Burlington Tile Academy · Featured artisan · Press start
TileHacks Arcade
A Burlington tile setter's shout-out to @tilehacks, the page that teaches the tile standards behind failed and proper installs.
In their words: “Purpose: to educate consumers & installers the Tile industry standards that lead to tile failures &/ or proper installation methods.” Also on Threads and Facebook as TileHacks.
All games are free and interactive · Insert no coins
Main event
Shortcut Pinball
Keep the ball out of the tear-out drain. The table starts as a janky install. Score your way up and it fixes itself, one level at a time.
Shortcut Pinball
SCORE 000000 · BALLS 3Desktop: ← → arrows (or Z / M). Phone: tap the left or right half of the table.
How it scores
- Level up to fix the job. It starts janky: cracked, crooked tiles, smeared grout, a wet membrane. As you score, cracks heal, tiles square up, grout goes crisp and the membrane seals, all the way to a clean pro install: Redo it right.
- Hollow-tile bumpers tock and crack every time you hit them.
- 5 cookie-dot targets: light all five and the tile pops right off. +2,000.
- Soggy mastic ramp sags and soaks up your speed until it firms up into thinset.
- Leaky drain lane on the right swallows balls until the membrane seals it shut.
- Gold pro targets (95% coverage, flood test, slope) are +500.
Real talk: on a real job the shortcut doesn't bounce back. It shows up a year later as a hollow tile or a wet ceiling.
Game row
Pick a cabinet
Six games, each built on a real tile standard. Tap a card to play.
Coverage Meter
ANSI A108 · TCNA
Ahh ahh ahh! Beware of cookie monsters. Pancake dots of thinset leave hollow spots behind the tile, so it cracks and pops loose. We back-butter and go for full coverage. Best way? Do your research and hire a pro.
Minimum mortar contact per ANSI A108 / TCNA: 80% in dry areas, 95% in wet areas like showers (and for natural stone), with full support at edges and corners.
Tap Test
KNOCKS 0Floor A · cookie dots
Floor B · full coverage
Tap any tile. Sound on.
Golf Ball Slope Test
1/4" PER FOOTLazy floor · flat
Tap the floor to drop a ball.
Pro floor · sloped to drain
Tap the floor to drop a ball.
Slope is exaggerated on screen so you can see it. A real shower floor is pitched 1/4 inch per foot toward the drain.
Hack or Wrack
SCORE 0/8High scores · all-time worst
Hall of Shame
Every shortcut here is one we tear out around Burlington and Halton. Tap a board to see the right way.
Spotlight
From the @tilehacks feed
Posts go here once TileHacks gives us the nod. Until then, go see the real thing.
Game over for the shortcut
This is why we get the call.
Full coverage. Flood-tested membranes. Nothing left to luck. Planning a full bathroom remodel?
25-year warranty on tile-setting workmanship
Not affiliated. We just like their work.
