We work hard to develop the latest technology to manufacture not only stylish tile, but more importantly tile with the technological backing that leads our industry.
We don’t stop at developing leading edge tile – we continuously offer training for our distribution and installation network partners to ensure the highest-grade tile is correctly installed for the best result in the designed space. As part of our ongoing training effort, we’re summarizing some of our Tile Tech Talk episodes so you can easily get updates on important topics from building codes to clean environments and large format porcelain gauged panels to environmental standards.
Episode 1 – Forthcoming Building Code Update Will Give Designers Flexibility to Use Crossville’s Gauged Porcelain Tile Panes for Building Facades
Exciting news about forthcoming updates to building façade codes was recently announced by the Tile Council of North America. This update is particularly relevant to Crossville’s gauged porcelain tile panels. The International Building Code (IBC) will be changing the size allowance for adhered porcelain tiles for building facades with the release of the 2021 IBC.
According to the press release from the TCNA, “An update to the International Building Code (IBC) will allow designers to use adhered porcelain tiles as large as 48 x 48 inches or 36 x 72 inches on building facades. The proposed change, driven by the International Masonry Institute (IMI) and the Tile Council of North America (TCNA), was certified by the International Code Council Board of Directors this month and will go into effect in the 2021 IBC.”
Crossville’s Director of Technical Services Noah Chitty explains further that “this change allows for larger tile panels to be installed as building facades with just thin set and movement joints based on weight per square foot.” The creative possibilities and installation opportunities with this code change are tremendous. For example, Crossville’s gauged porcelain tile panels that are 3 mmm thick weigh only 1.7 pounds per square foot and with the new code that is a half panel of our 1 m x 3 m size which covers 16 square feet providing great coverage and an efficient use of product with very little waste.
Tile Tech Talk with Noah Chitty (building code information between 1:00 and 12:06)
Episode 2 – Crossville Porcelain Countertops FAQs
Heard about Crossville’s Porcelain Countertops? Want to learn about more of the technical details? The newest episode of Tile Tech Talk focuses on some of the most frequently asked questions about our Porcelain Countertops. From questions about installation on walls to does the product chip and how our porcelain countertops are manufactured to the ever important discussion about costs, check out the video with Noah Chitty, Crossville’s Director of Technical Services, to learn more.
Episode 3 – Crossville Continues the Discussion: Tile’s Advantages for Clean Environments
We’ve been discussing tile’s innate advantages for cleaner indoor environments quite frequently in recent days. In light of the ongoing response of the design community to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering insights and guidance regularly to answer the inquiries and requests of those who specify interior materials.
We’re taking the discussion further by getting the perspective of our own Noah Chitty. As our technical services director and a leading voice in the tile industry, Noah has lots to share about this important, prevalent topic.
Episode 4 – Crossville’s Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels Are ‘Go To’ Products for Unique Installations
Introduced to the U.S. market around a decade ago, gauged porcelain tile panels have experienced consistent growth in popularity. Get an in-depth look at this important product category in our recent episode of Tile Tech Talk. Noah Chitty, Crossville’s director of technical services, discusses a range of topics that will enhance designers’ understanding of sizes, standards, technical services and much more.
Episode 5 – Crossville Continues the Discussion: Looking Back, Fresh Takes on the Future, and Outdoor Tile
In this latest discussion, we chat with Noah about a few things he’s looking forward to this year, including his take on the soon-to-be-completed handbook for gauged porcelain tile panels and the potential for a return to in-person training, especially in growing markets such as for residential contractors.
One area where we are continuing to see an increase in design and installation is tile in outdoor applications. Since the pandemic has made travel challenging, some families across the country are diverting vacation savings to add pools, exterior living areas, and other outdoor spaces to their homes. This trend creates opportunities for exterior tile and porcelain surfacing installations, and, in tandem, reveals the importance of defining and understanding exterior tile specification standards. Creating safe outdoor surfaces requires robust discussions about friction and slip resistance to guide our manufacturing process and so we can properly educate clients about our products. Check out the helpful insights Noah shares in this discussion (timestamp – 8:06).
Episode 6 – Green Grows Up: The Current State of Sustainability with Industry Expert William Paddock
The quest to be sustainable once centered around basic strategies such as recycling content and adhering to a few recognized standards. Now, the quest for sustainability is much more sophisticated and nuanced. Being green is in an evolution as the practices, metrics, and designations become more advanced and meaningful. In this episode of Tile Tech Talk, we speak with William Paddock, a leading expert in this arena and founder/principal of WAP Sustainability. William educates us on the things we in the tile industry need to know about sustainability to be relevant today and into the future. Get ready to learn…and plan to share with your teams, as well.
