From Tires to Tile?

Have you ever wondered where all those tires go after they are used and discarded?

Suffice it to say, it is not a pretty picture!  But fortunately, there is hope...

New "green technologies" being developed by innovative companies such as RB Rubber in Oregon are putting to good use a major portion of the the millions of tires discarded worldwide each year.

Instead of leaving mounds of rubber tires to devastate the environment and turn untold thousands of acres into disease ridden wastelands, RB Rubber has found a way to convert these heaps of grey rubber into a variety of useful products.

What is great is the fact that many of these products are designed to serve the building and construction industry as either underlayments or finished flooring.

If you are like many design professionals that are getting tired of "green washing", it is important to support companies like RB Rubber which are are truly doing something to convert rubbish into useful products.

In addition, many of these new products:

...not only provide antimicrobial protection, they are low in VOC's (volatile organic compounds) and utilize recycled materials, key components of LEED certification.

For Tile Matters, this is the ultimate in sustainability!

New Anti-Microbial Glaze for Porcelain...Review

Tile Matters is very impressed with the new anti-microbial glaze Dal-Tile Corp. (Daltile and American Olean) are introducing this week in their new product roll out.

AO is calling it "OutStand" technology, which is a...

...patent-pending glaze technique that provides tile with unparalleled surface wear and stain resistance while infusing the tile with Microban® Antimicrobial Technology (Microban), which provides a permanent layer of protection from stain- and odor-causing bacteria. Dal-Tile Corp. has been awarded the exclusive rights in North America to manufacture tiles with Microban.

Tile Matters sees this glaze as having some very interesting applications for a variety of market segments, particularly healthcare and education.  It seems like they are both in need of surfaces that inhibit microbial growth.

There is an interesting video AO has put on their website...click here to watch.

The full data sheet can be seen here.

Definitely something to keep an eye on as this special glaze is used in other product lines...Tile Matters will keep you updated.

Introducing Custom Art and Photo Tile...my 5.36 minutes of fame!

OK, the truth is no one probably saw this infomercial when it ran on a Tuesday night in most markets between the hours of 2 AM and 4 AM.

Click here for the full video hosted on YouTube...

However, it is interesting to see what can be done to translate art and images into tile for both residential and commercial applications.  For his part, Paul Brent is a well known Florida coastal artist and a real gentleman.

My client at the time, Tile Factory, does not seem to be in business any longer, but it was fun doing the shoot.

BTW, did she say "grade A" tile?  Now that is classic!

Interesting Reading: "Mosaics: Putting the Pieces Together" by Zoe Voigt

Sure, you've specified mosaics on plenty of your projects, but do you really know your mosaics???

If you can't think of the meanings for terms such as "Tesserae, Sectile and Cosmatesque", take a look at this article published in the CTDA's "Tile Dealer" magazine.  Its written by Zoe Voigt for those looking for a more complete understanding of the oftentimes Byzantine world of mosaics.

Click here for the article

While you are at it, check out this device, produced by a "robotic engineer" near Portland, OR.

It's a high-speed, automated mosaic mounting machine and it might change the way you think about custom mosaics, if not make them faster a more affordable...

Didn't someone say "build it and they will come"?

BTW, the company is called 3Score, Inc. and the engineer is Paul Hodge, Sr.

Upcoming Webinar: Understanding and Using ANSI A137.1 Specifications and Performance Criteria for Ceramic Tile

Have you ever wondered how ANSI standards relate to ceramic tile?  If so, Tile Matters highly recommends taking advantage of this opportunity!

Understanding and Using ANSI A137.1: This webinar will explain how to apply the minimum performance criteria and performance ratings of ceramic tile, as outlined in the A137.1 standard.

Click here for a PDF flyer about the event and here to get signed up!

The webinar presentation will be given by the talented Stephanie Samulski of the TCNA.  A little back ground on Stephanie...

Stephanie Samulski is a project manager for the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) and an instructor and evaluator for the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF). For TCNA, Ms Samulski works closely with technical committees on standards development, including the ANSI 137.1 standard for ceramic tile. For CTEF, she teaches installation and industry standards and tests installers for their hands-on skills certification.  Ms. Samulski entered the trade in 1999 as a tile layer apprentice with BAC Local 32 in Detroit, where she worked on commercial and residential projects for seven years, including projects that were awarded recognition for their technical or aesthetic merits.
  

She's the real deal and can definitely help you make sense of ANSI...

Don't forget, sign up for this informative webinar!