#244 Larry Serpa from Key Tile Co and Key Surfaces is back on the show to get technical about tile installing

The Construction Life

We open with must be the worst version of Easy, and rolled right into why we are not drinking on a Sunday morning. Larry Serpa from Key Tile Co and Key Surfaces is back. He was traveling back home to Pico Azores with a stop in Toronto so we had a chance to stop by for him to meet some of the Portuguese trades in Toronto. Fabio @fabio.andrade51 who was late to meet up with us on the current job site. Joe from @jrentrysystems Gary and the Old Man from @marescarpentry Tony from @tc.installations.inc and lastly Omid and his crew from @thetileguy.gta

On today’s show, we get technical about tiling and Larry shares quite a lot about his many years of experience and working with so many different types of tiles, slabs, mosaics, mortars, substrates and more, don’t want to miss this one. We begin with old school and how things were done and how tiling as a trade does take a toll on your body and it really is a young trades game. Tiling always leads to discussing health and safety and all tile setters must understand you’re not only responsible for you and your crews safety but every other trade on site, don’t be cutting tile and or backer board with no proper protection.

We discuss interior and exterior installations and understanding BC and specifically Vancouver has a climate that only 2% of the world has, where you have rainforest conditions with freeze thaw and a lot of the time in the same day. So many factors apply to tile, stone, slab installs, and experience is important to best understand techniques. Larry walks us through the products and tricks of the trade he has built his business on, things like dry mixing products because the ingredients do settle at the bottle of the bag/box. We discuss, mixing ratios and shelf lives of the products. Larry shares his thoughts on shower pans, dry pack, drains and so much more and how things have evolved and where they might be headed. We close out the show with a lot of talk on project function over project design, never forget the function of the room.

Shared and Discussed Links

https://laticrete.com/en/tile-and-stone-care-and-maintenance/stonetech-protect/stonetech-bulletproof-sealer

https://www.winklerchimica.com/en/

https://www.juliesawchuk.ca

https://www.kohler.ca/ca/round-shower-drain-for-use-with-plastic-pipe-gasket-included/productDetail/shower-fittings/420322.htm?skuId=1284599

https://ebbe-america.com

https://www.annsacks.com

http://trufig.com

Thank you so much Larry for being on the show again and getting way more techincal, making the time while visiting the Toronto area and sharing so much insight into the tiling trade and more. Reach out to Larry at www.keytile.ca his email [email protected] and on IG and FaceBook @keytileco and @keysurfaces

TCL has and always will be about giving back to the construction industry.