“During renovation, the mall remained open for business. All work performed during each shift had to be finished, cleaned and ready prior to the mall opening,” explained Games. “Since the mall’s tenants must be ready for business by 9 a.m., we only had a very small window of time to perform our work. That window was from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. Based on the schedule, we needed to install around 3,000 square feet of tile per night, finished.”
With this challenge in hand, Games set out to line up his team of suppliers. The majority of the tile was being supplied by Daltile. “We worked with John Christy of Daltile from start to finish in regards to getting the proper tile specified,” said Games. “We also worked closely with the VCC Construction team and General Growth Properties, the owner of the mall, to make sure we were all on the same page, working towards getting a high-quality finished product within the time constraints that were required.”
Once the 12- x 24-inch porcelain tiles were ordered, it was time to find a single supplier that could not only deliver the necessary ancillaries, but deliver exceptional service, especially under the job’s tight time constraints. Games chose Latricete.
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Glendale Galleria Mall Glendale, CA |
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Job Conditions:Faced with installing tile between the hours of 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily — approximately 3,000 square feet of tile per night, finished. Products Used:Laticrete 254 Platinum mortar, Laticrete 253R Gold Rapid thin-set, Laticrete NXT™ Level Plus underlayment, Hydro Ban® waterproofing and anti-fracture membrane, Permacolor® Grout and Latasil™ sealant — all from Laticrete of Bethany, CT Tile Installer:Premier Tile and Marble |
“We are very familiar with Laticrete products and they have always performed very well under stringent conditions,” said Games. “Just as important was the excellent support we received from Laticrete sales representative Eddie Obymako. Any time we had a question or an issue that came up, he was on site within hours, day or night.”
The mall’s intricate stairs were manufactured by Wausau. Crossville/Longust supplied porcelain stainless steel brushed tile for the elevator walls. Laticrete 254 Platinum, a high-performance, polymer fortified thin-set mortar, was utilized to adhere to the stainless steel tile on the elevator walls, which was subject to constant movement from the elevator usage.
For the main concourse area, Games chose Laticrete’s 253R Gold Rapid, a fast-setting, polymer-fortified thin-set for installing ceramic tile, pavers, brick and stone. The advantages of 253R Gold Rapid include being ready for grouting in two to four hours at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The mortar has a tenacious bond to concrete and masonry and mixes with water. It also meets ANSI A118.4 and ANSI A118.11 standards.
“The 253R Gold Rapid from Laticrete worked really well for us,” said Games. “The workability of the 253R Gold Rapid lets you have the time needed to get the tile set and at proper elevations. It’s ready to work and the grout sets within a matter of hours.”
The ability to source all the products needed to install the tile from a single manufacturer was key to the project’s success, as it not only saved time and money, but ensured that all of the components of the installation would work flawlessly together and the structure would maintain its beauty and integrity for many years to come.
For the underlayment, Games chose Laticrete NXT™ Level Plus, a cement-based, free flowing self-leveling underlayment for use in leveling interior substrates. NXT Level Plus is designed with a superior compressive strength formulation and its rapid setting formula produces a flat, smooth and hard surface for the installation of finished flooring. NXT Level Plus can be placed from 1/8- to 1 ¼-inch in a single lift. Its inorganic formula will not contribute to mold/mildew growth. It can be applied directly over concrete testing at RH of 95% or less per ASTM F2170.
To ensure the tile installation would be waterproofed and protected from potential cracking, Games selected Hydro Ban®, a thin, load-bearing waterproofing and anti-fracture membrane that does not require the use of fabric in the field, coves or corners. Hydro Ban® is a single component, self-curing liquid rubber polymer that forms a flexible, seamless waterproofing membrane that bonds to a wide variety of substrates, including copper, steel, stainless steel and PVC plumbing fixtures.
Permacolor® Grout was selected as it is a high-performance, fast-setting grout that provides a grout joint that is dense and hard. It has been designed to set up more quickly than traditional Portland cement based grouts, which creates better color accuracy and consistency. Permacolor® Grout offers the maximum performance available in a cement-based grout, providing consistent color and Microban® to resist stain-causing mold and mildew. It conforms to ISO 13007 and EN 12888 (CG2WA) certifications and meets ANSI A118.7 requirements.
Finally, Latasil™ sealant was used to treat the movement joints. Latasil™ is a high-performance, one component, neutral-cure, 100% silicone sealant designed for ceramic tile and stone applications. It is designed for exterior and interior use, including wet area applications. It conforms to the following properties under ASTM C–920: Type S, Grade NS, Class 25, Use NT, Use I, Use M, Use G. Latasil is excellent for masonry construction and features excellent movement capacity — 25% extension and compression.
“Having a single source company such as Laticrete that offers a complete line of installation products from start to finish, along with an excellent warranty is always key for any general contractor and installer,” said Games. “We’ve been a long-time Laticrete user, and with a job this size, we were comfortable with the products and service that we always receive from Laticrete.”
