The standards found in the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) A108.02 document provide the installation method standards used to provide a good looking and long-lasting tile project. When they are followed, the job is headed for success, but when they are not followed, it may be doomed from the beginning.
The tile industry has established installation standards in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) documents to guide all involved: the design professional, the general contractor and the tile installer.
When the time comes to physically look at a potential job, there are many aspects of the project that must be reviewed, including the condition of the walls.
Many times, a jobsite is not well maintained or kept clean which can be an image and possibly a safety issue, but more importantly, when tile is being installed, the substrate must be clean.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) specifications provide several industry standards that are there to help the installer obtain good site conditions.
All across the U.S., there are thousands upon thousands of beautiful, high-quality, and long-lasting tile installations which should be highlighted as examples of the work done by qualified labor as included in the TCNA Handbook. However, when the very sad examples of extremely poor work are seen, they should be reviewed and presented as a learning tool for the tile placer who needs to improve his or her skills.
