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The TCA Handbook for Ceramic Tile Installation
that is published and distributed by the Tile Council
of North America (TCNA) contains many specification
guidelines for installing ceramic tile in various locations
and situations. Specification guidelines included in
the Handbook are based on a consensus of industry experts
that participate in a conference every two years. Associations
with a national or regional scope that are involved
in the ceramic tile industry are invited to send one
voting representative per organization to this conference.
The committee is balanced to the extent that no one
group dominates the process. No industry group is excluded
thus there are tile installers, inspectors, tile manufacturers,
and installation products among others, including guests,
represented at the conference. Every attempt is made
to include generic installation specification guidelines
of major interest.
However there are systems in use that are not in the
Handbook. Some of these are unique to a given manufacturer's
products as in the case of heating or soundproofing
systems. Therefore it is up to the manufacturer of such
proprietary systems to provide detailed installation
instructions and procedures as well as any warrantees
and representations. Just because these are not in the
TCA Handbook, it does not mean that they will or will
not perform satisfactorily.
As well there are some tile installers that have developed
their own unique specification guidelines. They may
be regional in nature and may not have been brought
to the attention of the Handbook conference. The chairman
of the conference invites any suggestions for new specification
guidelines to be sent to the attendees for review yet
there may be specification guidelines in use that are
not submitted to the conference. Therefore if a method
is not in the Handbook, it does not mean that it will
not perform satisfactorily. There are specification
guidelines in use that exceed the recommended specifications
that work well in practice yet cost more than the Handbook
specification guidelines, which in many cases are based
on minimal requirements of deflection and use.
It is critical that one employs specification guidelines
that have been tested and have stood the test of time
that are installed by knowledgeable installers. Substituting
materials even if they are of an alleged "premium"
nature can be deleterious to a ceramic tile installation.
Our advice is to stick to Handbook specification guidelines
where possible or to assiduously follow manufacturer's
instructions with a branded system. Happy tiling!
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