Level Set® 500 HF Self-Leveling Underlayment
TEC® Products Support Expanded Cancer Care in Southwestern Michigan
Best Practice Tips for Successful High Flow SLU Installations
Use Build My Submittal to collect all documents into one convenient file to support substitution requests
TEC® multipurpose flooring and tile adhesives provide you with the options you need for your most demanding flooring installations. From vinyl to carpet, wood to wall base, TEC flooring adhesives offer lasting performance and dependable solutions.
TEC® offers ready-to-use, floor and wall mastic adhesives that are designed to meet the needs of a wide variety of projects. They provide strong, resilient bonds on many substrates and come in a variety of formulas to meet your job’s demands.
TEC® preformed, waterproof construction shower components are consistent and easy to install. When used along with TEC tile installation products, preformed components allow you to add a design element that fits with today’s building trends.
Choosing the right grout is an essential part of any tile project. Tile grout is as varied as the types of tile available, and each type has different applications and advantages. From advanced performance formulas to cementitious grouts—and everything in between—TEC® offers the best grouts and related products.
Michigan State University’s football team finished 2013 undefeated in Big Ten Play and won the 2014 Rose Bowl. Its new North End Zone Complex not only celebrates the team’s previous success, but also looks toward future victories with a state-of-the-art recruiting center. The new facility features about 16,000 square feet of tile, set with TEC® products.
TEC Microbials are transforming the way we approach cleaning a surface. These cutting-edge solutions break down contaminants for safe, easy removal with cool water, leaving no harmful residues behind. Whether preparing a subfloor for new flooring or restoring a high-traffic surface, TEC Microbials are efficient, effective, safe and cost-effective. With trailblazing TEC Microblast Technology and proven results, TEC Microbial Cleaners and Removers are setting the new standard for cleaning surfaces.
TotalFlex® 150 and 110 high-performance universal mortars combine maximum versatility with ultra-long open time and super-easy troweling. They are ideal for large heavy tile (LHT), gauged porcelain panels, thin-set applications, and uncoupling membranes. TotalFlex mortars provide new possibilities to improve tile installation efficiency, quality, and speed – all while enhancing safety with a reduced weight, silica-free* formula. *Contains no intentionally added silica.
Grout does much more than fill the gaps between tiles. A myriad of grout colors, application styles, and advanced technologies have the power to transform the look and durability of a tile installation. When choosing grout, the most crucial factors are the desired aesthetic and the technical aspects of the tile project. The grout decision requires understanding the project’s intended look, color scheme, tile type/size/pattern and lighting in the space, along with the technical needs for grout installation and long-term performance.
It doesn’t get much more high-profile than this. Southern Methodist University (SMU) planned to renovate its Meadows School of the Arts—a sprawling connection of rooms and buildings, including a center for the visual arts with studios, classrooms, a performing arts center and an outdoor plaza and courtyard. The most dramatic addition was a remodel of the east entry into a stunning, modern multi-story atrium with a lighted ceiling, expansive windows and grand pillars.
When the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) decided to renovate 1970s-era Moore Hall-Bartlett Hall complex, the goal was clear, to create spaces in the two dormitories that would meet the needs of students now and into the future. The renovation included a complete overhaul on the seven residential floors in each dorm. In addition to dorm rooms, UAF’s architects took on the challenge of designing gender-neutral bathrooms, complete with separate shower stalls, toilet stalls, and two ADA-compliant stalls per floor. The intent was to have the communal restrooms accommodate every student on every floor.
Though grout may seem to be a secondary-to-the-tile functional necessity, it is also the essential design element that finishes the look of a tile installation. Neutral grout colors are still the most common choice, but current trends have elevated grout to make more of a statement. The latest style trends have grout both blending in and boldly standing out. A grout line can be very thin or very wide to make a big impact. The many contrasts in grout aesthetics make perfect sense when looking at the trends that influence grout. Trends in technology, tile and color are driving the current changes in grout installation, style and color palette.
When Danny Fulton, owner of Fulton Tile and Stone in Evansville, Indiana, needed to find the perfect product to adhere gauged porcelain tile panels to the exterior of Big Rivers Electric’s new corporate headquarters, he knew who to call – his contacts at TEC Specialty Products.
The Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center celebrated its long-anticipated grand opening as the marquee project of the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan–a monumental revitalization joint initiative from the Port of San Diego and City of Chula Vista. This extraordinary $1.3 billion, 2 million sq. ft. development was designed with nature, sustainability and community in mind.
Tile is among the oldest building materials – and the most beautiful. While many processes in the building industry have become more automated, handmade tile provides a unique aesthetic desirable for all sorts of installations, from residential backsplashes to public art projects.
When designers lack in-depth knowledge of your trade, it can lead to unrealistic expectations – and ultimately, disappointment. Designers might show building owners pictures and idea boards of concepts that wow the client aesthetically, but miss the boat with functionality and practicality. While it’s nice to work with a designer who has faith in your abilities, the mantra “the installer will make it work” can lead to disgruntled designers, disappointed building owners and frustrated installers.
Have you encountered a situation where your grout became soft, powdery, discolored or cracked shortly after installation? Perhaps you were installing a very absorptive tile such as an unglazed ceramic, terracotta, or porous stone. Or maybe you were working with a glazed ceramic tile, but the cut edges were unglazed and highly absorptive of moisture. The fact is that when you’re working with these highly porous materials, you may experience issues with grout caused by excessive water loss.
Giving a facility owner a positive outcome on new construction or a remodeling project requires trust-based relationships. Itasca, IL-based flooring contractor Diverzify has earned the trust of Chicago's Midtown Athletic Club by providing reliable expertise and materials on floor construction and renovation projects over several decades. When Midtown planned to renovate three of its facilities this year, its facilities team knew Diverzify would come through once again.
Moisture mitigation is an increasingly important step in many large commercial flooring and tile jobs. Because the potential effects of excessive moisture vapor emission rates can be so costly, you should carefully take all jobsite conditions into account prior to the application of a moisture vapor barrier. Use the TEC® Moisture Mitigation Pre-Installation Checklist before beginning your next large installation.