MAPEI, which is renowned for its innovative installation products in the flooring industry, recently introduced Mapeguard^® UM. This crack-suppression, waterproofing and vapor-pressure-equalizing underlayment membrane has been approved for use with latex-modified mortars as part of a warranted system for installation of ceramic tile and natural stone.
Because Mapeguard UM equalizes vapor pressure, it can be applied over young concrete in fast-track construction or concrete with high relative humidity. The lightweight membrane can also be applied over single-layer plywood floors. The uniquely engineered tri-layered design of Mapeguard UM absorbs lateral stress from the substrate without transferring this force to the tile or stone, which maintains exceptional bonds.
“Using Mapeguard UM and one of our latex-modified mortars such as Ultraflex^™ LFT^™ for large-format tiles saves time and labor,” said Brian Pistulka, Business Manager for MAPEI’s Tile & Stone Installation Systems. “Application of this underlayment membrane is lighter and faster than installing a second layer of plywood or cement backer board over a plywood subfloor.”
The engineered cavity design – including the mesh-fabric top layer – allows easy single-pass filling of the surface core with less mortar, reducing the amount of mortar needed and making the installer’s job easier.
“The underlayment market seeking single-source, warranted system responsibility continues to grow,” commented Pistulka. “We believe MAPEI’s Mapeguard UM will be covering a fair share of the available underlayment market.” 
About MAPEI
Established in 1937, MAPEI Group is a privately owned global corporation headquartered in Milan, Italy, with 71 subsidiaries including 68 plants in 31 countries. The company specializes in manufacturing chemical products for building, including waterproofing products, special mortars and admixtures for concrete, products for the restoration of ancient buildings, and special decorative and protective coatings for walls. In addition, MAPEI is today the world leader in the manufacturing of mortars, grouts, adhesives and complementary products for the installation of all types of floor and wall coverings.
The Americas are home to 25 MAPEI Group manufacturing and distribution facilities, plus the headquarters locations for MAPEI Corporation and Polyglass USA in Deerfield Beach, Florida. MAPEI is an environmentally conscious manufacturer – the company has been a member of the U.S. Green Building Council since 2001 and a member of the Canadian Green Building Council since 2008. MAPEI Americas is a registered provider to the AIA/CES program and also offers training related to ceramic and stone tile, floor coverings and concrete repair through the MAPEI Technical Institute. The majority of MAPEI Americas facilities are certified to the ISO 9001 Standard for Quality Management Systems. Visit www.mapei.com for technical data or call
1-800-42-MAPEI (1-800-426-2734) for the nearest location.