5 million square feet and care with every inch

      We recently tried to calculate how much tile our company had installed in its 48 years in the ceramic tile industry. We came up with more than 5 million square feet, so, odds are that if you’ve spent much time in houses or businesses in Raleigh and the surrounding area, you’ve seen some of our work.

      We’ve worked in many residential neighborhoods, banks, churches, and office buildings, and most of our work is standing strong and beautiful. We’re proud of that, (though it may not be such a comfort to those who live with those ‘perfectly good’ pink or sky-blue tiles of the 70s.   We’ve even seen one of our mud-set showers survive an area tornado when the house that surrounded it was obliterated.

     Tile is meant to last, and, on the residential side, we’ve no doubt installed more of it in our area than any other tile business around. However, quantity doesn’t really tell the story of our business. Others who install commercial tile could easily surpass our numbers with their malls and schools.

     Perhaps quality and technical proficiency set us apart more than volume? Our certified installers are among the most talented in the industry; our superintendents are passionate about the trade; our company leaders are on national boards and committees and help write the tile installation standards used throughout the world. We believe we are among the most capable and knowledgeable installation contractors in the country.

     But our story is not one sufficiently explained by quality either. I think the story of our business is better told by how our staff reacted to an unhappy customer on Thursday. She called us to task for something that went wrong on her job 10 years ago, and our staff reacted with the genuine concern of people who care about what they do. Her statements weren’t dismissed or excused, and the primary point of all the ensuing conversations was ‘how can we make this right now?’ Yes, 10 years later, it still matters to us!

     Most of us have been with the company more than 15 years, and we take our work and the satisfaction of our customers personally. Ours is a family business in that a family owns it, but ours is also a ‘family company’ in that each of us has a personal stake in every job, every customer, and every long-lasting installation.

     In today’s coupon-crazy, commodity-driven culture, it’s hard to know if businesses that care about their craft, their customers, and their people will survive. But it’s nice to know that when it comes to our company– quantity and quality are evenly matched with character.

Tile’s Green Squared measures sustainable systems

     “Tile products are durable, inert and intended to last as long as the buildings in which they are installed. Tile and related installation materials are engineered to serve as permanent finishes capable of outliving several generations of building occupants,” writes Bill Griese of TCNA as he describes the importance of a standard which can be used to assess the sustainability of tile and installation materials in today’s ‘green’ building environment.

     In light of tile’s long life-cycle and the increasing movement toward industry-wide sustainability criteria, the Tile Council of North America has announced the establishment of Green Squared SM, the world’s first consensus-based sustainability standard and certification program developed exclusively for tiles and tile installation materials.

     “With the recent approval of ANSI A138.1, the standard upon which the Green Squared certification  program is based, our industry now has a means by which to define and certify the environmental and social sustainability attributes of tiles and related installation materials,” remarked Griese, TCNA standards development and Green Initiative manager.

     ANSI A138.1 is a multi-attribute sustainability standard which was written by an ANSI Accredited Standards Committee, ASC A108, representing ‘green’ building stakeholders, tile consumers, manufacturers, distributors, installers, and many other relevant interests. Encompassing ceramic tiles, glass tiles, setting materials, grouts, backer boards and membranes, this standard allows the tile industry to offer installed systems of conforming sustainable products – the first offering of its kind by any building material industry.

 developed the Green Squared program as a way for tiles and related installation materials to be certified as meeting ANSI A138.1. Products evaluated by an independent, third-party certification agency and verified to meet ANSI A138.1 will appear in the marketplace beginning in April 2012. These products will bear a single, easily recognizable Green Squared Certified mark that will give architects, specifiers, and consumers the confidence that these products are truly sustainable.

(Neuse Tile’s Nyle Wadford serves on the ANSI ASC A108 committee which approved this exciting new standard for the industry.)

Tile specifications to net best results

To raise the level of integrity and professionalism in the tile trade, and to present project owners, architects and design professionals an opportunity to demand installation excellence, two major tile associations have come together to help ensure project plans are carried out by qualified installation contractors.

The National Tile Contractors Association(NTCA) and the Tile Contractors Association of America(TCAA) have come together to mutually promote their associations’ recognition programs. This unprecedented partnership provides a way for project specifiers, contractors, and owners to ensure tile is installed with excellence.

As architects and designers create plans for their projects, they write ‘specifications’ to make sure the details of their vision are understood by all concerned. In the tile category, these specifications have traditionally only included types of tile, setting materials, and method of installation. As the two associations have come together, they have provided a means for also including the specification of a quality installation company.

Both NTCA and TCAA have recognition programs which feature companies that demonstrate a proven track record of success and ethical business practices. NTCA’s Five-Star Contractor and TCAA’s Trowel of Excellence programs will now be promoted together to provide “an unsurpassed level of comfort that projects will have the highest levels of quality at the national, regional, and local level,” said TCAA president John Trendel.

Specification language will be further developed in 2012 so that it can be considered for inclusion in several important industry installation methods and standards. “This unified language will make it easier for specifiers and owners to feel confident that their material is being installed by a company which has the expertise and integrity to do the job correctly. It will also assure manufacturers that their quality products are being installed by knowledgeable craftsmen who will stand behind their work. We are proud to be part of this historic effort,” said NTCA and Neuse Tile president, Nyle Wadford.

Elevate your space with tile

Looking for trends and tips in tile? Check out Crossville’s blog, elevateyourspace.wordpress.com  Posts talk about using subtle design to make a big statement and even show the runway debut of a dress made from mosaic tiles.

This TN tile and stone manufacturer hosted us for a tour of their facilities last summer, and it was fascinating to see the process that turns clay to a beautiful home (or even fashion) accent. The scientists and production staff at Crossville are top-notch, and the products they produce are a pleasure to install.

When you pair regionally produced quality with local expertise in installation you truly ‘Elevate Your Space.’

Gifts from your neighborhood

“Small Business Saturday” and Christmas are approaching, and we’re thinking it’s the year to go ‘outside the box’.
As a Facebook friend shared recently:
“Everyone — yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local hair salon or barber? Gym membership? It’s appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.
Who wouldn’t appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, locally owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.
Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course?
There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants — all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn’t the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, this is about supporting your neighbors whose financial lives are on the line to keep their doors open.
How many people could use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop nearby? Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day. My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.
OK, you were looking for something more personal? Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, candles, pottery and beautiful wooden boxes. Plan your holiday outings at local, owner-operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And how about going to see a play or ballet at your hometown theater? Musicians need love, too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.
And, of course, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.
Christmas is about caring about your neighbors, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away. And, when we care about our communities, the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn’t imagine.”
As your local tile installers, we’d also add the gift of a new tile backsplash or a refurbished stone floor to the above list

Mopping tile is not thorough cleaning

“Mopping a floor is not a method of thorough cleaning; it is a method of minimal soil removal and primarily a means of soil redistribution over a broad area. While a mop picks up very little soil it makes a great application tool for many cleaning products.
Cleaners work by loosening and suspending soils for removal. To effectively clean a floor a product must be applied, allowed to dwell on the surface loosening the soil, abraded by the appropriate means, removed by extraction then rinsed followed by more extraction. Sounds like a lot of work and it is. Intensive cleaning is usually done with alkaline floor cleaners. They are favored for their aggressive removal of soils but as previously mentioned; require a good rinse after use, especially if a floor is to be sealed.”
Great floor care advice from Dave Gobis in a recent Tile Magazine article. Check out his do’s and don’ts for maintenance.

Bathroom Obstacle Course

Obstacles to daily bathroom doings may not be on the top of your problem list now, but many of our forward-thinking customers are designing with the future in mind.

Design innovations now make it possible to renovate a bathroom with totally modern features and complete accessibility. Gone are the days when ‘accessible’ meant rubber stools in the shower and stainless steel grab bars around the toilet. Now, curbless entries with textured tiles, built-in seats, lowered vanities, open floor plans and taller toilets just make good design sense.

Simple things like task lighting and door hardware with easy-push levers can make a bathroom more beautiful and approachable. Many of our remodelers and designers are also thinking long-term and widening doorways and installing bracing for stylish stability bars as they renovate. Since we’re all staying in our homes longer, it makes sense to approach a bathroom renovation from that perspective and get the best return on your investment.

So, when you’re doodling your bathroom re-design, think about the things you might take for granted today:
– That curb you step over getting into the shower each morning — if you broke your hip in a car accident, would you be able to tackle that step?
– That bathtub you turn to for a nice, long soak – will you be able to get in and out when you are older and arthritic?
– The vanity you lean over to brush your teeth – will it be an obstacle if you are temporarily or permanently confined to a wheelchair?

Life these days is hard enough without having to figure out how to ‘climb out’ of your bathroom. Renovate for the long-term and eliminate barriers to your bathroom bliss.