I used to spend hours and hours in the library. I love to learn. I guess you could call me a student of life. So when the Internet became available, I was in heaven. It opened up the whole world to me. If I wanted to see examples of DaVinci’s work, all I had to do was look it up online. So long Encyclopedia Britannica. Hello world!
I pride myself on being able to find just about anything. If it’s out there, I’ll find it. I’m not a hacker or anything, just a person who knows how to use the Internet to find whatever I’m looking for. So when it came time to learn about tile, I turned to Google, who showed me the way.
Here are some of the sites that have been extremely helpful when it comes to the technical side of tile.
The Tile Council of North America, Inc. is an international trade association dedicated to expanding the market for ceramic tile manufactured in North America.
Ceramic Tile Education Foundation
CTEF administers the only ceramic tile installer certification program that comprehensively evaluates hands-on skills, is standards- based, and recognized nationally.
National Tile Contractors Association
The National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) is the largest, most-respected tile contractors association in the world.
Ceramic Tile Distributors Association
CTDA is an international association of distributors, manufacturers and allied professionals of ceramic tile and related products.
Ceramic Tile of Italy (Italian Tile Producers)
For three decades, the Italian Tile Center has worked in close collaboration with Confindustria Ceramica (The Association of Italian Ceramics) to promote Italian ceramic to architects, designers, dealers and distributors through a wide range of activities and services.
Tile Partners for Humanity was formed in December, 2002 when Curt Rapp of The Tile Doctor and Gray LaFortune of the Ceramic Tile Institute of America realized that the industry’s excess tile disposed of in landfills could be put to much better use. They worked with Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) to create the partnership which serves to utilize this excess inventory, raise awareness of HFHI within the industry and to solicit donations of materials, labor and other support for HFHI. TPFH is also proud to partner with other non-profit organizations who would like to use ceramic tile for the projects.
According to Tile…the Natural Choice there are 5 reasons to choose tile.
Durable - Unlike competitive flooring products that have to be replaced periodically, properly installed tile will last a lifetime.
Ecological - Tile manufacturers maximize recycle content, offer regional availability, and implement resource-efficient practices.
Clean and Healthy - Tiled surfaces are clean, healthy, easy to maintain, and conducive to superior indoor air quality.
Economical - Tile, a luxurious product that increases the value of any building, is the least expensive long-term flooring option.
Green Building - There are many ways that the use of tile can be an integral part of LEED®, CHPS, and ICC-700 projects.
Want to know more? Check out any of the sites referenced above and learn all there is to know about tile and then some.
I was mentioned in your post for the work I do with my charity Tile Partners for Humanity (TPFH) we at TPFH have done a great job of reducing the impact on landfills and helping needy families receive durable flooring in their homes.
Now I’m taking on “Indoor Air Quality”. The very products we use to clean our tile and stone installations and the products manufacturers put into those tile products to provide protection from mold and mildew are also contributing to the unhealthy indoor air quality. They are impacting our environment as they leach out of the products and are reintroduced to our water systems and our environments. Need proof….. Google “Triclosan”. It wasn’t but a few months ago big companies were still defending its safety profile. You only need to ask yourself one question; how can using a leaching pesticide, biocide or heavy metal to kill microbes be environmentally sound? Many say it cannot!
The Toronto indoor air commission published a report stating, “Women who work at home have a 54% higher rate from cancer than women who work away from home”. The report cited indoor air quality as a main contributing factor, much of it due to household chemicals.
We are bringing a repurposed product to market that will lower our reliance on toxic products such as bleach, solvents and other outdated chemistries like Triclosan. This product was invented 30 years ago and has no legacy environmental concerns, and a safety profile that is unequalled. Please check out our website, help our small company trying to do the right thing spread the word. Be an early adopter of the safest, yet most effective product for many surfaces in your home, read more at, http://www.PowerOfShield.com