Tile Words to Know
- Niche — A specialized market
- Client (vs. customer)
- Error Margin (this specific instance)
This week’s article is about some advice that seems a bit counter-intuitive but can allow you, in any industry, to decrease the whirlwind and increase quality and productivity. This advice, as you may have gathered, is “Get Rich In A Niche.” Not just for my fellow contractors, but for anyone looking to create better value in their lives and the lives of others.
Most people think, especially in the construction industry, that they’ll gain more business if they tell everyone they can do everything. I have been guilty of this. …
Tile Words to Know:
- Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)- A transparent, objective report that communicates what a product is made of and how it impacts the environment.
- Product Category Rules (PCRs)- A common set of rules that allows for a standard metric of comparison.
- Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)- The environmental impact including each step in product usage: creation, usage, and disposal.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)- Dangerous chemicals that can become airborne under specific circumstances causing eye, nose and throat irritation, shortness of breath, headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and skin problems. …
In this week’s article, we will look at some of the top stone and tile trends in 2020. I was excited to write this article because two exciting things are happening right now. We are seeing new materials, designs, and styles popping up rapidly, like the large format tiles, exotic materials, and even 3D tile; And on the other hand, there is a resurgence of traditional styles. Some of these staying true to their materials and others blending new elements and functionality, with old feeling and style.
Porcelain Looks
Porcelain tiles have been around for ages, originating in China in the 15th century. These tiles, because of the manufacturing process, are typically denser and less porous than a ceramic counter-part, making them extremely durable and great for damp or wet environments. In recent years, manufacturers have gained the technology to make porcelain tile that mimics other materials. The two big ones currently are wood and marble which are less durable and especially with wood not suited wet environments, (i.e., …
Tile Words To Know:
- NTCA (National Tile Contractor Association)
- CTI (Certified Tile Installer)
- CTEF (Ceramic Tile Education Foundation)
- Substrate (the surface the tile/adhesive adheres to)
In this article, Hunter, the lead installer and owner of Texas Tile, will outline five reasons not to hire the cheapest contractor. Hunter has been a tile contractor for over ten years and has recently joined the NTCA, and is confirmed to take his CTI Exam through the CTEF in April.
Inadequate Work
Tile is entirely dependent on how well the substrate is prepared and what adhesive gets used. Most contractors are not aware of the proper mortars/thin sets/adhesives.
This will cause problems with tile bonding, grout cracking, and clacking if the tile is on the floor. The other problem with sloppy work is that a bad contractor can very quickly learn to cover a lack of knowledge in setting standards and practices. …
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