Non-Standard Work?
>1.2cm slab countertops fall outside tile-guidance norms
Above and previous page: Stile porcelain slab; courtesy MSI.
By K. Schipper
Porcelain slabs are still the new kid on the block, and a recalcitrant one at that. While designers and homeowners are in love with their looks and durability, back in the shop or out on the install porcelain can present an entirely different story if it’s 1.2 cee em thick – or thicker. Getting that resolved isn’t easy, either. Some in the industry hoped that the recently updated American National Standard (ANSI) Specifications for Gauged Porcelain Tiles and Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels/Slabs might provide answers. However, with people in the tile and countertop industries having different goals and different needs, the use of “slabs” in the title really isn’t there to address concerns of the countertop fabricators and installers. About the best that can be said is some see a future time when the two groups aren’t talking past one another – but not yet.
NOT FOR COUNTERTOPS The sad reality is there’s a dearth of information on the entire topic when it comes to crossing that 1.2cm barrier. That’s not to say even the thinner tiles don’t present their challenges to tile installers as the pieces themselves get larger. Bill Griese, director of standards development and sustainability initiatives for the Anderson, S.C.-based Tile Council of North America (TCNA), says the reality is they’re all the same animal. “They’re all made with the same materials, although perhaps slightly different to achieve the size and shape,” he says. “You can make them as thick as 2cm, even 3 cm, although it’s unusual in that size. But that’s where we’ve crossed over as an industry to where it becomes a discussion of fabrication or a conventional tile installation.” At the same time, he says it’s important to know that historically, no one much cared about the thickness of ceramic tile. Instead, tile was identified by its dimensions: 8” X 8”, 12“ X 12”, etc. “It was just recently that the market cared about what thickness it is and how consistent it is,” Griese says. “And this became a conversation about really the 6.5mm and below because that’s what the market was really promoting and communicating based on thickness as a key attribute.” For installations utilizing tile of 6.5mm or less, there’s a great deal of concern that the work be done by someone qualified. Not only does the work require installers who are equipped with the proper tools, but ANSI A108.19 and ANSI A108.20 also require them to have “acquired sufficient product knowledge and installation experience through the completion of an Installer Qualification Program….” That can come in a variety of different ways, including recognition by the Advanced Certification for Tile Installers (ACT) program, completion of a comprehensive installation program provided by the manufacturer of gauged porcelain tiles or panels/slabs, or completion of a program by the International Masonry Institute (IMI) or the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA), according to James Whitfield, director, technical services, for Deerfield Beach, Fla.-based Mapei. However, Nyle Watford, owner of Youngstown, N.C.-based Neuse Tile Service and vice chair of the ASC 108 committee that wrote the standard, stresses two important things: certification is for the installer, not the installation; and the standards themselves are focused on floors and walls. “Certifying installations is always going to be difficult,” Watford says. “There are certifications of ability in the tile-setting industry, but there’s no such thing as a certified installation.” And he stresses, “This is about the standards for the panels and for wall and floor installations, but not for countertops.”
“It was just recently that the market cared about what thickness it is and how consistent it is.” Bill Griese Tile Council of North America
“If you want to get serious about it, you have no option but to get trained by the factory who manufactures it .” Martin Brookes Heritage Tile and Marble Inc.
MANUFACTURER INSTRUCTIONS Still, if these porcelain tiles – be they 5” X 10” or 5’ X 10’ – are the same material, shouldn’t they install the same? Not exactly. Martin Brookes of Mill Valley, Calif.-based Tile Inspection Services and Heritage Tile & Marble, Inc., as well as current president of the NTCA, is well-versed in standards development. He says that’s not to discourage stone fabricator/installers from paying close attention to the ANSI standards when installing these larger tiles in a shower or other bathroom application. He urges fabricators to consider whether the wall behind the installation has the strength to handle the weight of these larger, thicker tiles, and to follow requirements for the installation of vapor barriers in showers. “For instance, rather than use a traditional method of installing slab on walls that could leave areas for moisture to congregate behind the slab, they’d do well to use a full-coat adhesive rather than just spot them with a silicone or an epoxy,” Brookes says. In fact, Gilles Bignolas, manager, technical services for Bethany, Conn.-based LATICRETE, says the methods for installation of these larger tiles on floors and walls runs counterintuitive to what the average tile installer traditionally does. A case in point is flooring. “The traditional method would tell you not to step on it for at least 24 hours,” Bignolas says. “But, with these giant tiles, you have to step on it almost right away to imbed the thinset.” However, floors and walls are not countertops, and so far that’s an area where those on the tile-installation side of the aisle seem to be at a loss. As Bignolas freely admits, “As far as countertops, that’s one area I don’t know about. We just don’t deal with it.” Fortunately, there are people out there who should have the answers. Bignolas recommends talking to the manufacturers of the products you’re using for a particular job. “If you look at a lot of the installation materials, and even the installation standards, they’ll always give you some kind of recommendation, and follow it up by adding, ‘Follow the manufacturer’s instructions,’” he says. “It comes down to each individual manufacturer’s instructions, really.” Brookes agrees. “All the manufacturers of these products have very good, detailed training,” he says. “If you want to get serious about it, you have no option but to get trained by the factory who manufacturers it to become proficient in installing it.” Noah Chitty, director of technical services for Crossville, Tenn.-based manufacturer Crossville Inc., concurs that at least for now, it’s up to the manufacturer of the product to convey the proper installation instructions. Crossville, for instance, has an online fabrication guide, and the work in the shop is quite similar to what’s done with quartz, including cutting speed. However, the finer points of installation are going to vary, Chitty says. “Every material that we are aware of that goes by the name porcelain, ultra-compact, or sintered, besides Crossville and Laminam, requires a substrate for the slab, which means you’re going to have a mitered edge to cover up the substrate,” he says. “Everybody is going to have some specific recommendations about what that substrate should be and how you cut and handle the slab in order not to break it later.” Still, Chitty stresses that there’s no standard for the certification of porcelain countertop installers, unlike those working in the tile industry. In fact, for the moment, there’s no global group of standards for installation of quartz surfaces, either. ”I would imagine maybe once they tackle that, then maybe they would look if there’s any interest in doing the same for porcelain,” Chitty says. He’s not the only one to suggest as much. Mapei’s Whitfield says it’s his understanding that the TCNA and the Tile Technical committee are working on an update to ANSI A137.3 incorporating added information on 2 cm tiles. “I do think this could lead to standards for quality of the installation, standards for how to install it, and standards for the products themselves,” says TCNA’s Griese. “It’s an evolving category and we’re still in its infancy. We’re making good progress with standards for the 2cm porcelain pavers, but as the countertop and furniture industries come into play, I think we’re going to see demand for some guidance.” Tile Inspection Services’ Brookes believes it will take getting the tile associations together with the Natural Stone Institute, but a standard will be developed. “I don’t think that time is now,” Brookes concludes. “The 12mm product is still in its infancy and people are still finding their footing choosing whether they don’t or won’t do it. Some fabricators choose to leave it alone because they have so much work with natural stone or quartz. I meet other guys who love it and see a future doing surfaces with porcelain flats.”
“It comes down to each individual manufacturer’s instructions, really.” Gilles Bignolas LATICRETE
