Award

Labyrinth collection available through Olympia Tile + Stone. The Elapse line from Ames Tile & Stone. DITRA-HEAT-TB electric floor warming system from Schluter Systems Canada. A PR IL 2016 | 41 Hard Surface Flooring F Technology takes hard surface flooring to another level by LAURIE JONES From traditional stone, large-format tiles to options with the newest technology used to create designs never seen before, designers and builders now have a wider choice of hard surface flooring than ever. One of the hottest trends in ceramics for 2016 has been achieved through advances in technology and digital printing. Manufacturers from around the world are now able to print many different faces on tile. The variety of faces can give any tile installation a more natural, random and dynamic look. "When I joined the ceramic tile industry back in 1978 the only method of putting patterns on tile was silk screening, and every tile in a specific series had the same image on the tile," says Curt Higham, product spe- cialist for Ames Tile & Stone. "Things have changed. We have just picked up a new Italian line called Elapse from Caesar Ceramiche. It includes a 12-inch by 48-inch field tile with 30 different faces, and a three-inch by 12-inch Trace decorative tile with 118 different faces. Clearly, these tiles would make for beautiful installations." Higham says the digital printers used by most ceramic tile manufacturers worldwide today are quite versatile – resembling the printers that many of us have hooked up to our desktop computers at home or at the office. "This accessibility allows manufactur- ers to change printing images easily, with very little, if any, real downtime required to clean out the silk screens when colour changes are needed. In fact, all that is needed to change an image or a colour is a key stroke on the computer." Higham adds that while the trend toward multiple faces began about a decade ago, it is now being embraced industry-wide and is giving tile installations around the world a random and excit- ing new look. Olympia Tile+Stone offers a broad range of tiles and is proud to be one of the few distributors in North American with on-hand inventory to fulfill the needs of its customers. This year welcomes new design trends, including shapes and large formats. "A new addition to our line-up is the Kanvas Series," says Anila Bregasi, director of product development. "It is inspired by the finish of plastered concrete walls, with a slightly tex- tured surface. The beautiful colour palette and over- sized tile options create an ideal combination for use in big spaces. Rhombus shape tiles are also available to offer many design options to our customers." Labyrinth is another new collection, designed by Giulio Iacchetti. "The concept is to design patterns that are alternatively regular and complex, evoking a sense of depth," says Bregasi. "It can be installed to create different geometric patterns or can be installed ran- domly." Talking shapes, Penny Rounds are simple and classy glazed porcelain mosaics. "They can be installed in bathroom floors, kitchen backsplashes or are an excellent choice for vertical surfaces in commercial applications," she says. The Ambassador Series by Daltile displays the utmost design confidence, says Michael Kuch, SSC brand manager at Daltile: "This series was inspired by the fine-grained quartzite found in the Swiss Alps and it creates high-end styling wherever it is used. Eons of stratification are reflected in the distinctive mono- directional graining of this ColorBody porcelain tile." Kuch notes the four colours – Voyager Black, Jet- Setter Dusk, Global Grey and Wanderlust White – make the series a natural choice for design possibilities indoors and out, in commercial and residential spaces. Infusing an elegant and modern flair of a natural stone look, Ambassador features a high level of vein- ing and distinctive patterns. "Three modern, large for- mat sizes are available, including 24-inch by 24-inch, 12-inch by 24-inch and 24-inch by 48-inch," Kuch explains. "Heightened versatility is added with dis- tinctive finishes in both light polished and unpolished choices in 12-inch by 24-inch." Unique 3D 12-inch by 24-inch mosaic in a random linear pattern adds to the dynamics and depth of the Ambassador Series. H E AT E D F L O O R I N G It seems things are heating up in the hard surface floor- ing sector. Schluter Systems Canada has introduced two extensions to its award-winning DITRA-HEAT electric floor warming system. "Schluter DITRA-HEAT-TB is the first electric floor warming system with an integrated thermal break," says Dale Kempster, technical director, Canada. "The thin thermal break on the underside of the membrane allows the system to warm tiled floors up to 70 per cent faster over concrete substrates. The all-in-one system means faster and simpler installation as the membrane, heating cables and thermal break are all combined in a single layer. The system has all of the same attributes as DITRA-HEAT, and the total assembly is only 5/16-inch thick." Schluter Systems also offers a brand new touch- screen thermostat that features an intuitive 3.5-inch interactive colour display that makes programming the floor warming system fast and simple. The dis- play is used to input programming information and make information requests with the simple touch of a fingertip. The newly introduced TRENDLINE series from Schluter Systems profiles seven new colours to go with the latest trends in tile. "Today's tile plays off the look of wood and concrete and comes in a myriad of greige and metallic colours," says Kempster. "Now, the TRENDLINE series of profiles provides the perfect match." S T R O N G E R A D H E S I V E S At The International Surface Event (TISE) West expo held in Las Vegas, MAPEI announced the addition of Mapesil T to its Tile & Stone Installation Systems prod- uct line of finishing and care products. "This profes- sional-grade, 100 per cent silicone sealant for use on multiple substrates has been specifically formulated for heavy traffic found in residential installations and commercial installations such as malls and other insti- tutional buildings," says David Mowery, MAPEI business manager, TSIS colour products and UltraCare. "It is also approved for use in expansion/movement joints, meet- ing or exceeding ASTM, ANSI and TCNA standards." Mowery says because of its silicone formulation, Mapesil T meets the Tile Council of North America's Environmental Classifications Res 1 to 6 and Com 1 to 6 for use in interior and exterior, wet and dry installa- tions. "It will have wide appeal for a number of applica- tions," he says. "Its excellent elongation and flexibility make it ideal for use in both change-of-plane and joint applications in tile or stonework. Mapesil T will be avail- able in 25 colours plus a clear formulation and we expect to expand to our complete colour palette by mid-2016." To prevent the passage of water vapour and mois- ture through slabs on, below or above grade, Maxxon Corporation offers the Maxxon DPM (Damp Proof Membrane). "The Maxxon DPM and our Maxxon MVP, which stands for Moisture Vapour Protection, both install quickly. Within a day installers can set the Maxxon Underlayment, which is ideal for both old buildings without a vapour barrier as well as new buildings," says Nicole Hills, marketing manager. This could include industrial facilities, food process- ing plants, gym floors and hospitals. "It will even cover What's Under Foot?

• Cover