Educational Lunch Seminar
Last week our team was fortunate enough to attend an educational lunch by Schluter Systems, hosted at the Professional Flooring Supply (PFS) location in Austin, Texas. Professional Flooring Supply was a great location for the seminar, it has one of the best in stock selections of Schluter trims in town. If you need a Schluter product, there is a good chance they have it! If your project requires a specialty finish or product not in stock, they will place an immediate order for quick turnaround. Their staff is highly knowledgeable and always a pleasure to work with. If you haven’t checked out their space, stop by their warehouse!
During this event, Schluter reviewed some helpful new technology and our team got the scoop on new products we’d like to share with you all! For our fellow tradesmen and tradeswomen alike, check out the information on educational opportunities below.
NEW SHOWER PRODUCTS – EMPHASIS ON DESIGN
One of the top appealing features of Schluter Systems is their attention to detail. As a business we take pride in the work we do, and we appreciate products that will elevate the wonderful work our installation team preforms. Not only does The Tile Press use premium setting materials for our projects, we also prefer to work with top of the line coordinating trims. One of our most popular installation requests from clients is for shower renovations. Whether you are refreshing your existing shower with new tile, or doing a complete tub to shower conversion, our team regularly uses Schluter products to get the job done.
When it comes to shower grates, our team likes to use Schluter®-KERDI-DRAIN products for a sleek modern look. A new line of shower grate designs have been released to help bridge trim finishes and tile design with popular bathroom fixtures. We’ve seen a steady increase in clients utilizing gold and other metallic finishes in their bathroom redesigns. Schluter now offers a range of designer finishes, sure to match your desired aesthetic. If you prefer a more neutral option while still upholding a high-end look, they are also available in TRENDLINE finishes. TRENDLINE options come in six color-coated aluminum finishes. These finishes are a great option if you want something that will blend nicely with any porcelain, ceramic, clay or cement tile. Check out the new designs and finish options here!
Along with updated shower drains, Schluter®-SHELF products are now available to incorporate into your overall design. This option is sleek enough to blend into any design as a floating shower shelf, or used as additional shelving for built-in shower niches. If your project cannot accommodate a built-in niche, this is a perfect solution. The Schluter shower shelves come in corner, niche and floating wall configurations, available in standard stainless steel and the 6 different color-coated aluminum TRENDLINE finishes.
Although Schluter refuses to post a maximum load weight rating for safety reasons, there is an installation YouTuber that successfully preformed a stress test with over 200 pounds without compromising the integrity of the material. We wouldn’t recommend our clients recreate this fun test, but it is safe to say the shelving systems are capable of holding a large collection of bathroom products!
EMBRACING THE DIGITAL WORLD
This summer, Schluter launched a new smartphone app for iPhone and Android devices. This new app has the capability of quickly measuring spaces for new projects, making use of smartphone and AR technology. We’ve highlighted the top three functions our team has been most impressed with so far.
1. Pocket Sized Catalog
The landing page of the application cuts right to the chase and displays a neatly organized digital catalog of Schluter’s products. Here you are able to quickly search for the product you need, or you can browse everything Schluter has to offer. The app is incredibly intuitive, making it easy to find exactly what you are looking for. Once you find a product you are interested in, the application provides a detailed description of the item, product photos, configurations (size, material and finish), along with an impressive library of installation information, maintenance and high quality educational videos of each product. With this resource, we are able to quickly show our clients trim options and configure a perfect match for the job.
2. Projects Feature
Visiting clients on-site requires the ability to collect a large amount of information in a limited amount of time. This is where the “Projects” feature on the app shines. The projects tab allows you to enter project site details, including client names and contact information, so you can keep job sites neatly organized. To record room measurements you can either use the camera function for an automated experience, or manually insert measurements if you prefer to stick to the old school tape measuring method. Digital plans are easily created using this function, avoiding the need to sort through messy notes later down the line. You can go back into the projects tab at any time to add coordinating trims and products. All the information recorded on the app can easily be shared with other teammates who use the Schluter app, or shared with your clients via email. The projects feature is an extremely helpful note-taking tool while our team is on the go and can be easily archived for later use.
3. Quick and Easy Locator
On top of the extensive digital catalog and prices right at your fingertips, the app also makes it easy to find their products locally. The “locator” function will search for local authorized dealers near you. Just type the area you want to search, and the application will pull up an easily accessible map for quick directions and contact information. At this time, the feature does not have real time product availability at dealer locations. Overall, the application has a seamless user experience allowing users to search for products, learn, record job details and locate dealer information all without leaving the app. For those of you who haven’t explored this useful tool, check it out here!
EDUCATION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
Our team has been continuously impressed with the performance of Schluter products. Not only do they offer high quality materials, their customer service second to none. Schluter offers a multitude of educational opportunities, and they go above and beyond to ensure you have the tools and information you need for the best end result. Their website is a great online educational resource for all professionals in the trade. Schluter also offers educational workshops that range from in-house seminars, local one day workshops or destination two day workshops.
If you are interested in participating in an educational session with Schluter and our team, give us a shout here!
