TERRAZZO TILE AND MARBLE ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
L'ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DE TERRAZZO, TUILE ET MARBRE

TERRAZZO, TILE AND STONE - FOR A LIFETIME OF BEAUTY?
By Jim Mannella

 The other morning, the phone rang and when I answered, I recognized the voice as the mother of one of the players on my son’s baseball team.

“Good morning, Mr. Mannella”. 

I must be getting old, as everybody is starting to call me Mr. Mannella.

“Good morning” I replied.

I started to get ideas of a father-son baseball game being organized, and that must be the reason that she was calling.

“You’re in tile and marble, aren’t you?” she said.

Uh-oh, I thought, I’m in trouble now, thinking that once again, someone was calling for a helping hand, for only a few hours, to install some tile somewhere in their house.  Don’t these people know I’m only an estimator!

“Well”, I explained, “our company does tile and marble installations, with the tile setters who work for the company.”

“I’ve got a problem in my bathroom”, she explained. “ All the tiles on the floor are breaking and coming loose, and I was wondering if you knew how to stop this from occurring.”

She went on to explain that she had received some expert advice from a large home renovation centre, who sold her the tile,  adhesive and the grout, and a friend of a friend installed it for her, after assuring her that he had done it before, and there was nothing to it.

“Is it normal to have the tiles butt up against each other, because we can’t get the grout in the joints?” she asked.

“Are you sure it’s a floor tile you have?” I asked.

“Is there a difference between tile for walls and floors? was her answer.

“Is the floor installed on two layers of plywood?” I asked.

“The installer told us that the ½” layer of plywood sheathing was good enough” she replied.

“Is there enough adhesive on the floor to properly bond to the back of the tile? I enquired.

“Well, when I take up a loose tile, there doesn’t seem to be hardly any glue bonded to the back of the tile.”

“Did he use a trowel with a large notch for the adhesive?”

“Do you have to use a notched trowel?

It was at this point, when I realized that this floor had no hope, and it’s chances for long term survival were next to nothing.

“I’m afraid that the only thing that you can do is to remove this tile floor, and start over doing it properly.” was my final conclusion to her story.

As much as I feel a certain sympathy for people in such predicaments, it kind of confirms the old adage that you get what you pay for in life.  What should have been an installation that should last a lifetime, was really an installation that would be a continuous source of problems.  Just because we install products thats should give the owner a “Lifetime of Beauty” as our motto states, trouble free installations are not necessarily guaranteed in our industry.

Trouble free, lifelong installations are the result of several factors.  First,  a thorough analysis of the area involved is required in order to help you decide what type of installation is required.  Are we installing tile in a residential kitchen, or in a commercial kitchen.  These two installations are at opposite ends on the guide for floor tile installation, and require different tiles, different substrates, and different setting and grouting materials.  Using a residential method of installation for the commercial kitchen project will surely result in premature failure.  The “2000 Specification Guide 09300 - Tile Installation Manual” is a tremendous source for the owner and architect in helping them decide the best method of installation for their project.

The second important element for a trouble free installation is the use of a knowledgeable and experienced contractor for your project.  An experienced contractor brings with him the wealth gained from previous projects, and often this experience will prevent many problems you may have with installers who have little or no experience.  I am often amazed as to the myriad of bidders who bid and are allowed to bid on projects which are obviously not close to their expertise. 

The experienced installer can be used as a consultant for the project.  He will recognize if you are using the proper tile for your installation, can recommend a proper installation method, can guide you as to required surface preparation, the proper use of control joints, and even guide you as to the proper use of periodic maintenance procedures once the job is finished.  Owners and architects are encouraged to consult with the TTMAC as a reference for reputable and experienced installers.  The staff will gladly steer you in the right direction, and suggest several different contractors in your area who are qualified for certain types of work.

Jim Mannella is President of National Ceramic + Granite Limited of Montreal.  He is the immediate Past President of the Terrazzo, Tile and Marble Association of Canada, and has been a Director of the Association for many years.