Articles by Scott Carothers

Scott provides a situation in which the walls were not straight or square, causing the tile installation to appear crooked. He offers three tips to remedy the problem.

Movement accommodation joints are necessary, but many times these joints are installed incorrectly or not installed at all.

Often times, the builder, GC, or homeowner express that they need the job done quickly and to ignore the “harmless” paint on the substrate. ANSI says otherwise.

How important is it to prevent moisture from building up behind a shower tile installation? A happy customer and a successful installation are priority.

The key to tile longevity is using the appropriate cleaning products immediately after installation and for the remainder of the installation’s life. Here are a few tips to prevent damage and maintain that beautiful tile floor finish. 

Oftentimes, installers are asked to install over questionable substrates. There are two questions that must be answered before making that decision.

Done well, tile layout is pleasing to the eye. Done poorly, everyone loses. Tile layout is not difficult, but it does require skill and experience.

Effectively installing the proper slope to drain as well as meeting the flatness requirement of the ANSI standard is challenging. Here, CTEF’s Scott Carothers walks us through the steps required to successfully install tile to achieve both. 

Corner cuts on a job are inevitable, but they are tricky and can cost you both time and money. Scott provides a simple solution.

Not all tile is created equal. This is not to infer that we are talking about the size, shape or thickness, but rather the durability of the tile in extreme environments.