What can you accomplish in 320 hours? - Check this out.

Most people generally thing that time lapse videos are pretty cool.  But the builder inside all of us will appreciate this one.  15 days.  We all know China is growing at a fast rate, but I didn't realise it was quite this fast! 

Modular construction is still in its relative infancy in here in Oz - makes you wonder how long it will be until this type of activity takes place in our backyard.

Broad Group, a Chinese construction company previously famous for building a 15 storey building in a week have now upped their record - to a 30 storey building in just 15 days.

Are you an industry professional?  Then let the boss know that you have somewhere to be on the afternoon of November 9th - or if you are the boss, just take it!

FREE EVENT - CLICK THE IMAGE TO REGISTER - LIMIT 100 GUESTS

This is shaping up to be a great event, the website is a buzz with people reserving their place.

REGISTRATION TAKES 20 seconds - MAKE SURE YOU REGISTER NOW!

TRADIE GOLF 2011!!!

Fun times were had on that Spring afternoon, Sept 23, as a select group of Geelongs tilers holstered their trowels for the afternoon and tried their golf swing to perhaps pick up a few prizes - but mainly a few laughs.  

CLOSEST TO THE NICK COMP

1st hole of the day, there he is, Nick - our Mapei mannequin - dead center of the fairway.  Nick escaped unharmed.

BANANAS ON FOUR WHEELS

Turns out Gebsy & Bilbo make quite good Photographers and Officiators (and push-er-over-er-of-golf-carts), zooming around all day on four wheels terrorising the wild-life & ensuring everybody was 'having fun'...

SPONSORS

Big ups to our main sponsor!  The boys from CMI (REDBACK LASERS) were generous enough to put up a Cross1 laser for Best Golfer Of the Day, and a couple of the lads headed down and joined us to hit a few balls around (and throw back a few beers...).  Big thanks!  Of course, the ever dependable Mapei provided 2nd and 3rd prizes, as well as decking us all out with caps & drink bottles (& other goodies) via the 'happy fun time' show-bag. 

INJURIES

A couple of scrapes but no golf balls to the head - quite surprising considering how many people think they actually are Happy Gilmore...

WINNERS....!

All attempts to keep score cards true & correct were made, checking and cross checking - but who really knows...  No, we all had a bit of fun and here are the days outcomes:

• Best of the Day - Gav
  
• Runner Up - Calvin
  
• 2nd Runner Up - Tim
  
• Closest to the Nick - Luke
  
• Closest to the Pin - Mick
  
• I Said I Couldn't Play - Adrian
  

FUN TIMES ALL AROUND

Thanks to Michael and the team at The Queens Park Golf Club for having us and for cooking up tasty post-golf snacks.  If the'll let us back and we didn't tear up the course too much perhaps we might think about getting another day in before Summers out.  And perhaps this time we'll actually start on time - turns out our tilers are a lot more prompt than we give them credit for!

Thanks to everybody there on the day!  Here is a smattering of pics to remind us of the adventures...

There he is - NICK!

What's wrong with this guy

Gebsy, Bilbo & Nick - Nick had to see the rest of the course too

hmmm... put down the phone Jez!

Busted!

There are people following me...

Easy does it....

"It's all in the hips..."

"You guys stay here, I'll go make sure the beer taps are working..."

Medic!!!!

Dude, put down that phone!

"I swear, I was just trying to find my golf ball..."

This is what you get for trying to mess with the Golf Buggy boys

Ok, here you go dude, get out of this one bunker boy...

Not Bad!!! But you're still going to lose your clubs...

Ah, the golf pro pose... 

Closest to the pin - yeah!

And later on back at the 19th hole...

Presentations - Tim gave an excellent speech....

Tasty snacks!

Seriously, there is something wrong with this guy...

Many thanks to Nick, for without whom the afternoon would have been just another round of golf...

Mapei – ULTRACOLOR PLUS

"Fast setting and drying grout for 2 to 20 mm joints, available in 26 colours; does not produce efflorescence" -data sheet

Ok, so Mapei's Ultracolor has been around for a while now, but amazingly only a small percentage of tilers are using it, and barely any people building/renovating even know it exists.  Thought I'd share some basics with you.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE PERSONAL HOUSE CLEANING MAIDS

Interestingly, once we explain the product to customers when they are looking for tiles for their home, knowing that this product exists often influences their tile choice (they get pick the ones they really wanted) - why?  Simple - people hate cleaning, and grout means more cleaning yeah?  Well... maybe not any more.  

AESTHETICALLY, GROUT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE WEAKEST LINK

Technology advances are serving us well.  Those not familiar with this product owe it to themselves (& to their clients) to check this out for a simple little example of Ultracolour in action.  

Don't forget your black gloves

Without repeating the info on the Data Sheet HERE (Tilers check it out, some of the stats will surprise you), this stuff is like a 'Super Grout', and we're confident that once you use it, you'll want all your customers to request it.  

COVERAGE

Of course, coverage is dependant on the size of the joint, however most tilers are "...surprised just how far it goes..."  Considering the specs say useful for grout joints '2 to 20mm' this truly is a one size fits all product.  For coverage guide see the data sheet below.

... and don't forget your yellow gloves

OK - SO WHAT ABOUT EPOXY?

Epoxy still reigns from above in the kingdom of premium grouting products (except when you want white... it seems no manufacturer has been able to figure out how to make a truly white epoxy yet).  However, costs (and the skill of the tiler) still make most epoxy grout solutions prohibitively expensive.  The Ultracolor Plus product provides a fantastic result, and at a fraction of the cost of buying and installing an epoxy grout product.  For more info ask at the Trade Counter in-store.

MAPEI - COMPLETE SYSTEMS

If you're not familiar with the Mapei range of products, check them out HERE.  We think the products are world class.

You know what, bring your blue gloves too, just to be safe.  You never know...

PACKAGING

5 kg bags - We have most colours in stock at all times - call ahead to confirm.

Data Sheet Here <<<<

MSDS Here <<<<

Oh, and before anyone asks - no, you don't need to wear gloves anymore than you would when using regular grout.  I just thought the pictures were cool.