As tile continues to be used more frequently in new installations it presents challenges for floor covering dealers who are not that experienced with the product or who may not fully understand how to install it.

We have had several questions lately on the edges of tile chipping, and it is being interpreted as a potential product defect. Most often this is not the case as there are several reasons for it. Our research led us to our associate and tile expert, Dave Gobis, for the answer. Dave is a life-long tile man and a consultant and instructor for the National Tile Contractors Association, Ceramic Tile Institute of America and Tile Council of North America.

He states a tile's edge is not designed to be impact resistant except for quarry tile. The problem is most often caused by low grout lines or soft, poorly mixed grout. If the edge is exposed it can be hit with a vacuum, the foot of a chair, a dropped item or any other blunt force that happens to catch the edge.

Most often the perception is there is a product defect- regardless of whether it's ceramic, porcelain, glass, etc.- when, in fact, the cause is likely related to installation or not understanding the product, its weaknesses and how it must be installed to prevent damage from occurring. According to the ANSI Standard A108.10-1999 Installation of Grout in Tile Work 5.3.4, "All grout joints shall be uniformly finished." The tile and substrate must also be level.

It's interesting how adamant dealers get when they believe the flooring is the cause of the problem, and just because he has not experienced this type of issue, it must be the fault of whatever flooring material may be involved. I often hear, "I'm not going to sell this stuff if this is what it does," or "I'm throwing all the samples away."

This is very often a cutting off your nose to spite your face attitude. Just because you think the flooring material is the problem you deny yourself the opportunity to make money by dropping it from your offerings. We're talking about a product- tile- which is a very lucrative item to sell, but it requires a very high skill level to install.

When I got into the industry in 1971, the company I started with sold ceramic and it had two guys from the "old country" who installed it- they were true artists. They made more than any other installers and their work reflected the level of their skills. Tile should be installed by these types of individuals and no one should be complaining about how much it costs.

This article is the result of installers who have cost the dealer money, reputation and lost sleep. The manufacturer is likewise damaged because it lost an account, profit and reputation as well. The first thing everyone wants to blame is the flooring material. Granted, there's a lot of stuff that makes it out that shouldn't, but not installing it properly or not knowing how to install it and sell it causes more problems.

To install tile without problems, all the grout joints must be uniformly finished so as not to expose the edges to anything that can damage the product- common sense. If the edge is exposed it is the weak point on the tile, and chances are very high something is going to hit and chip it. This is pretty simple to figure out. Know your products, make sure your installers are the best, pay them what they're worth to keep you out of trouble and eliminate claims. As Wayne Dyer says, "Every problem you have you experience in your mind. The solution to the problem is in the same place."