The success or failure of most tile projects is proportional to the amount of floor prep provided and how much attention to detail was paid.

The Tile Council of North America (TCNA) Handbook committee has gone to great lengths to provide guidelines and best practices that will help and protect the tile installer.

The ANSI standards provide excellent guidance in the proper installation of ceramic and porcelain tile.

Most people will agree that buildings experience significant movement on a day-to-day basis. Accommodating this movement is crucial for a successful installation of ceramic, porcelain and/or glass tile.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are as beautiful as they are functional, but they are very greedy when it comes to the space needed around them to absorb any movement.

According to the March 2017 American National Standards Institute (ANSI) specifications, new expansion joint patterns have been approved which allow formerly straight joints to follow new non-linear joint configurations.

In today’s world of quick turnarounds and DIYers, lippage is one topic that remains at the center of industry discussions.

Lippage unfortunately occurs when one tile edge is higher or lower than the adjacent tile. This topic is constantly being discussed because it occurs entirely too often.

Now in its fourth year, our Installation Awards program continues to honor the most creative installers and most interesting installations in a range of flooring categories, in both residential and commercial settings. In this issue, we will take a closer look at our residential winners.