You would be looked at as though you had three heads. First of all, modern is the last thing anyone around here would be building. It has zero resale value. Second, you don't have a skilled enough labor pool to even lay large format on a floor. There might be 2 folks locally who have even explored fabricating something like Laminam, and it's made in the same state. It takes a whoe different level of trade skill to even begin to think of something like that.

I don't even know what that is...can you post a photo?

No, I have never seen what you're describing.

Perhaps this?

Laminam Exterior Installation · More Info

Another...

Casa SAC I · More Info

I love the look, and would also like some discussion on this topic by those using it and those who have lived with it for sometime. - It looks too good to be true - too easy??

The examples posted are close to what I'm seeing locally here in Vancouver but there is more to the equation. In Vancouver with the rain we are required by building code to have a rain screen. These installs are being grouted and the homes are brand new.

I fear that the look is going to ruined if a home's settling causes massive cracking in the wall tile.

I'll sneak a few pictures and keep tabs on these installs near my home.

They look cool but all I see is a giant power washing bill so you don't eventually get nasty looking grout lines everywhere. Even if you seal it the sealing doesn't last forever. Maybe I'm just paranoid after the sticker shock I got from getting power washing bids recently.

I hope they've found a place to store extra tiles that are that large. I recently had to redo an entire shower due to a mold issue. They tried to salvage the tiles but some didn't make it and I didn't have enough to replace them. Unfortunately the shower tile had been discontinued so I had replace all of the tile which was expensive. I can only imagine the cost if a tile cracked due to settling and the tile had been discontinued or the new run didn't match well enough. All new tile and the labor involved in removing the current tile and putting in new tile would cost a lot of money.

Not too long ago the max height for a wood framed structure was three stories. Now it's five. We have harder earthquake planning requirements that require steel pipe to connect the structure to the foundations.

What is happening out there is these structures are settling - shrinking - compressing. These pipe rods are not and the ends are poking as much as 6" through the roofs. That is more than 1" per story.

With these tiles and such tight grout lines I just don't see them lasting the long haul when set like interior tile. Mortar and grout.

I think some kind of lashing system that allows some movement and keeps the rain screen in tack make more sense. But I'm seeing the tile crews using thin-set and grout like normal. I see no rain screens and for the life of me can not figure out how this is passing inspections.

John Whipple...

I would assume that the inspectors and building code haven't caught up with this new material. When did it come out?

I'm not sure. It was about six months ago I started seeing more and more tile. I think the loop hole is we are required to mock up a window and rain screen detail in one corner for the inspector and then have it checked. Then after that the inspectors don't see the build.

Inspectors here in vancouver are not allowed on ladders or roofs so the fine detail can not be viewed.

I'm going to visit City Hall and ask some questions.

If the wall cladding is OK then this is a perfect new path to take on my jobs. Nothing better than cladding a home or front and then moving inside to do the master bathroom and showers.

Knowing what I know I would never tile traditional an exterior wall in a home. But using the lashing devices like they use on high rise construction - that is a different ball game.

Tile rainscreens have been used on commercial buildings in the US for many decades and for much longer in Europe and Southeast Asia but these systems have been far too expensive for the home market.

What a rain screen does is increase the rate of moisture removal within a wall by creating a narrow continuous air space on the exterior side of the building weather barrier and on the interior side of the wall cladding. The wall cladding joints are not sealed and are open at the top and bottom.

When tile is used as the cladding it hangs on a metal frame with lapped joints so there are no grout joints and the tile is self cleaning.

These systems are usually proprietary and patented and they usually require factory trained and certified installers.

Here are the details for the Laminam CS45D rain screen cladding system.

(I believe the support systems are designed locally and the panels are from Italy)

PLAN

SECTION

Thanks for that post. This is along the lines of what I was talking about above but what I'm seeing now - the trend I refer too is using regular tile. No clips and installing it like it was in a bathroom shower.

I'm seeing this done all over the lower mainland.

I am seeing it here, although I think it is put up either on masonry, which is what the first story usually is, or like cladding. Lots of metal cladding, too. The current urban rowhouse is a contemporary version of the houses that were built around the turn of the 20th century with projecting square bays on the 2nd, 3rd and sometimes 4th stories. Insides are transitional.

A number of the exterior materials are not holding up that well, at least esthetically.

good post renovator. love the drawings.
I see lots of things in commercial that should
be included for residential. but isn't.

while I've never seen tile used in residential
as cladding, other than these pics...I like it!

but the risk!

Applying large tile directly to a masonry structure is for a dry warm climate and it would not be a rain screen.

"Applying large tile directly to a masonry structure is for a dry warm climate and it would not be a rain screen."

I can see that. These homes I talk about here in North Vancouver and Vancouver are wood framed structures with OSB siding and 30 minute building paper. A total gong show.

The pictures from Ice Land something I think is ideal.