Many consumers and some tile installers mistakenly believe that dimensional (natural) stone tiles are basically the same as ceramic and porcelain tiles.

Being asked to complete an installation which is outside industry guidelines is one thing, but agreeing to complete the work is another.

It goes without saying that today’s tiles come in more sizes, shapes, patterns and colors than ever before. Along with this availability comes virtually endless creative possibilities.

The success or failure of most tile projects is proportional to the amount of floor prep provided and how much attention to detail was paid.

The Tile Council of North America (TCNA) Handbook committee has gone to great lengths to provide guidelines and best practices that will help and protect the tile installer.

The ANSI standards provide excellent guidance in the proper installation of ceramic and porcelain tile.

When bidding a job, look at all of the jobsite conditions, bid them accordingly and stand by your assessment of the job.

Most people will agree that buildings experience significant movement on a day-to-day basis. Accommodating this movement is crucial for a successful installation of ceramic, porcelain and/or glass tile.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are as beautiful as they are functional, but they are very greedy when it comes to the space needed around them to absorb any movement.

According to the March 2017 American National Standards Institute (ANSI) specifications, new expansion joint patterns have been approved which allow formerly straight joints to follow new non-linear joint configurations.