Industry members support worthy cause

(Houston) Members of the tile industry recently helped tile 12,000 square feet in 34 homes build by Houston Habitat for Humanity. The affiliate built a total of 38 homes as part of the SuperBUILD project, held in conjunction with Super Bowl XXXVIII, which took place here last February.

Industry donations of tile, installation materials, tile tools, tile cleaners and sealers, installation labor and labor training were made through Tile Partners for Humanity (TPFH), a partnership between the tile industry and Habitat for Humanity, the nonprofit organization working to eliminate substandard housing around the world.

Master Tile donated more than 14,000 square feet of tile for the project. Laticrete International, and Texas Cement Products, based in Houston, each donated 7,000 square feet of installation materials, including thinset and grout. North American Tile Tool Company (NATTCO) provided 34 buckets of new tile tools, one for each house. Aqua Mix donated grout sealers and cleaners for the entire project.

TPFH partners also supplied labor to install tile in all 34 homes, teaching homeowners and Habitat volunteers to install tile. Partners included PJK Ceramic Tile & Marble, based in Houston, Charlie Juhl, also in Houston, Laticrete and NATTCO.

Through installation training and interaction with industry professionals, TPFH partners hope to increase the number of volunteers who can donate labor. There’s alsot he hope that volunteers and new homeowners may join the industry.

In 2003, TPFH pledged a total of $250,000 a year in materials and labor to Habitat over five years – but exceeded that amount by $100,000 in its first year. Last March the group coordinated the donation of 150 palettes and 16 crates of tile and setting materials from individual exhibitors at the Coverings show to Habitat for Humanity in Orlando. Freeman Decorating Co. donated labor and trucks to transport the materials from the Orange County Convention Center to the Orlando Habitat affiliate.

“This is a real win-win for us because we can put tile in the homes we build and we can also sell tile to pay for new construction,” said Shirley Jones, manager of the Habitat Home Store. “We even got a donation of 29 palettes from one exhibitor – Roca/Laufen/United States Ceramic Tile Co. This will benefit our community more than these wonderful exhibitors know.”

For more information on TPFH or to make a pledge, please visit www.tpfh.com.

Reprinted with permission of Floor Covering Weekly.

Pic/caption:

NATTCO’s president and CEO Brian Turner shows new homeowner Tracy Scoby how to spread thinset.