the place to instruct others how wall or floor structures should be constructed to meet applicable commercial or residential building codes? Who would presume that they should be checking the ANSI tile standard to confirm the type and quality of the joist in the wood floor, or the quality, gauge and placement of metal studs in the wall?

How does the tile contractor credibly check for deflection in the structure? We do not. We should only be concerned with our warranty/guarantee that we have properly prepared the surface to which we are applying the tile or the parts of a tile assembly. We cannot reasonably be expected to know how the structure will perform or how it was constructed. That is the job of the architect, owner or design professional. Some feel that including information detailing how to construct the structure in ANSI A-108 may in some ways obligate the tile installation professional to be knowledgeable or share responsibility for the quality and performance of a structure prepared by multiple preceding trades. Better to stick with what you know.

Chris Walker
NTCA President
Vice President, David Allen Company
Chairman, ANSI A-108
Chairman, US TAG ISO TC-189
Board of Directors ABC-VA
Voting Member TCNA Handbook
Voting Member 
NTCA Reference Manual
chriswalker@davidallen.com