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What is the TCNA?
TCNA stands for Tile Council of North America, Inc.
Established in 1945 as the Tile Council of America (TCA),
the Tile Council has a leadership role in promoting
the use of ceramic tile and in developing North American
and international industry standards. We are a trade
association representing North American manufacturers
of tile, installation materials (grouts, mortars, etc.),
and raw material suppliers to the tile industry. TCNA
works with the industry to develop industry-consensus
specification "guidelines" and ANSI standards.
Does the TCNA approve
certain methods?
The TCNA does not approve nor disapprove methods.
As you know, the Tile Council of North America publishes
the TCA Handbook for
Ceramic Tile Installation. However, as the Handbook
secretariat we do not create these details - rather,
they are the work of the Handbook Committee, a representative
group of experts in the ceramic tile industry. This
group meets to share knowledge, problem, solutions,
and research. When there are conflicting opinions, the
Handbook may not have a solution as it reflects consensus
views and generally accepted procedures. Also, the Handbook
does not contain proprietary methods. As the secretariat,
we record and publish the consensus of these experts.
There are many proprietary methods on the market that
are well regarded and backed by their manufacturers.
In many cases, proprietary methods and products have
been developed to address special conditions or to utilize
new technology. These methods will not be in the TCA Handbook but may work quite well when used in accordance
with the manufacturer's instructions.
To find out if any method is appropriate for certain
conditions and to find out warranty and application
information, you will want to speak with the manufacturer.
The TCA Handbook does
not address my installation, what should I do?
Although the Handbook does not directly address the
installation you are dealing with, manufacturers
of tile installation materials can almost always
provide you with information on the application and
specification of proprietary products that can help
you deal with installations not contained in the Handbook.
The Tile Council of North America publishes the TCA Handbook for Ceramic Tile Installation that lists
member contact information and installation systems
approved by the Handbook Committee. This book reflects
the input of many organizations over a period of years
and reflects the consensus views of the group. We also
publish the U.S. ANSI standards for tile installation
and setting material specifications.
Does the TCA Handbook cover
natural stone-related installations?
No, the TCA Handbook contains installation guidelines
for ceramic tile. The Marble Institute of America publishes
the guidelines for installing natural stone. They can
be reached by calling 440-250-9222.
Is the TCA Handbook homeowner
friendly?
While the TCA Handbook is a technical document, it attempts
to explain information in an easily understandable way.
The format includes a drawing of a generic installation
showing the materials used and the order in which they
are applied. Text gives materials standards and useful
information that is needed to design a floor system. When
used to specify tile installations it should be used in
conjunction with the more technical ANSI Specifications
for the Installation of Ceramic Tile.
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