Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/734400
OCTOBER 2016 | 49 Tiles Tiles take on a timeless style as the industry looks to zero maintenance technology by LAURIE JONES S tyle and sustenance are again the base of tile and underlayment options for 2016 as suppliers and manufacturers are bringing the best in technology and design to businesses and consumers. Flesher Marble & Tile has brought in large format tile panels that work for both walls and flooring. Depending on the manufacturer, the dimensions are any- where from one metre by three metres, and can be as large as five feet by ten feet with other suppliers. "One project of notoriety we did last summer with the large format panels was in the Calgary Telus Convention Centre washroom," says Brent Fisher, general manager. "They were looking for something timeless and for this application we used the Statuario marble, a printed porcelain in a white base with grey tones and veining throughout that pops more than real marble." Fisher says the Statuario marble panel system is only six millimetres thick. "A full five-foot by 10-foot panel is approximately 135 pounds, whereas the five-foot by 10-foot piece of marble would not be able to be handled without mechanical assis- tance. Although the full Statuario panel is awkward with its size, two men can lift it. It is also more economical being 40 percent less expensive for both the cost of the product and labour." Blending the essence of stone pavers with the versatility and esthetics of porce- lain, Ames Tile & Stone's 2CM thick tile represents a versatile solution for outdoor applications. "The 2CM thick tile can be installed in a multitude of areas from patio and pool deck to courtyard and rooftop," says Priscilla Cheung, corporate market- ing manager. "This eco-friendly solution for outdoor flooring guarantees a high resistance to load, stress and adverse weather. "The best part of the program is the ease of dry installation onto grass, gravel or sand. Alternately, use a pedestal support system to allow for a hassle-free installa- tion for many types of projects from residential outdoor living to commercial heavy pedestrian traffic. The void between the porcelain paver and the substrate allows for the housing of cables and pipes, and easy access for maintenance." Ames offers an assortment of styles, colours and sizes with co-ordinating regular thickness porcelains to seamlessly extend your design from indoor to outdoor. "It has never been easier to maximize all your living space with this convenient, hard- wearing and zero maintenance technology," says Cheung. Olympia Tile & Stone has been addressing the growing trend to large format por- celains. The ability to achieve a clean look with minimal grout lines is very appealing to designers for all types of projects, residentially and commercially. "High defini- tion ink-jet printing technologies enable porcelain slabs to truly replicate the look of beautiful, high quality natural stones," says Cheryl Lindsay, manager of market- ing resources. "We've recently expanded our offering of porcelain slabs by adding more styles to our stocking program of Kerlite. This is a unique product, available in extra-large slabs – one metre by three metres – and extra-thin format, either 3.5 or 5.5 millimetres." Lindsay says the quality of Kerlite is unmatched as all the products include a fibreglass mesh backing for increased durability: "This allows these porcelain slabs to be used in an abundance of applications, being lightweight yet very strong." She adds that their new Muse series is not quite as large but is equally impressive. "Muse offers the gorgeous Book Match style decor, historically only available in expensive natural stones. It creates a truly breathtaking installation." The new TTMAC 09 30 00 Specification Guide has been updated and expanded to include several new details plus a special note to address the problematic fail- ings of the so-called Spot Bond method. "New expanded details for large format tiles include both interior wall and floor installations," says Stone Tile's Bill Wright, TTMAC board member. "The new detail notes include a comment on the maximum weight loading for gypsum board substrates." Two expanded details for steam rooms include concrete or masonry construc- tion and frame construction using wood or metal studs. Among the notes and other considerations is again the requirement that the improved mortar class ISO C2SI be used as a minimum standard. "Sound control details for interior floor systems now Stuck On You address thin and thick systems over plywood, thin and thick systems on concrete with a dropped ceiling, and thin and thick systems on concrete with no dropped ceiling," says Wright. "The rampant so called 'Spot Bonding Method' has been addressed with a strong cautionary statement," Wright notes. "The method of applying spot/blobs of mor- tar has never been an approved method by TTMAC. The TTMAC endorses and rec- ognizes the combed trowel applied method only." Maxxon Corporation has seen continued success with Level-Right Maxx, the self- leveller designed to smooth and repair interior concrete and engineer-approved floors prior to floor covering installation. "Installers like this product because of the self-drying aspect, and the fact that many floor goods can be installed within 24 to 48 hours after the pour, and it is compatible with radiant floor heating," says Nicole Hills, marketing manager. "If a Maxxon-approved sealer is used, Level-Right Maxx can also be considered as a wear surface." Level-Right Maxx is a Portland cement-based, self-levelling underlayment/over- layment. It provides a durable surface that is compatible with a range of flooring products, including tile and stone mortars. "The moisture tolerance of Level-Right Maxx makes it ideal for projects that require having the underlayment installed early during construction," says Hills. "It works well when installed at a thickness of 1/8-inch to 1- -inch to provide the optimal smooth surface." Flesher Marble & Tile brought in Statuario marble for the Calgary Telus Convention Centre washroom. The new Muse series of porcelain slabs from Olympia Tile & Stone. Ames Tile & Stone's 2CM thick tile represents a versatile solution for outdoor applications.