New products revealed at Coverings 2023

[Tiger Mountain Tile Inc]

The following products caught my eye at Coverings:

1. A spray that goes on old, dried thinset and softens it right up
2. A 'mastic' that you can use everywhere you can't use mastic
3. Huge, thin glass panels
4. Plastic backer board
5. Prefab, legal, LED lighted niches
6. Tile profiles in whatever finish you want

4+ minute Youtube video here

Full disclosure: The Grinder is my own venture and so this post is a bit self-serving. But the video has received a good amount of attention over on Facebook so I thought I'd see if there's value in posting over here.

[ceramictec]

pretty cool

[PC7060]

A spray that goes on old, dried thinset and softens it right up

I thought this was called Vinegar.

[Tiger Mountain Tile Inc]

Apparently, the chemical goes after the polymers in the mortar so it would only work on modified thinset. In the video, you can see how easily it comes up.

In other words, vinegar's got nothing on this stuff

[PC7060]

Nice!

[Just In Tile LLC]

Premixed adhesive that can do it all.....if it actually holds true that is HUGE! Less waste, no mixing, no slake time! SOLD where do I sign up?? haha

[cx]

Somewhere on these forums I predicted, perhaps ten years ago, that there would soon be a generation of tile installers who didn't know what Portland cement was, nor why they should care.

Is this a good thing? I dunno. But I'm still betting it'll be a true thing. And I think I'm glad I'm gonna miss it.

[Tiger Mountain Tile Inc]

I remember Steve Taylor, the now-retired chemist from Custom, forecasting that the future of the industry was in the 'glue' type adhesives rather than portland cement.

This is the product in question: https://www.tecspecialty.com/product...tile-adhesive/

[cx]

Originally Posted by Justin

Premixed adhesive that can do it all....

Well, all except floors, Justin. That's likely to limit sales quite a bit. Shower floors excepted, and can be used in submerged applications.

I'll be curious to see how the waterproofing membrane people take to it, although TEC says it's OK.

[Steve Taylor]

This does look like the future of tile adhesive. I imagine the cost per square foot is quite a bit more than a polymer modified cement mortar that would do the same or more. Is the convenience worth the cost; as with backboard vs. mud bed?

[RichVT]

One thing about going to these shows on a regular basis is getting to see what products (and companies) stand the test of time and which ones come in with a big marketing splash and then disappear after a year or two.