STRONGSVILLE, OH – The Tile Contractors’ Association of America (TCAA) recently participated in a tile workshop put on by IMI, BAC Local 4 Southern California, and hosted by Custom Building Products. More than 40 architects, contractors and labor representatives gathered to experience and learn about some of the latest materials and installation practices in the ceramic tile industry.

Jim Tuttle, architectural representative for Custom Building Products, explained the newly released pre-mixed grout, ANSI standards and the new second generation of premixed polyurethane grouts. To truly understand how the materials have improved, attendees went into the Custom lab and did their own grouting.

Marc Blackledge, a 20-year layer and Local 4 apprenticeship coordinator, explained the Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT) program and how the skills tested represent the pinnacle of performance in the tile trade. Blackledge also brought three of the testing mockups to the program so that the architects could better understand the nuances of the installation processes.