Installation Guide

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Got Glass?

Installing Glass Tile

Requires Special

Methods and Products

Glass tile has become a desirable option for

designers and homeowners who are looking for a

clean, vibrant look. Today, the industry is seeing

more and more glass tile installed in areas where

ceramic tile was the norm. In fact, the Tile Council

of North America (TCNA), with the assistance of the

manufacturers of glass tile, has developed a new

standard speciﬁcally for glass tile, ANSI A137.2.

For years, glass tile was used for accent and trim

pieces with ceramic tile ﬁlling the ﬁeld. There was

not much thought given to the installation materials,

and these were generally the same as those used

to install the ceramic tile. Design trends continue to

push the envelope with glass tile. Moving beyond

the traditional accent pieces, glass tile is now being

used as ﬁeld tile with sizes 12" x 12" or larger. To install

these larger glass tiles, the industry called for new

bonding mortars and modiﬁed installation methods.

Technical White Paper

GLASS TILE

Photo courtesy of Oceanside Glass Tile

By Steve Taylor

Director of Architecture and

Technical Marketing,

Custom Building Products

Summary of content (4 pages)

PAGE 1
Technical White Paper GLASS TILE Got Glass? Installing Glass Tile Requires Special Methods and Products Photo courtesy of Oceanside Glass Tile Glass tile has become a desirable option for designers and homeowners who are looking for a clean, vibrant look. Today, the industry is seeing more and more glass tile installed in areas where ceramic tile was the norm.
PAGE 2
Technical White Paper GLASS TILE A NEW THIN-SET MORTAR, EXCLUSIVELY FOR GLASS TILE. No variations will be seen through the face of the glass tile. In many cases, the mortar’s bright white color actually enhances the color of the clear or translucent glass tile. With the introduction of Glass Tile Premium Thin-Set Mortar, Custom Building Products has filled the need for a new bonding mortar that’s ideal for use with glass tile.
PAGE 3
Technical White Paper GLASS TILE THREE TYPES OF GLASS TILE; ONE THIN-SET MORTAR SOLUTION The ANSI A137.2 standard identifies three different types of glass tile: cast glass tile, fused glass tile, and low-temperature-coated glass tile. It also defines large format glass tile as any tile with dimensions greater than 3" x 3". TCNA recommends the use of a high-performing thin-set mortar meeting the requirements of ANSI A118.4 and with bond strength greater than 400 psi per section 5.2.4.
PAGE 4
Technical White Paper GLASS TILE joint placement guidelines in EJ171 in the TCNA Handbook should be followed. Movement joints should be placed every eight feet with a caulk meeting the requirements of ASTM C920. Custom Building Products Commercial 100% Silicone Caulk meets this requirement. When glass tiles are installed properly, they make a beautiful statement.