Tuscan Leveling System Installation In Progress

A picture of the installation of a 55' diameter medallion installed in the Newark, NJ Performing Arts Center, Installation materials from Laticrete (of course!). Installed using the Tuscan Leveling System for the "plumb & true" setting of the slabs. Creative Edge for the waterjet cutting. Installation materials include HydroBan for crack suppression, Laticrete 220 marble and granite medium bed mortar, SpectraLOCK "Stainless" grout.

More info at http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=65904&page=53

Brian's Updated His Hardhat

Laticrete Bethany, CT Office & Factory

Some Interesting Latapoxy 310 Work

It is amazing what contractors are accomplishing with Latapoxy 310.

From a tile & stone guy:

"All of the columns, railings and pedestals are with 310. The fireplace is the most amazing part of the job but it was covered up. The pedestals are 100 lbs each. The 4 big columns on the back of the house had a crated weight of 25000# that's over 3 ton a column."

Work done by
James Bowyer
Hunt Country Tile
540-825-4116

LATICRETE Donates Products for Ty Pennington’s Hit Reality Show on ABC

LATICRETE donated the tile installation products for an episode of the ABC hit reality show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, starring Ty Pennington.
The Hill family episode was filmed on location in constant rain (plastic bags saved product from damage!) the last week of June, and is set to air this fall as the first episode of the show’s seventh season.
LATICRETE supplied Mason Tile with top of the line, GREENGUARD certified products including LATICRETE 254R Platinum Rapid, LATICRETE 255 MultiMax™^, and LATICRETE PermaColor™ Grout, for a combined total of 1,700 square feet of floor and wall tiles.
“The LATICRETE products were great,” said Mike Mason, owner of Mason Tile in Longmeadow, Mass. “The rapid-setting adhesive was huge. It would have been impossible to finish the work without it. We only had a few hours between setting and grouting with so many people trying to accomplish different tasks in such a short timeframe.
We set tile over backer board in some areas and concrete in others, and had no difficulties whatsoever.”

Mystery Image

Name the location, name the people. Win a prize. Email to: hbrothberg@laticrete.com
Bonus for identifying the item in the back of the truck.

Ever Been To Times Square in NYC ...?

At Laticrete, We Care ...!

Good morning Henry, I have just received my sample products to use. I will do some sample boards soon and inform you of what I think. I just wanted to thank you very much. Its refreshing to know that owners of corporations still care about / are open to feed back from tradesmen.
Jimbo

Do You Know This Guy ...?

Ron Nash, Laticrete Director of Sales. He hunts, he fishes, he eats, sleeps, dreams Laticrete. rnash@laticrete.com

A Good Looking Slate Installation

Slate job Adam Forsythe and Bill Vincent (3rd generation Laticrete user) did last week. Installed over double layer plywood.

Large Module Tiles & A Smooth, Level Floor or Wall

We had an interesting visit here at Laticrete by the Tuscan Leveling System people today. Mick spent some time demonstrating their product, their method of "reducing lippage."

Check out their website.

Glass Mosaics - The One Step Method - part 2

"The other thing I like is that when you put the sheets on the wall, where you put them is where they stay.

The homeowner was amazed at the process and thought it was a great idea and needless to say loves the look"

Stephen Maloney
Livonia,Mi.
www.maloneytileandmarble.com

The One Step Method of Installing Glass Mosaics

Take a look at this Tile Forum Posting of The One Step Method of Installing Glass Mosaics by Stephen Maloney
www.maloneytileandmarble.com

http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=76254

We Start Them Young

We Are proud Of The Projects That We're Involved With

We have just published three Project Spotlights featuring outstanding Tile & Stone Installations:

1. Sony Electronics Headquarters

2. Lancaster General Health Outpatient Pavilion

3. The Renaissance Main Lobby

View these and other featured projects on the Project Spotlights page on the LATICRETE website. Or click on the following link: http://www.laticrete.com/news_events/project_spotlights.aspx

We welcome your input regarding a challenging project in which our products were used in building or remodeling a facility, structure, building, campus or similar. Please contact me with details regarding a project you would like considered for a LATICRETE Project Spotlight.

The Renaissance Main Lobby, Shelton, CT
Laticrete Blue 92 Ant-Fracture Membrane. Click here for more info.

LATICRETE Sponsored Racer Still in the Hunt for Season Championship

LATICRETE sponsored race car driver Dennis Pobanz is among the leaders in the Sportsman Division after a 10th place finish in the Performance Wheel & Tire and USG Asphalt Assault at Colorado National Speedway in Denver on August 1. Click here to read the full story.

LATICRETE 272 Mortar - A premium thin-set mortar that can be used for .....

Message from tile contractor:

Bedrosians recommended 272 on my last Kerdi shower job so I gave it a whirl and was quite impressed. It worked way better than xx (name deleted by Henry so that I'm not accused of bad mouthing my competitor) that I have been using before.
With all the tight competition around here and dropping prices, I'm advertising and promoting the opposite. People may be watching their dollar but they still want quality and durability. I'm going to promote Laticrete's full system warranties and TCNA standards for tile installation.
Bedrosians has been great to work with. I bought the 272 from them, grout, and a slab of granite. They were courteous, helpful, and prompt. I'll definitely do more business with them. Thanks for the contact information.

Messages That Put A Smile On My Face

Thanks, I can't say enough good things about you and your company!!
It really says something when a bigwig relates and interacts with the TRUE end user of the products - bravo!
I will wear the t-shirts proudly.
Take care, Tim
Anybody else want a Laticrete T shirt ...? Email me: hbrothberg@laticrete.com

Plastic Bags ... No Damaged Goods When Left In The Rain

"Great products you have there. The plastic bags were genius."

Our Laticrete Reps

We have Laticrete people in the field across the USA - and around the world - who are there to SUPPORT you and your business.

Here's what one of our guys - Brian Carlson - had to say about following up with a tile contractor:

"I will follow up. I called him Wednesday and left a message and let him know who I am, that I would be happy to assist him in anyway that I can, that I would like to learn more about his business to see what we could offer to make installs quicker, easier and more profitable. I haven't heard back yet but I will leave a quick touch in the afternoon if I don't hear back."

A Rather Useful Item - Latapoxy 310 Rapid Kit

"Oh yeah ... Also, I'm on my 3'rd 310 rapid kit in a month. I can't function without this stuff now."
Matt Brinski - Crestone Tile
Colorado Springs, CO

LATICRETE® 125 Sound & Crack Adhesive Will Save you $$

Have You Considered the Real Cost of Your Anti-Fracture or Sound Abatement Installation?

Other products require a 2- or 3-step process.

But not LATICRETE® 125 Sound & Crack Adhesive. Just spread and set your tile or stone!

There isn’t a faster easier way to get sound reducing or anti-fracture performance.

Eliminate the labor cost and time associated with peel and stick mats, rubber sheets or liquid and fabric systems – LATICRETE 125 Sound & Crack Adhesive allows you to just mix, spread and begin setting your tile. The performance is proven.

Click here for more info. Or here or here for Cost Savings info.

How to Successfully Install Agglomerate Tiles

Agglomerate stones have been around for years and are notoriously difficult to fix if the adhesive material used is not correct.
Resin agglomerates are typically a matrix of polyester bound chips, quartz or marble. Due to the varied nature of the different types of granite agglomerates on the market, understanding the nature of the specific reactivity for each type of product should be the key in the approach to writing an installation specification, recommendation or troubleshooting customers’ queries.

Asking questions such as; do these products have high or low moisture sensitivity? Do they have high or low coefficient of expansion? How dry is the substrate you intend on tiling over? Do you expect concrete substrate shrinkage to be a significant issue? What sort of temperature range will the tiles be exposed to?

When you find yourself working on a project that uses agglomerates, some important considerations are as follows:
1. Color/type of stone chips.
2. Size of the stones (facial dimensions).
3. Type of resin binder (ex. polyester, epoxy, etc…).
4. Combination of two or more of the above issues are the reasons that make resin agglomerates sensitive to moisture.

Bearing the above in mind, you should use the following checklist when trying to assess what type of installation materials should be used with agglomerates:

1. Normal setting latex fortified thin-set mortars for use with stones that will not exhibit any issues with curling (generally smaller than 400 mm x 400 mm {16" x 16"} in size and comprised of colors that are not inherently moisture sensitive).
2. Rapid setting latex fortified thin-set mortars for use with stones that will exhibit problems with curling. These stones are of a “semi-water sensitive nature” (generally between 400 mm x 400 mm {16" x 16"} and less than 600 mm x 600 {24" x 24"} in size and comprised of colors that are not inherently moisture sensitive).
3. Epoxy setting mortars for use with stones that are extremely moisture sensitive and cannot be exposed to adhesive mortars that contain water or moisture (generally stones of any size that are comprised of colors that are moisture sensitive and generally sizes larger than 600 mm x 600 mm {24" x 24"}).

It is important to consult with our Laticrete technical services department when an issue arises with which you are unfamiliar.
Additionally, always consult with ceramic tile and stone manufacturers for their installation & handling suggestions on their new products as they become available.

* Ask me for a copy of LATICRETE Technical Data Sheet #117 “Vacuum/Breton Process Synthetic Marble and Stone” for a quick overview on the how these stones are processed.

Good Products + Good Workmanship = A Good Marble Shower

"Love the HydroBan by the way. Very easy application and perfect results.

I'm doing all the walls (floor to ceiling), floor and the tub surround with 12"x12" marble tile. I'm using Laticrete 255 Multimax for thinset and PermaColor Grout."

Our Technical Support Team

Our Technical Support Team is here to answer your questions. We get some interesting ones:

Hello, I've seen your posts many times on John Bridge. I am doing a shower and was reading posts on the benefits of SpectraLock and am also trying to decide on other aspects. This shower will be Island Stone Pebbles on the floor and a 4x8 glass subway shaped tile on the walls with a mosaic band. I am doing my research on various products and while I like and have use Schluter products there is always that issue about modifieds so I'm looking at alternatives.
So I think I might go with a mud deck, use the Schluter drain and Kerdi the floor but was thinking about HydoBan for the walls, for the waterproofing and crack isolation.

Tile manufactures just "recommends the use"... but no specific requirements.

They do specify as an option your 254 Platinum for thinset

Grout, they have no specifications.

So .... Would SpectraLock be suitable for a 4x8 glass tile installation where no other specs are specified. (no issue with sanded as it won't scratch) I'm assuming it will be great on the floor with the pebbles.

Thoughts on the HydoBan used in this situation (Kerdi base material bonded 4 inches up wall or so and then hydro ban tied over and above that.

or might Hydoban be used on the deck also and just run up to and couple with the kerdi drain? (in essence substitute for the kerdi base sheet so only the drain is being used.)

Thanks and please feel free to forward this to anyone in your company that can answer this.

These are types of installation questions & situations that we're presented with and these of the type of projects that we LIKE to work on. We're here to answer your questions.

Toll Free: (800) 243-4788 ext 235 or (203) 393-0010 ext 235
technicalsupport@laticrete.com

Jim Installing Glass Tiles with a Colored Thinset Adhesive Mortar

Some pretty interesting installation methods / materials are used by Tile Guys using Laticrete:

"I used Chocolate Truffle, dark brown, like the glass. Didn't make it shine less, and as it was only 1/8" thick, what else was I gonna do?"

part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uajp9j2Uc4

part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5rI0ugFkuQ

Jim Garbe, a.k.a. "gueuzeman"

We Work with Tile, Stone ... and Thin Brick Producers

Just finished a conversation with a Thin Brick manufacturer.
We offer FREE Laticrete adhesive mortar and grout for sample boards. We offer FREE Sample Board labels for sample boards, display boards, concept boards. The sample board label identifies the tile, stone or thin brick and identifies the grout color. It provided recommended installation materials and advice. The label offers installation technical support from Laticrete.
If you are a tile, stone or thin brick manufacturer or importer, can we work with you...?

Interesting Tidbit of Info

OK, here at Laticrete we sell latex additives for tile adhesives & grouts.

Here is something interesting from a Laticrete guy on vacation:

On vacation in Ft Myers FL, went to Thomas Edison and Henry Ford summer estates. I am standing next to a Banyon tree and Tom Edison largest one in FL, covers over 1 acre. The reason this is interesting is that they, Tom, Henry and Firestone planted these as a means to research the production of latex which these trees produce. Come to find out later that the golden rod plant was the best producer of latex.
See you next week.
Jay
--------------------------
Jay B. Conrod
Product Development Manager
Laticrete International

Are we "Modern," or What ...?

Our Laticrete WebWizard, Ken Tarwood

Check us out on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/LATICRETE

For over 50 years LATICRETE International has been a privately-held, family-owned and operated tile and stone installation system manufacturer headquartered in Bethany, CT, USA

But .... We know how to spell Blog, Twitter, Facebook ...!

A Good Looking Fountain

Jack Hamilton of Murrieta, CA does a nice job on an exterior fountain project. A good looking Hamilton / Laticrete job. Check out his website at www.HamiltonTileandStone.com

An Interesting Project

Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center, National Harbor, MD. Rainbow Tile in FL supplied the glass mosaics on this project. Want more info about Rainbow ..? Visit their website. Click here.

Racing

Some of our Laticrete "Family & Friends" race cars, some race sailboats. This is the Laticrete Norway team last week. 3 races. Placing 2,4 and 4 for a total of 3 overall.

Prefer cars ...? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0chX-5LUqVQ