By Terri Sparks, Communicators International
New Jersey’s Long Beach Island has a well-earned reputation both as a top vacation destination and a coveted area to ultimately call home. With over 18 miles of beautiful white sand beaches, the area has seen its historic Cape Cod-type bungalows upgrading with full makeovers. Why? Simply stated, this vacation mecca has been steadily transforming its summer cottages into year-round dwellings replete with extremely upscale, tastefully designed furnishings.
An excellent example is a recently renovated, 5,000-plus sf home in the highly sought-after northern township of Loveladies.
“This was a really challenging project,” declared Ken Ballin of New Jersey-based Skyro Floors, LLC. Ballin is an award-winning CTI (Certified Tile Installer) and CFI (Certified Floorcovering Installer) certified professional with a keen interest in tile. “I have worked with the general contractor of this project, Ken Kennard of Manahawkin, N.J., for a number of years. This project included a master bath with three smaller lavatories to be completely gutted and then transformed with luxurious, coastal-inspired design treatments.
“There were many different products specified on this project, including a variety of glass, natural stone and porcelain tiles. The multitude of tile types selected, coupled with a variety of substrates in the home, were set to make the selection of the proper installation systems daunting. When I realized the complexity I was up against, I went all-in with Bostik.
“I was working with different natural stone wall and floor tiles, and intricate glass mosaics specified from different manufacturers,” Ballin continued. “All were great products but from my vantage point, I needed a dynamic nstallation system from just one source. As a businessowner and a stickler to offering our clients a warranty they can trust and I can stand by, Bostik was my first and only choice.”
Each bathroom in the home called for a very specialized tile installation procedure, according to Ballin, and to maintain a safe and professional working process throughout each of these spaces Bostik products were insisted upon throughout the project.
Floors, walls, shower surrounds and even a curbless shower were in the scope of work. Bostik was able to offer everything from waterproofing products like GoldPlus™ to the Pure Silicone™ used at the end of the project.
Ballin added, “This job had large tiles, heavy natural stones, micro-mosaics, glass mosaic, glass subway tile and penny-rounds. I used Big Tile & Stone™ mortar for the large and heavy tiles due to the additional body and sag resistance available from that mortar. I used BAM™ (Bostik’s Accelerated Mortar) for a fast-cure and extremely strong bond with micro-mosaics; those small tiles need a lot of strength to hold them in place when they are exposed to prolonged water exposure and foot traffic. The glass tiles got Bostik’s Glass-Mate™ because the bright white color of this mortar accentuates the glass tile better than a standard mortar.
“I finished the project up with Hydroment® Vivid™ Grout because I needed high performance and stain resistance—and selfishly, I needed the easy workability it offers!”
Hydroment Vivid is a rapid curing, premium grade and stain-resistant cementitious grout which offers the ultimate in color consistency, water resistance, and stain & crack protection. This breakthrough formulation installs with noticeably stronger color accuracy than traditional grouts, and never needs to be sealed. Other cement grouts require a topical sealer to be applied annually and many have trouble keeping their color consistency during the installation process.
Together, the homeowner and designer had chosen a multitude of different surfaces to bring the sleek nautical design of the home to life. From surface prep to grout, the Bostik products chosen offered protection every step of the way with their comprehensive warranties and full installation systems. The results were consistent: Superior strength, smart technology, and the beauty of a job well done.
Ballin concluded, “With Bostik systems, you get the total package. The firm’s innovation and technology clearly make the organization recognizable leaders within the flooring industry. I believe that if end-users are investing in beautifully tiled surfaces, they should only be installed using optimal-performance adhesive systems!”
