For continued success, tile installers should study the TCNA Handbook and ANSI Specifications and retain as much as possible or at least know where to find the answers.
Almost every residential installer has heard the phrase uttered from a surprised customer at five minutes after five o’clock, something like “That is not what I picked,” or “My floor doesn’t look anything like the sample board.”
The introduction of thin panel porcelain tile or thin tile porcelain panels – or which for now seems to be the most popular name, thin porcelain tile (TPT) – is quickly revolutionizing the tile market.
With the popularity of large-format tile continuing to grow comes the necessity of providing an adequate supply of thin-bed or medium-bed mortar to properly support and bond the tile. The question is, which trowel notch works best?
The method of applying thin-bed and medium-bed mortars has changed over the years. Today many installers use (or should be using) the straight line troweling method as describe in the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) Trowel and Error video.
Installers work hard to produce a finished tile installation that is both pleasing to the eye and functional. To accomplish this task, the installer must have the hand skills necessary to complete the work correctly the first time using the best quality materials available.
