There are few materials as durable as ceramic tile. A piece of glazed tile is, after all, a layer of glass fused to a layer of stone and should last a lifetime or more. Yet many ceramic tile installations — whether traditional mortar bed or modern thin-bed jobs — fail early in their service. And although no two installations are alike, the list of things that typically go wrong is fairly consistent, and applies even to jobs using the finest materials. If this article tried to explain the proper way to install tile in all situations, it would be as long as an encyclopedia. Instead, it will address eight of the most common problem areas, show how these problems