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Apron tile
Tile set along the
face of a structure--for example, along the front of a countertop edge
or the vertical border of a sloping kitchen range hood.
Backer board
Cement-based sheet
material used as a substrate for tile on walls,
floors, and counters. The material of choice in any wet area such as a
kitchen or bathroom because it is unaffected by water. Also called cement
board, wonder board, or green board.
Backsplash
The vertical surface
at the back of a countertop.
Bullnose tile
A trim tile with
at least one rounded-over edge used to finish outside corners.
Caulk
One of many flexible
compounds used to fill gaps between construction materials. Some key tile
joints are filled with caulk instead of grout.
Cement-bodied
tile
Tiles made of mortar
instead of clay, generally providing the appearance of stone or pavers
without a surface glaze.
Cove tile
A shaped trim tile
with a slightly curved base that creates a rounded joint between adjacent
walls, a wall and a floor, or other surfaces that meet at right angles.
Often used as a sanitary detail along the bottom of bathroom walls.
Curing
The period of time
that concrete, tile adhesive, or grout must be left in order for it to
reach its working strength. Curing time is usually longer than drying
time.
Expansion joint
A space left between
two surfaces that allows for natural expansion and contraction, typically
filled with a flexible backer rod covered with caulk.
Field tile
A full-size tile
in the main area of installation.
Float
A long-handled
tool used to smooth a concrete surface. More generally with tile, a
term describing the process of shaping and smoothing a bed of mortar
with a trowel.
Glaze
A hard surface generally
fired onto the exposed side of a ceramic tile, which imparts a glossy
shine.
Greenboard
A water-resistant
variety of drywall used in kitchens and bathrooms.
Grout
The mud or cement
that is troweled into tiles that fills the seams and solidifies the tile
field. Available in many formulas and colors.
Mastic
Common term for organic-based
adhesives generally with less bond strength and water resistance than
other thinsets.
Mortar
The mixture of sand,
cement, and water used to float beds for tile.
Mosaic
Small tiles that
are used to create a design or pattern, generally sold in preassembled
sheets.
Mud
Tile-setter's term
for mortar applied in a setting bed.
Sealer
A silicone, lacquer,
or acrylic based, clear liquid that is applied to cement-based grout to
protect against water penetration and stains.
Shower-floor membrane
A flexible waterproof
material under tile that protects against leak damage by directing any
water that seeps through seams into the weep holes of shower drain.
Specialty tile
All tiles that are
not field tiles, generally used to create smooth,
finished edges and corners for specific areas. These trim pieces come
in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Subfloor
Plywood panels (or
tongue-and-groove boards in older homes) installed over joists to support
finished flooring material.
Substrate
The supporting layer
under tile, generally panels of plywood or backer
board.
Thickset
The term used for
tile installations that use a thick bed of mortar between tile and substrate.
Generally used on older installations, while thin beds of adhesive are
generally used today.
Thinset
The term for modern
tile installations that use a thin ribbed coat of adhesive between the
tile and substrate.
Thinset mortar
The term generally
used to describe any of the cement-based tile adhesives.
Underlayment
Smooth panels of
plywood or backer board used as a base for
tile setting.
V-cap tile
A basically L-shaped
tile with a slightly raised corner commonly used along edges of kitchen
and bathroom countertops.
Waterproof membrane
A flexible rubberlike
material used in tiled tub and shower installations, and also in thickset
counter installations.
Wicking Effect
When the core (drywall, wood) is in sustained contact
with water, the water will be absorbed several inches from the point of
contact.
Zero clearance
Term that applies
to prefab fireplace units that can be installed next to framing and other
combustible materials.
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