Q: Why is tile a good choice for use in Animal Health and Wellness facilities?
Commonly used materials found in animal health and wellness facilities (e.g vinyl tile and epoxy coatings) typically last several years and then have to be replaced. As these surfaces wear away they can be difficult to keep clean and sanitary, making it difficult to guarantee the safety and health of animals and people alike. Tile can last a lifetime and never wear away or become unsanitary as long as regular and proper maintenance is performed.
Q: Why use an industrial epoxy grout like LATAPOXY® 2000 Industrial Grout?
Cement grouts, by their very nature are absorbent, even if sealed with a high quality sealer on a regular basis. This means that they can easily be stained and become saturated with all manner of matter. Exposure to this type of matter can have an effect on the health and safety of humans and animals alike. Lesser epoxy grouts may be affected by exposure to harsh chemical cleaners needed to properly maintain sanitary conditions or by exposure to all manner of matter. LATAPOXY® 2000 Industrial Grout can withstand exposure to harsh chemicals, high temperature, sharp claws, urine, fecal matter, and pretty much anything else you can throw at it. An extremely low absorption rate means that any material on the surface of the grout stays on the grout and does not absorb into the grout.
Q: Is regular maintenance of the LATAPOXY 2000 Industrial Grout required?
Yes. Regular cleaning is required to maintain health and safety and to keep consistent appearance of your tile installation. For more information please refer to LATICRETE® TDS 400 “Grout Selection and Maintenance Guide” at www.laticrete.com.
Q: Can I use LATICRETE® SpectraLOCK®† PRO Grout on walls?
Yes. Because grout on walls is not subjected to the same type of exposure as floor grout means that LATICRETE SpectraLOCK®† PRO Grout can be used on walls. We would recommend though that LATAPOXY 2000 Industrial Grout (with the LATAPOXY Part D Non-Sag Additive) be used on cove base tile.
Q: Do I need to seal LATAPOXY 2000 Industrial Grout?
No. LATAPOXY 2000 Industrial Grout does not require sealing. Because it is an epoxy grout it has an extremely low absorption rate, which means that any sealer applied to the surface of the grout will just sit on top and come off on shoes, paws, and so on.
Q: What thin-sets can be used in animal health and wellness facilities?
LATICRETE manufactures several thin-sets that would be ideal for the installation of tile in animal health and wellness facilities. For installations that can be exposed to extremely harsh chemicals or conditions (e.g. operating rooms or dog washing rooms) then LATAPOXY 300 Adhesive would be perfect. For tile installations in common areas and examining rooms then LATICRETE 254 Platinum would be an ideal choice.
Q: Why install LATICRETE Floor HEAT in an animal boarding facility or “pet hotel”?
How many times have you seen cats and dogs lying in the sun near a window, or in front of a fireplace? Animals love to feel warm. So to help pets feel more at home at a boarding facility it only makes sense to help keep them warm on a floor that emits its own heat. LATICRETE Floor HEAT is a perfect way to make sure that pets are as comfortable as they can be.
Q: Will animal urine or vomit affect my tile installation?
No. If LATAPOXY 2000 Industrial Grout has been used then simply clean the area to maintain sanitary conditions and the grout will not be stained or damaged in any way.
Q: Can the claws of animals affect LATAPOXY 2000 Industrial Grout?
No. Once fully cured, LATAPOXY 2000 Industrial Grout is so hard and dense that the claws of cats, dogs and other animals will have no affect on the grout.
Q: What tile would be the best choice for installation in an animal health and wellness facility?
Porcelain tile, glazed or unglazed would be an excellent choice for use in this environment. The extremely low absorption rate and high density of porcelain tile is ideal for this installation type. Quarry tile may also be used, but the choice of designer options would be somewhat limited.
Q: Can LATAPOXY 2000 Industrial Grout be steam cleaned?
Yes. LATAPOXY 2000 Industrial grout can withstand exposure up to 360°F (182°C) intermittently or a constant 185°F (80°C).
Q: How long does it take for LATAPOXY 2000 Industrial Grout to cure?
At 70°F (21°C) LATAPOXY 2000 Industrial grout will be ready in approximately 5 hours for light foot traffic, 10 hours for heavy foot traffic and 5 days for full cure. The floor must be protected from exposure to claws, urine, vomit, hair, other trades, and other factors that may damage the grout until allowed to set firm. Lower temperatures will slow cure times and higher temperatures will accelerate cure times. Please refer to LATICRETE DS 634.0 for more information.
ABSORPTION – the relationship of the weight of water absorbed to the weight of the dry specimen, expressed in percentages
AGGLOMERATE TILE – a man-made stone product generally consisting of either crushed marble, granite or quartz chips with a matrix of resins and mineral pigments. Usually available in assorted sizes as well as large slabs.
ANSI – American National Standards Institute
APA – American Plywood Association
ASME – American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASTM – American Society for Testing and Materials
BACK-BUTTER – the spreading of a bond coat to the back of ceramic tile and stone just before the tile is placed
BACK MOUNTED MOSAIC TILE – mosaic tile which may have perforated paper, fiber mesh, resin or other suitable material bonded to the back of each tile which becomes an integral part of the tile installation
BICOTTURA – method for producing tile by firing it twice (first fire is for body, second is to fuse glazes or patterns in glaze onto the body).
BISQUE – the refined mixture of clay, water and additives that has been shaped into the body of a tile
BODY – the structural portion of a ceramic tile
BOND COAT – a material used between the back of a tile and the substrate. Suitable bond coats for a steam room application include latex cement mortar and epoxy adhesive.
BOND STRENGTH – a bond coat’s ability to resist separating from the tile and underlayment, measured in pounds per square inch (psi).
BROWN COAT – the second coat in a three-coat render or mortar application
BULLNOSE – a trim tile with a convex radius on one edge
CAULK – see sealant
CEILING SLOPE – steam rooms require ceilings to be pitched 2" per foot (150mm per m) to prevent condensation from dripping on steam room occupants
CEMENT – binding component of mortars and concrete (usually cement)
CEMENT BACKER BOARD – a backer board, usually composed of cement, fillers and fiberglass mesh, designed for use with ceramic tile in wet areas
CEMENT GROUT – a cementitious mixture of cement, sand or other ingredients, pigments and water, to produce a water resistant, uniformly colored material used to fill the joints between tile units
CEMENTITIOUS – having the properties of cement
CERAMIC TILE – a surfacing unit, usually relatively thin in relation to facial area, made from clay or a mixture of clay and other materials called the body of the tile, and having either a glazed or unglazed face
CHEMICAL RESISTANCE – the resistance offered by products to physical or chemical reactions as a result of contact with or immersion in various solvents, acids, alkalis, salts, etc…
CLEAVAGE MEMBRANE – a membrane that provides a separation and slip sheet between a mortar bed and the substrate
COLD JOINT – any point in concrete construction where a pour is terminated and the surface lost plasticity before work continued
COMPACTION – the process where a freshly placed mortar is reduced to the minimum practical space to form a stronger, denser mass
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH – a material’s ability to withstand a load force, measured in pounds per square inch (psi)
CONTROL JOINTS – a joint physically cut into concrete to help control cracking during the curing of the concrete
CRAZING – the cracking that occurs in fired glazes or other ceramic coatings due to critical tensile stresses
CURING – maintenance of humidity and temperature of freshly placed mortar or grout to assure satisfactory hydration of cement and proper hardening of mortar or grout
CUSHIONED EDGED TILE – tile on which the facial edges have a distinct curvature that results in a slightly recessed grout joint
DEFLECTION – a variation in the position or shape of a structure element due to the effect of loads or volume change
DOT MOUNTED MOSAICS – tile packaged in sheets and held together by plastic or rubber dots between tiles
EFFLORESCENCE – the residue deposited on the surface of a material (usually cement grout) by crystallization of soluble salts
EPOXY ADHESIVE – an adhesive system that employs epoxy hardening portions
EPOXY GROUT – a mortar system that employs epoxy hardening portions
EXPANSION JOINT – a joint through tile, mortar and substrate to allow for excessive movement
FACE-MOUNTED MOSAICS – mosaic tile sheets that have paper or other suitable material applied to the face of the mosaic sheets, usually with water soluble adhesives for easy removal after installation and prior to grouting
GLASS MOSAIC TILE – tile made of glass, usually not over 2" × 2" (50 mm × 50 mm) and 1/4" (6 mm) thick and mounted on sheets. Sheets are typically 12" × 12" (300 mm × 300 mm)
GLAZED TILE – tile with a fused impervious facial finish composed of ceramic materials fused to the body of the tile
GROUT – a material used for filling the joints between tile
GROUTING – the process of filling tile joints with grout
IAPMO – International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officers
LATEX- CEMENT GROUT – a mixture of cement grout with a latex additive or polymer
LATEX CEMENT MORTAR – a mixture of cement, sand and a latex additive
MARBLE TILE – marble cut into tiles and available in various finishes
MEDIUM BED – tile setting material that has a finished thickness between 3/8" (9 mm)
METAL LATH – expandable diamond metal lath material which is mechanically fastened to a surface and onto which a mortar bed is applied
MONOCOTTURA – method of producing tile by a single firing
MORTAR BED – the final coat of mortar on a wall, floor or ceiling before the installation of tile
MOSAIC TILE – any tile (ceramic, porcelain or stone) with a facial dimension of less than 6 in2 which usually comes in sheets (paper face mounted, dot mounted, back mounted, etc…).
MUD – see mortar bed
NON-VITREOUS TILE – tile with an absorption rate greater than 7.0%
NOTCHED TROWEL – a trowel with a serrated or notched edge which is used to gauge the amount of mortar or adhesive to a specific thickness when setting tile
OPEN TIME – the period of time that a bond coat retains its ability to adhere to the tile and bond the tile to the substrate
PENCIL ROD – reinforcing rod with a diameter no greater than 1/4" (6 mm)
PINHOLES – imperfections in the surface of tile or grout
PLASTER – a cementitious material and aggregate that, when mixed with a gauging liquid, forms a plastic mass or paste which when applied to a surface, adheres to it and subsequently hardens, preserving in a rigid state the form or texture imposed during installation
PLUMB – perpendicular to a true level
PORCELAIN TILE – a ceramic tile that is dense, impervious and has an absorption rate of <0.5%
POT LIFE – the period of time during which a material maintains its workable properties after it has been mixed
SCRATCH COAT – a mortar bed, applied as the first coat of a mortar on a wall or ceiling, whose surface is scratched or roughened so that subsequent mortar coats will bond properly
SEALANT – an elastomeric material used to fill and seal expansion and control joints, prevents the passage of moisture and does not allow horizontal and lateral movement to affect the tile installation
SELF-SPACING TILE – tile with lugs, spacers or protuberances on the sides which automatically space the tile for the grout joint
SEMI-VITREOUS TILE – tile with an absorption rate between 3.0 – 7.0%
SHELF LIFE – the maximum period of time that an item can be stored before it is used
SHOWER PAN – a waterproof shower floor membrane which is specifically recognized for use in this application – required for steam rooms as well as showers per local building code
SLAKE – the process of mixing a cementitious mortar or grout, allowing it to stand for 5–10 minutes and then remixing. This process makes sure that the moisture in the mix penetrates lumps in the dry components, making it easier to complete the mixing procedure.
SLOPE TO DRAIN – a pitch placed in a floor used to evacuate water. 1/4" per foot (6 mm per 300 mm) is the industry recognized standard for floors
SLURRY COAT – a coat of thin-set used to bond a mortar bed to a cementitious substrate
SPACERS – plastic or rubber units used to separate and provide consistent spacing between tiles
STATIC COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION (COF) – the degree of slip resistance presented in a quantitative number that expresses the degree of slip resistance on the face of tile
STEAM GENERATOR – mechanism that turns water into steam and pumps the steam into the steam room under pressure
SUBFLOOR – a rough floor, plywood or boards, laid directly on joists and to which an underlayment or substrate is installed
SUBSTRATE – the underlying material to which a tile installation is bonded
TCNA – Tile Council of North America
THICK BED MORTAR – a thick layer of mortar that is used for leveling (see mortar bed)
THIN-SET – tile setting material that has a final thickness not greater than 3/8" (9 mm)
VAPOR BARRIER – an impervious sheet material that is placed under the substrate to prevent moisture vapor from transgressing through a wall, ceiling or floor
VITREOUS TILE – tile with an absorption rate of between 0.5 – 3.0%
WALL TILE – a glazed tile with a body that is suitable for interior use only and has an absorption rate of greater than 7.0%
WATERPROOFING MEMBRANE – a material applied to a substrate before tiling to protect the substrate and supporting structure from damage by water
WET AREA – surfaces that are either soaked, saturated, or regularly and frequently subjected to moisture or liquids (usually water), such as saunas, steam rooms, showers, swimming pools, and more
Ceramic Tile Materials and Methods
Tile Council of North America, Inc. (TCNA)
100 Clemson Research Blvd.
Anderson, SC 29625
864.646.8453
www.tileusa.com
Terrazzo, Tile & Marble Association of Canada (TTMAC)
30 Capston Gate, Unit 5
Concord, Ontario, Canada L4K 3E8
905.660.9640
www.ttmac.com
Ceramic Tile Institute of America, Inc.
12061 West Jefferson
Culver City, CA 90230-6219
310.574.7800
www.ctioa.org
Tile Contractors Association of America (TCAA)
4 East 113th Terrace
Kansas City, MO 64114
800.655.8453
www.tcaainc.org
National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA)
P.O. Box 13629
626 Lakeland East Dr.
Jackson, MS 39236
601.939.2071
www.tile-assn.com
International Masonry Institute (IMI)
The James Brice House
42 East St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
410.280.1305
www.imiweb.org
Natural Stone Methods and Materials
Marble Institute of America (MIA)
28901 Clemens Rd.
Westlake, OH 44145
440.250.9222
www.marble-institute.com
Masonry Institute of America
22815 Frampton Ave.
Torrance, CA 90501-5034
800.221.4000
www.masonryinstitute.org
Thin Brick Masonry Materials and Methods
Brick Institute of America (BIA)
11490 Commerce Park Dr.
Suite 300
Reston, VA 22091
703.620.0010
www.bia.org
International Masonry Institute (IMI)
The James Brice House
42 East St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
410.280.1305
www.imiweb.org
Masonry Institute of America
22815 Frampton Ave.
Torrance, CA 90501-5034
800.221.4000
www.masonryinstitute.org
National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA)
13750 Sunrise Valley Dr.
Herndon, VA 20171-4662
703.713.1900
www.ncma.org
Concrete, Pre-Cast Concrete
Cement Association
5420 Old Orchard Rd.
Skokie, IL 60077
847.966.6200
www.cement.org
Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI)
209 West Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60606
312.786.0300
www.pci.org
Wire Reinforcement Institute (WRI)
942 Main St.
Hartford, CT 06103
800.542.4974
www.wirereinforcement.org
American Concrete Institute (ACI)
P.O. Box 9094
Farmington Hills, MI 48333-9094
248.848.3700
www.concrete.org
Test Standards and Building Codes
American Society for Testing & Materials
International (ASTM)
100 Barr Harbor Dr.
P.O. Box C700
West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959
610.832.9585
www.astm.org
Materials and Methods Standards Association (MMSA)
P.O. Box 350
Grand Haven, MI 49417-0350
616.842.7844
www.mmsa.ws
International Code Council (ICC)
4051 West Flossmoor Rd.
Country Club Hills, IL 60478-5795
888.422.7233
www.iccsafe.org
United States Green Building Council (USGBC)
1015 18th St., NW
Suite 508
Washington DC 20036
202.828.7422
www.usgbc.org
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
1819 L St., NW 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
202.293.8020
www.ansi.org
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
1, rue de Varembé, Casa postale 56
CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
41 22 749 01 11
www.iso.org
National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS)
1090 Vermont Ave., NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005-4905
202.289.7800
www.nibs.org
Sealants, Waterproofing and Adhesives
Sealant, Waterproofing & Restoration Institute (SWRI)
14 West 3rd St.
Suite 200
Kansas City, MO 64105
816.472.7974
www.swrionline.com
Adhesive & Sealant Council, Inc.
7979 Old Georgetown Rd.
Suite 500
Bethesda, MD 20814
301.986.9700
www.ascouncil.org
Cement Plaster/Render
International Institute for Lath & Plaster
P.O. Box 3922
Palm Desert, CA 92260-3922
760.837.9094
www.iilp.org
Expansion Joints
Expansion Joints Manufacturers Association
25 North Broadway
Tarrytown, NY 10591
Fax: 914.332.1541
www.ejma.org