It is time for yet another season in our world. As we move from summer to fall and then onto winter, I want to take just a moment to remind everyone that with the changing weather comes changing installation conditions. There are several important items for everyone to remember about the proper installation of ceramic tile anytime, but especially during the change of seasons.
First of all the single most ignored instruction is to bring the products and supplies to the job site early and allow them to acclimate to the building environment. Whenever there is a large difference of temperature between the warehouse and inside of a installation site this becomes critical. Without this important step materials will change and move AFTER the installation and cause serious issues for the tile assembly. Moving from warm summer type weather to cooler fall weather is when this issue is most seen in the claim reports.
Next, don't forget the proper steps in installation of a backer board panel. First and foremost step is to properly lay out the panels on the floors or walls. There is a big difference when doing a wall installation as the panels need to be butted together over the studs (still leaving an expansion gap for spacing in each corner) for nailing purposes. On floors it is MANDATORY that all backer board panels have space between each panel and ALWAYS space around the perimeter walls. ALWAYS! This space is in addition to any required expansion or movement joints that the specific job may require due to other issues. This is also the number one cause of failure in most tile installations.
On floor applications it is also necessary to provide a "leveling Bed" of setting materials under the backer board. This is due to the irregularities of the sub floor (building codes allow slight differences in height) and the entire installation depends on the board being flat and fully supported in a level plane to work properly. Almost without exception board manufacturers ask for a 1/4" x 1/4" square notched trowel to be used so that you end up fully covering subsurface irregularities.
Another important step is to use mechanical fasteners (usually screws are preferred over nails for the holding power) and proper lengths and spacing. Many people get confused here, they believe the leveling bed above is an adhesive bed and nothing further is required, but that is a false belief and leads to quick failure of the ceramic tile assembly. Most manufacturers instructions call for the screws to be no more than 4-6" apart on the edges of the panels and 6-8" apart on the center (or field) of the panel. Saving a few cents on screws or a few minutes by not using them will cost you much more in the long run with the job fails.
Final step before installing the tile is to tape all of the seams of the panels. I realize many folks ALWAYS skip this step, but those are the same folks who never understand why the grout cracked or the tile cracked on the job in the perfect pattern of the backer board panel below. Remember the purpose of a backer board is to proved a flat, FULLY supported surface to install the tile - and it cannot be fully supported if you leave a 1/4 space between each panel as required and then don't fill that using fiberglass mesh tape.
By actually reading the label and manufacturers instructions specific to the backer board panel you are installing you can follow their specific instructions and be assured of a successful and long lasting installation. Failure to do this generally leads to some type of dissatisfaction, either on the part of the installer or later on the consumer who ends up living with a poor quality installation.
Steve
Monday, September 27, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Don't worry, Be Happy!! or The face of a mule!!
A young boy was asked to draw what he thought a face looked like. When finished the teacher guessed it was a mule, nope replied the boy, it is my daddy's face. No, this was not my son, but it well could have been I suppose. Do we all walk around daily wearing a "mule's face?" Long, solemn, sad and unfriendly? I do understand that everyone does have sadness in their lives sometimes, but daily? Is life that bad for some folks?
I regularly call an office and when one particular person answers the phone I can always hear the smile on her face. She makes me happy that I've called that phone. I feel compelled to talk with her for just a moment so that I can enjoy her happiness and joy that she is so freely passing my way. What a great way to pass thru this life, with a huge smile on your face, so big that folks can actually HEAR your smile when you talk on the phone!!
I was recently reading an article about the biggest problems most folks face and I was totally surprised at the list. They included: Anger, Ego, Pride, Self-Centeredness, Competitive, and Addiction. Wow!! I can certainly see those in my life on a regular basis and upon quiet reflection I discovered that I was the cause of most of those problems. I quote I use on my email sometimes is this: "I am the biggest problem I encounter on most days!"
My attitude sometimes seems to forget the many Blessings that I have and feel in my life and seems to bore in on those minor "Gnat Bites" that I encounter daily. Driving in city traffic bothers me yet I forget that millions of other folks can't even afford gas, let alone owning a car, they walk everywhere. I'm willing to bet that person walking to get somewhere smiles and most likely isn't bothered with Pride, Ego or Self-Centeredness in their life. I hear people who run do it because it makes them feel so good, my question then is why aren't they smiling? When you look at the face of most runners you get to see a great "Mule Face." I suffered a blister on my heel last Saturday from walking around shopping all day, I walked around the rest of the weekend (even until last night) complaining about my pain, yet I forgot about the guy I passed riding his specially custom made bike in a 20 mile trek without any feet or legs, and yes HE was smiling! I KNOW he had to have blisters on both hands from pumping his bike that whole time.
So, what can I do about this problem today? Well, today is the first day of the rest of my life, so I just have to concentrate on changing my mind (we are the only creatures God created that can easily do that) and removing my "Mule face" to be replaced with a huge smile. If you catch me with anything but a smile on my face for the rest of this week, please call me on it and I will give you a dollar as thanks for reminding me.
Make this a great week, Smile at everyone! I suggest it will make folks wonder what you know that they don't.
Steve
I regularly call an office and when one particular person answers the phone I can always hear the smile on her face. She makes me happy that I've called that phone. I feel compelled to talk with her for just a moment so that I can enjoy her happiness and joy that she is so freely passing my way. What a great way to pass thru this life, with a huge smile on your face, so big that folks can actually HEAR your smile when you talk on the phone!!
I was recently reading an article about the biggest problems most folks face and I was totally surprised at the list. They included: Anger, Ego, Pride, Self-Centeredness, Competitive, and Addiction. Wow!! I can certainly see those in my life on a regular basis and upon quiet reflection I discovered that I was the cause of most of those problems. I quote I use on my email sometimes is this: "I am the biggest problem I encounter on most days!"
My attitude sometimes seems to forget the many Blessings that I have and feel in my life and seems to bore in on those minor "Gnat Bites" that I encounter daily. Driving in city traffic bothers me yet I forget that millions of other folks can't even afford gas, let alone owning a car, they walk everywhere. I'm willing to bet that person walking to get somewhere smiles and most likely isn't bothered with Pride, Ego or Self-Centeredness in their life. I hear people who run do it because it makes them feel so good, my question then is why aren't they smiling? When you look at the face of most runners you get to see a great "Mule Face." I suffered a blister on my heel last Saturday from walking around shopping all day, I walked around the rest of the weekend (even until last night) complaining about my pain, yet I forgot about the guy I passed riding his specially custom made bike in a 20 mile trek without any feet or legs, and yes HE was smiling! I KNOW he had to have blisters on both hands from pumping his bike that whole time.
So, what can I do about this problem today? Well, today is the first day of the rest of my life, so I just have to concentrate on changing my mind (we are the only creatures God created that can easily do that) and removing my "Mule face" to be replaced with a huge smile. If you catch me with anything but a smile on my face for the rest of this week, please call me on it and I will give you a dollar as thanks for reminding me.
Make this a great week, Smile at everyone! I suggest it will make folks wonder what you know that they don't.
Steve
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Priorities.
Priorities.
Do you have written priorities? Not just ideas floating around in your head, but cold hard written priorities. If you need a clue as to what your REAL priorities have been, look in your checkbook to see where you've been spending your money - look at your calendar to see where you've been spending your time. Those are strong clues to determine what your ACTIONS say about your priorities. Now the good and easy part comes next:
Before reading the next paragraph, please answer this question: What is the single most significant thing you could begin doing regularly that would:
1. Make you more effective at your work?
2. Create a better atmosphere for your family?
On the assumption now that you have named specific things that would make your life better, let me pose one more question: Can you defend your choice to omit any of these things from your schedule this week?
All of us have urgent things that will have to be attended to before this day ends -- phone calls, appointments, sales calls, deadlines, interruptions, etc. But some of us will also do our versions of the things you named earlier -- like planning next week's big presentation or making three extra calls, telling someone "I love you" or helping children with homework, or taking time to read the Bible and pray for a few minutes.
The difference in people who tend to life's really important things and those of us who simply react to whatever happens in a day and live the scripts others write for us is called discernment. Maybe you prefer to call it setting priorities or putting first things first.
Is your movement in the direction of some worthy goal?
It is absurdly easy to fall into the activity trap. That's when you think that being busy is the same thing as being productive. We humans can equate having done huge amounts of unimportant things with having done something that is actually significant. They simply aren't the same.
Moving quickly and efficiently is important only if your movement is in the direction of some worthy goal. Since you took the time at the start of this piece to name three specific steps toward noble ends, why not take some time now to figure out how to include them in today's schedule for yourself?
You may need to cut out some waste and cancel some unimportant things, but you will be better for it. You will have started to practice discernment between the things in life that really matter and all the second-rate distractions we let get in the way of doing them.
Many of you likely know the writings of Stephen Covey. His "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" has sold widely and helped many people toward a clearer view of career, family, and personal life. "The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule," insists Covey, "but to schedule your priorities."
Do you have written priorities? Not just ideas floating around in your head, but cold hard written priorities. If you need a clue as to what your REAL priorities have been, look in your checkbook to see where you've been spending your money - look at your calendar to see where you've been spending your time. Those are strong clues to determine what your ACTIONS say about your priorities. Now the good and easy part comes next:
Before reading the next paragraph, please answer this question: What is the single most significant thing you could begin doing regularly that would:
1. Make you more effective at your work?
2. Create a better atmosphere for your family?
On the assumption now that you have named specific things that would make your life better, let me pose one more question: Can you defend your choice to omit any of these things from your schedule this week?
All of us have urgent things that will have to be attended to before this day ends -- phone calls, appointments, sales calls, deadlines, interruptions, etc. But some of us will also do our versions of the things you named earlier -- like planning next week's big presentation or making three extra calls, telling someone "I love you" or helping children with homework, or taking time to read the Bible and pray for a few minutes.
The difference in people who tend to life's really important things and those of us who simply react to whatever happens in a day and live the scripts others write for us is called discernment. Maybe you prefer to call it setting priorities or putting first things first.
Is your movement in the direction of some worthy goal?
It is absurdly easy to fall into the activity trap. That's when you think that being busy is the same thing as being productive. We humans can equate having done huge amounts of unimportant things with having done something that is actually significant. They simply aren't the same.
Moving quickly and efficiently is important only if your movement is in the direction of some worthy goal. Since you took the time at the start of this piece to name three specific steps toward noble ends, why not take some time now to figure out how to include them in today's schedule for yourself?
You may need to cut out some waste and cancel some unimportant things, but you will be better for it. You will have started to practice discernment between the things in life that really matter and all the second-rate distractions we let get in the way of doing them.
Many of you likely know the writings of Stephen Covey. His "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" has sold widely and helped many people toward a clearer view of career, family, and personal life. "The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule," insists Covey, "but to schedule your priorities."
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Media Stars
Thinking about how our media makes folks into "stars" I was reminded of two completely opposites, both from the airplane world. Cpt. Sully versus Attendant Slater. The media turned both into overnight stars, yet one will surely have lasting power as an example of how to stay cool and calm and due your role under pressure, while the other shows how blowing up does indeed have consequences that may not be favorable.
As a pilot I have been able to learn much from Sully as I examine myself and my flying skills and I suppose I can learn what not to do from Slater, but I personally prefer the positive examples instead of the negative ones. We see this media working daily in today's fast paced world, someone, somewhere, seems to decide what "everyone" should be interested in (or not concerned with) and pushes this agenda on the public. In politics we tend to use a polite term of "spin" but in reality it is all just the media using the system to get their views across.
All of this reminds me of what my grandfather used to say: Everyone brightens up a room, some do it when they arrive, and some when they leave.
As with most everything else, the choice to choose is yours! Make today a great day.
Steve
As a pilot I have been able to learn much from Sully as I examine myself and my flying skills and I suppose I can learn what not to do from Slater, but I personally prefer the positive examples instead of the negative ones. We see this media working daily in today's fast paced world, someone, somewhere, seems to decide what "everyone" should be interested in (or not concerned with) and pushes this agenda on the public. In politics we tend to use a polite term of "spin" but in reality it is all just the media using the system to get their views across.
All of this reminds me of what my grandfather used to say: Everyone brightens up a room, some do it when they arrive, and some when they leave.
As with most everything else, the choice to choose is yours! Make today a great day.
Steve
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
International Standards Organization
I'm spending this week in Mexico City attending the ISO meetings. As I listen to the various member nations representatives discussing items of business I am struck by the huge differences in doing business in other parts of the world from the United States. For trade purposes our world has grown very small and goods seem to move almost anywhere from any country of origin. Most of the representatives in attendance are trying to do what they can to improve our industry (ceramic tile) but some, just a few, who blatantly are only self-serving for their companies or nations interests without consideration for what is best for the industry or the rest of the world.
The purpose of the ISO organization is to develop standards that facilitate trade and ensure that our customers (consumers) get what they expect when they purchase a tile installation. This started out just as tile manufacturers but has now expanded to include the installation systems, hence, my purpose for being here. Think of this as a auto manufacturer, they are concerned about making their cars the best and safest but need the support of the others who make the systems that are necessary for the car, like the tire companies, headlight companies, etc.
I suppose for most of my life I have not paid much attention to countries meeting and discussing various items of mutual interest, such as the UN talks. Now that I am part of the "system" my eyes are being opened in all of the various factors that effect the outcome of the discussions and just how carefully each and every item is considered within the context of member nations differing viewpoints. What may be critical to the folks in Europe may have no value in Asia and only small concern in other parts of the world.
It does make for an interest week and a huge learning experience.
Steve
The purpose of the ISO organization is to develop standards that facilitate trade and ensure that our customers (consumers) get what they expect when they purchase a tile installation. This started out just as tile manufacturers but has now expanded to include the installation systems, hence, my purpose for being here. Think of this as a auto manufacturer, they are concerned about making their cars the best and safest but need the support of the others who make the systems that are necessary for the car, like the tire companies, headlight companies, etc.
I suppose for most of my life I have not paid much attention to countries meeting and discussing various items of mutual interest, such as the UN talks. Now that I am part of the "system" my eyes are being opened in all of the various factors that effect the outcome of the discussions and just how carefully each and every item is considered within the context of member nations differing viewpoints. What may be critical to the folks in Europe may have no value in Asia and only small concern in other parts of the world.
It does make for an interest week and a huge learning experience.
Steve
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Procrastination
I keep asking myself, What do I feel like doing? What have I been saying I'm going to do? Why am I not doing what I need to be doing? And finally, What am I doing? For some unknown reason (maybe not so unknown, read on friends) I find myself full of excuses why I'm not doing what I KNOW that I need to do.
Take this blog for example, I've been ruminating over what I wanted to write about since last Saturday, yet I didn't even start this until mid-afternoon on Tuesday. Oh, I have excuses (yep the phone did ring, people stopped by my open office door, etc) but really the bottom line here is I didn't start writing until just now. In fact, I am going to still not write about what I was thinking about so that I can discuss how to deal with my procrastination. I promise I will get to that other subject soon.
Here are several points that I am going to throw out (mainly for ME to re-read) that may be helpful to others. These are actions that I can take to stop my procrastinating.
1. Stop making excuses. I just need to make my choices as to which priorities are important.
2. Start NOW. TODAY. I tend to push off until tomorrow and I have no guarantee of a tomorrow, or the time tomorrow that I couldn't seem to find today.
3. Establish a planned schedule and stick to it. I need to put each task on my calendar and allocate proper time frames to accomplish it (or the bite sized pieces if it is a large task) and then stick to my schedule. PERIOD. Ignore the phone and close the office door.
4. Face my fears. I'm not sure what I am afraid of but obviously subconsciously I have a fear of doing something or I would just do it.
5. Focus on what I gain, not the pain of doing the task. Very few worthwhile things in life are easily accomplished. I need to push through the frustration and concentrate on how great I will feel when this task is finished.
6. Perseverance. I once gave a 20 minute talk about perseverance that lasted almost 2 hours. Seriously! What I found was that once I got started I knew a lot about the subject and wanted to share with others, much like writing this blog. I actually enjoyed that 2 hours and it only seemed like 20 minutes had passed to me.
7. Self awareness. Monitor my internal monologue to see and understand WHY I decide what I do and HOW I make that decision. Then the rest is easy - just re-write the script the way I KNOW it should be and go forward.
OK, so now you can start cheering and clapping for me as I've overcome procrastination for today and have a written plan to re-read every time I need to do something. A preacher friend of mine loves to say that it is much easier to be a Christian in the church building than to walk down a street with sinners full of temptations that pull at me.
Procrastination seems to be one of those sin's to me - it is much easier to identify it AFTER I've overcome it and reflect back and wonder why it took me so long.
How do YOU handle procrastination and overcome it in your world?
Steve
Take this blog for example, I've been ruminating over what I wanted to write about since last Saturday, yet I didn't even start this until mid-afternoon on Tuesday. Oh, I have excuses (yep the phone did ring, people stopped by my open office door, etc) but really the bottom line here is I didn't start writing until just now. In fact, I am going to still not write about what I was thinking about so that I can discuss how to deal with my procrastination. I promise I will get to that other subject soon.
Here are several points that I am going to throw out (mainly for ME to re-read) that may be helpful to others. These are actions that I can take to stop my procrastinating.
1. Stop making excuses. I just need to make my choices as to which priorities are important.
2. Start NOW. TODAY. I tend to push off until tomorrow and I have no guarantee of a tomorrow, or the time tomorrow that I couldn't seem to find today.
3. Establish a planned schedule and stick to it. I need to put each task on my calendar and allocate proper time frames to accomplish it (or the bite sized pieces if it is a large task) and then stick to my schedule. PERIOD. Ignore the phone and close the office door.
4. Face my fears. I'm not sure what I am afraid of but obviously subconsciously I have a fear of doing something or I would just do it.
5. Focus on what I gain, not the pain of doing the task. Very few worthwhile things in life are easily accomplished. I need to push through the frustration and concentrate on how great I will feel when this task is finished.
6. Perseverance. I once gave a 20 minute talk about perseverance that lasted almost 2 hours. Seriously! What I found was that once I got started I knew a lot about the subject and wanted to share with others, much like writing this blog. I actually enjoyed that 2 hours and it only seemed like 20 minutes had passed to me.
7. Self awareness. Monitor my internal monologue to see and understand WHY I decide what I do and HOW I make that decision. Then the rest is easy - just re-write the script the way I KNOW it should be and go forward.
OK, so now you can start cheering and clapping for me as I've overcome procrastination for today and have a written plan to re-read every time I need to do something. A preacher friend of mine loves to say that it is much easier to be a Christian in the church building than to walk down a street with sinners full of temptations that pull at me.
Procrastination seems to be one of those sin's to me - it is much easier to identify it AFTER I've overcome it and reflect back and wonder why it took me so long.
How do YOU handle procrastination and overcome it in your world?
Steve
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Embracing Change
I spent all of last week at our corporate office HQ in Chicago and had the opportunity to be involved in many new and exciting things that are happening at USG. To list them all would take several pages but the quick view is that I am proud to be associated with a company like USG that takes so much corporate responsibility for every issue they are involved with. We have a updated and revised Sustainability policy, we have updated and revised literature and product labeling/packaging to help our customers better understand how to use and where to use our products. We discussed training our employees as well as our customers employees who sell our products to the ultimate users so everyone has a better understanding of all the possibilities of our full line of products.
What impressed me the most with this trip was the use of new cutting edge technology to stay on the top of our game. How we can transfer this to our customers and their customers remains to be fully explored, but in the meantime it relates to how well and quickly USG can respond to the industry and it's changing needs/wants/requirements. USG has built the greatest team of talent and skills in our people, but to fully utilize their talents and skills they need the support of the latest technology available. If your company or the suppliers you currently use are not providing latest technology to you then may want to investigate how to move into this newer higher level of progress.
At this point you may be thinking that I feel we have everything the best it can be - WRONG - I feel we are ahead of our competition but I know we will never rest on the process of improvements and change for the better. Sometimes it feels as if we just have endless meetings about issues but in reality these are necessary to consider all of the potential possibilities and probabilities that are involved with changing what we do. We need to be as sure as possible that we are making GOOD changes and that they make sense for USG as well as our customers and the ultimate consumers. It may not be fun, but it is absolutely necessary to insure our leadership position in our industry. Plus it is a constant reminder that the customers are in charge and have choices, therefore we do everything possible to earn their business each and every day.
What impressed me the most with this trip was the use of new cutting edge technology to stay on the top of our game. How we can transfer this to our customers and their customers remains to be fully explored, but in the meantime it relates to how well and quickly USG can respond to the industry and it's changing needs/wants/requirements. USG has built the greatest team of talent and skills in our people, but to fully utilize their talents and skills they need the support of the latest technology available. If your company or the suppliers you currently use are not providing latest technology to you then may want to investigate how to move into this newer higher level of progress.
At this point you may be thinking that I feel we have everything the best it can be - WRONG - I feel we are ahead of our competition but I know we will never rest on the process of improvements and change for the better. Sometimes it feels as if we just have endless meetings about issues but in reality these are necessary to consider all of the potential possibilities and probabilities that are involved with changing what we do. We need to be as sure as possible that we are making GOOD changes and that they make sense for USG as well as our customers and the ultimate consumers. It may not be fun, but it is absolutely necessary to insure our leadership position in our industry. Plus it is a constant reminder that the customers are in charge and have choices, therefore we do everything possible to earn their business each and every day.
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