“Thin-Body Porcelain Tile Reference Guide for Interior Floors” from Mapei is now available for installers.

Researchers from two major Mapei R&D Centers (in Milan, Italy, and Deerfield Beach, FL) have worked for over a year, testing surface preparation processes, setting materials, trowel selections and use of mechanical edge-leveling systems. The results, based on hundreds of hours of research on numerous variables in the process, are presented in a “Thin-Body Porcelain Tile Reference Guide for Interior Floors,”available on the Mapei Web site. 

“This installation guide for thin tiles 4.5 to 6 mm thick provides all the technical information contractors need to successfully install these new thin tiles on interior floors,” said Brian Pistulka, Business Manager for Mapei Tile & Stone Installation Systems. “Thin-body porcelain tile installation is markedly different from standard-body (greater than 7 mm) porcelain tile methods. It requires special setting techniques to prevent breakage during and after installation. The work done in our research labs has provided the first completely documented information on all aspects of this installation process.”

The architectural and design community has embraced large-format thin tiles as a unique design opportunity for new construction as well as renovations of existing residential and commercial properties. With the availability of this reference guide, tile installers can now turn designers’ visions into sustainable reality. “Working with Mapei means working with a reliable, conscientious partner,” Pistulka said. “Most of the installation manufacturers have setting products for thin tile; Mapei has a solution for the whole process.”