By Annika Oeing, Marketing Communications Manager, ARDEX Americas When considering the installation of a self-leveling underlayment (SLU), there are several project conditions that need to be considered to help ensure installation success. As a rule, substrate preparation is the most important factor wh...
By Rod Sigman, Custom Building Products Does my tile or stone need to be sealed? What type of sealer should I choose? Will it make my tile or stone stain proof? How often should I reseal? These are some of the most common questions I have been asked during my nearly 30 years in the ...
By Bob Blochinger Floor covering installers have an enormous opportunity to grow their presence within their community by using social media. Social media is the new tool of the trade, a must-have in the toolbox. If you’re an employee who has questions on a procedure or process, there are Facebook group...
By Ray Thompson, Jr. The metalwork on resilient flash-coved work is precise and requires a great attention to detail. There are three areas of concern that we are going to review: The outside corner, inside corner and return. Cutting requires the use of a metal miter saw. You can cut them without this s...
By Gregory Mowat, Forensic Tile Consultants Thousands of slips, trips and falls occur every year causing personal injury. Many of these preventable injuries occur due to the improper installation of ceramic and stone tile on stairs. The International Code Council (ICC) includes the following requirement...
By Tom Jennings, WFCA Vice President, Professional Development Be backs. We’ve all had our share of this type of customer. One thing we know for sure is that time was wasted during the presentation phase. The only question is did the estimator waste the customer’s time by being uninformed or unprepared?...
By Brett Miller, NWFA Vice President of Education & Certification Most professional wood flooring installers are familiar with and employ the two most-common methods for installing wood products – nail- and glue-down. But a third method – floating installation – can be equally as effective for long-...
By John T. McGrath, Jr. In the world of commercial flooring installation, time equals money. Contractors around the country have seen timelines and budgets shrink in recent years. While new installation technology and innovative products are helping installers adapt to this new reality, delays may still...
By Steve Rausch I learned to install tile back in the mid-1960s from the “best” tile installer/craftsman in Dayton, Ohio. His name was Claude and he had come to Dayton from Germany where he learned from the “best” tile installer in his village. He claimed to never have a tile failure, that is, when some...
By P.J. Arthur, Natural Fiber Installation Certification The importance of knowing the construction of woven wool carpet is as critical as the installation itself. Understanding how to manipulate the product when needed to have it conform to its surroundings is essential. Acclimation is a very important...
