This is part of an ongoing series to help educate both consumers and trade professionals with real answers to every day challenges in the tile industry.

Q: I bought this beautiful clear glass tile from a local dealer. My tile installer installed the material, but I can see lines behind it! I think it is the adhesive holding it to the wall? Why does it look like this?

A: Glass tile has been a hot trend in tile for some time now, but it does require different installation than a standard tile. Ceramic tile is opaque, so when the tile setter is spreading the thinset with a trowel, you will not see those lines. Because some glass tile is clear or translucent, there are some critical procedures to ensure a beautiful install.

Most important is the setting material color and that you are getting full product coverage. White is most commonly recommended. Make sure that you are using setting materials from the same production batches and check for bag-to-bag color consistency if you are installing in a large area. To achieve uniform coverage, your tile installer may have to use a technique called back buttering, where they spread thinset to the back of the actual tile before installing it. Also, it is necessary to flatten the trowel ridges.

If you are installing glass tile, it is wise to understand the installation process. The  Tile Council of North America sets the industry standard for installation practices and has very comprehensive directions for installing glass tile. Please consult their web site for more information or call your Kate-Lo Tile & Stone oncall sales rep to discuss your project.

This is part of an ongoing series to help educate both consumers and trade professionals with real answers to every day challenges in the tile industry.

Q: My tile installer recently installed a brand new tile floor with in-floor heating. Now I notice my grout is blotchy and some tiles seem loose! HELP!

A: Sorry to hear that you are having these problems. There is a good chance that when your tile was installed your in-floor heating was turned on, either during or shortly after the installation process. Even in winter, it is not recommended to have your in-floor heating system turned on for at least two weeks after your tile is installed. However, you must maintain the room temperature at 50 degrees or above.  The heat from the system will prematurely dry the setting materials so that it is not able to bond properly. That same heat will also cause the grout to dry unnaturally quick, causing blotchiness.

While it is possible to use grout sealers to essentially paint and seal a new grout color, there is no way to cosmetically repair  tile that is loose. If it is only one or two tiles, you may be able to repair those, but there is a great chance that others will loosen over time due to the unsound bond. It is possible you may have to replace the entire floor.

If you are installing in-floor heating systems, it is wise to understand the installation process. We recommend using high quality heating systems like Nuheat. Not only do they offer the longest warranty in the industry, but they also have great documentation and tech support. Additionally, the Tile Council of North America sets the industry standard for installation practices. Each year, they release a comprehensive handbook detailing installation procedures. Please consult their web site for more information or call your Kate-Lo Tile & Stone oncall sales rep to discuss your project.

My love affair with orange began many years ago. Being an Aries, I gravitate towards warm colors – red being, hands down, my favorite. But, orange spoke to me in a way that red did not. Evoking the same intensity as red, but infusing it with a jolt of energy, orange has become an old friend and standby for me – in a way, comforting.

When Pantone announced its color of the year for 2012, this designer rejoiced! So long Honeysuckle, hello Tangerine Tango! Vibrant and warm, while orange can be a daunting color in interiors, used judiciously; it can bring a depth and energy to an otherwise lifeless room.

Unless you are very brave (or love orange, like I do) tile is unlikely to be your first choice to incorporate orange. However, an orange accent paired with other neutrals is quite stunning and can give you some fantastic eye appeal. Why not paint a feature wall (or a room!) in orange? How about some tangerine pillows on the couch? What about a succulent persimmon for window treatments? If tangerine is still too much for your faint heart, why not look towards shades of amber or subdued bronze, burnt orange or pumpkin to help incorporate the energy of orange, without all the glare. You have a rainbow of options to choose from to incorporate this fantastic color into your designs.

There are many great choices of tile to choose from to coordinate with your splashy accents. From the contemporary concrete scratched look of Graffiti to the classic limestone look of Marmoris, the cool sophistication of Reflection or the rustic tones of Serengeti, Tangerine Tango is certain to spice up your living space.

This is part of an ongoing series to help educate both consumers and trade professionals with real answers to every day challenges in the tile industry.

Q: Several years ago I had a porcelain tile floor installed. About a year later, I noticed the tiles in the middle of the room starting to buckle. What is wrong with this tile?

A: To answer this question properly we must address a couple of issues. Porcelain tiles are made within a set of industry standards. They must meet specifications on water absorption, modulus of rupture and their resistance to thermal shock, scratching, crazing, chemicals and frost. They are also rated to help you determine how slippery they are both wet and dry. Porcelain tile is a very dense product that has very little movement.

Since porcelain tile is rigid, it must be installed on a properly prepared sub-floor. The floor itself must be very level, with no deflection. To prepare the floor properly you may have to install layers of plywood, cement backer board, crack isolation membranes or some form of Portland/sand mortar or self-leveling cement mix. Also critical to a successful install is using a latex-modified thinset as the bonding agent. Simply put, if your sub-floor moves and the tile does not, the weakest point in this case, the adhesive or bonding agent will release, causing a buckling or rippling effect.

Additionally, if the floor is being installed over a large expanse, you may need to install expansion joints and be aware how tightly the tiles are being installed up to the edge of the wall. If the tile butts too tightly against the walls, the natural movement of structures can create pressure that lifts the tiles.

These are the two most likely scenarios, but there could be other factors in your tile installation failure. The Tile Council of North America sets the industry standard for installation practices. Each year, they release a comprehensive handbook detailing installation procedures. Please consult their web site for more information or call your Kate-Lo Tile & Stone oncall sales rep to discuss your project.

Lexco Tile & Supply has been serving the tile industry needs since 1970 as both a stocking distributor and importer of leading edge materials for both commercial and residential specifications. Long recognized for their high standards in customer service and quality products, Lexco Tile & Supply is a natural fit for the Olympia Tile network.

“We are excited to welcome Lexco Tile & Supply into our family of associated tile distributors in the United States,“ says Ray Marron, Senior Vice President of Kate-Lo Tile & Stone, a division of Olympia Tile USA, Inc. “Lexco Tile & Stone is an established distributor with exceptional standards and is highly-regarded in Wisconsin. Their exciting synergy will enhance our distribution model.”

This acquisition extends Olympia Tile’s reach into Wisconsin, providing a key distribution point for servicing the Upper Midwest market. Lexco will continue to operate with their current staff and manager Sam Lemieux. For any comments, questions or concerns, please contact Mr. Lemieux at: 1-800-242-2249.

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For additional information about Kate-Lo Tile & Stone, please visit http://www.katelotile.com or for more information about Olympia Tile & Stone International please visit: http://www.olympitile.com.

Special thanks to Jeff Nohner for putting together this great piece!

The Tuscan Leveling System™ is an innovative new two-piece (cap & strap) installation system that is revolutionizing the way the world installs large format porcelain and stone tiles. This innovative new system is designed to be used with tiles of uniform thickness (gauged tile).

We are happy to announce the arrival of a new line of traditional subway tile. Cristalli from Horus Art combines the classic shape of a subway tile, and pairs it with a closed crackled glaze to create a contemporary styled subway tile with the feel of another time period.

This material is being stocked in four colors: Bianco, Biscuit, Ecru & Miele in a 2.5″ x 5″ field tile. There are coordinating bullnose, chair rails,  sigaro and architectural-styled dentil listels.

Visit one of our showrooms today to see this fantastic new series.

A one-step, non-sag, polymer fortified adhesive mortar that is specifically formulated for use in glass tile applications. LATICRETE Glass Tile Adhesive has great workability and produces an ultra white finish that enhances the look of glass mosaics, glass tile, and most any translucent tile or stone. In addition to containing Microban^® antimicrobial protection, LATICRETE Glass Tile Adhesive is GREENGUARD certified for low VOC. LATICRETE Glass Tile Adhesive can also be used with porcelain or ceramic tile.

Uses

Designed for interior, exterior, and submerged installations of all types of glass tiles over concrete, exterior glue plywood (interior, dry areas only), and a variety of other substrates.

Key Features

• Consistent, ultra white color across the entire application area
• Optimal bond strength with minimal shrinkage
• Single component with no admix needed, just add water
• Superior non-sag performance
• Smooth and creamy consistency
• Equipped with Microban
• GREENGUARD certified
• Exceeds ANSI A118.4 and ANSI A118.11 bond strength requirements when mixed with water

Visit Laticrete”s site for more information about this new product!