Tavy Tools

What Tavy Tools does

TAVY Enterprises, LLC, operating as TAVY Tools, is a Vernon, Connecticut-based manufacturer of proprietary tile installation tools and underlayment systems. The company was founded in 2012 by Armen Tavy, a tile installer with 40+ years of field experience who patented the flagship TAVY Two-Sided Tile Spacer at age 62. Headcount is reported in the 11-50 employee range, and the entity is organized as a privately held, bootstrapped LLC with no recorded outside investment or parent company.

The product portfolio centers on the TAVY Thin-Skin Two-Part Underlayment System — a fiberglass-reinforced underlayment fabric paired with a proprietary #007 Glue that enables tile installation directly over existing surfaces (vinyl, laminate, plywood, concrete, metal, Formica) without tear-outs, adding only 1/32" of height and weighing under 15 lbs per 100 sq ft. Thin-Skin is tested and approved by the Tile Council of America and is priced 25%-50% below competing underlayments according to company materials. The Thin-Skin system is complemented by a suite of spacing, leveling, and setting tools: the patented Two-Sided Tile Spacer (circular design preventing bottoming out in adhesive), Two-Sided T-Spacer (offset patterns), Two-Sided Wedge Spacer, Basix Tile Spacer, Tile Puck (10-oz lippage detector that clicks on high spots), and Two-Sided Tile Mallet (angled, designed to evacuate air and maximize mortar coverage). One product patent (Two-Sided Tile Spacer) is registered; the Tile Puck and Mallet rely on functional design rather than listed patents in the source data.

TAVY generates revenue through one-time transactional sales of tools and the underlayment system, distributed via a combination of direct-to-consumer channels (tavytools.com and a toll-free 800-FOR-TAVY line staffed by the founder and Director of Sales & Marketing Skip Starks) and an extensive North American reseller network. US distribution spans independent distributors (Russo Trading, Beno J. Gundlach, Contractors Direct, LaFauci Tile & Marble) and retailers (Best Tile, Schilling, Buy Floors Direct, Tile For Less), with international reach into Canada via Prosol Distribution and Tool Academy (Toronto). Pricing is quote-based at wholesale; no public list prices are disclosed. Marketing is anchored by founder-led product demonstration content and earned media exposure through multiple segments on Ron Hazelton's House Calls, a national home-improvement television show, rather than paid digital advertising.

Name

Tavy Tools

Legal name

TAVY Enterprises, LLC

Website

https://tavytools.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TAVY Tools, a Connecticut-based manufacturer of patented tile installation tools and the Thin-Skin Two-Part Underlayment System, serves professional contractors and DIY homeowners through US and Canadian distributors, retailers, and direct-to-consumer channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tile Installation Tools

NAICS

Adhesive Manufacturing (32552), Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255)

SIC

Adhesives & Sealants (2891)

akta.pro primary industry

Floor Covering Installation Materials Manufacturing (Adhesives/Seams/Grippers/Transitions) (IMAOAJAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tile Setting Materials (Mortars, Mastics & Grouts) (IMADAOAG), Tile & Stone Flooring Installation (HSAPAGAE)

Keywords

• Tile installation tools
• Tile spacers
• Tile underlayment systems
• Tile leveling tools
• Ceramic tile setting

Headquarters

HQ city

Vernon Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tile Installation Tools Sales: TAVY generates revenue through the sale of proprietary tile installation tools including spacers, mallets, pucks, and wedge spacers. Products are sold through distributors, retailers, and directly to consumers. Revenue is one-time transaction-based as customers purchase tools for tile installation projects.
2. Thin-Skin Underlayment System Sales: Sales of the Thin-Skin Two-Part Underlayment System including underlayment fabric and #007 Glue. One roll of underlayment and one gallon of glue covers 100 square feet. Priced 25%-50% lower than competing underlayments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels11 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

TAVY Tools manufactures and sells proprietary tile installation hardware, anchored by the patented Two-Sided Tile Spacer and the Thin-Skin Two-Part Underlayment System (fiberglass-reinforced fabric plus #007 adhesive) that allows tile to be installed over any existing surface without tear-outs. The catalog is rounded out by the Tile Puck lippage detector, Two-Sided Wedge Spacer, Two-Sided T-Spacer, Two-Sided Tile Mallet, and Basix Tile Spacers, sold through distributors, retailers, and the company website to both professional contractors and DIY homeowners.

Product overview

TAVY Tools is a manufacturer of tile installation tools and underlayment systems designed by Armen Tavy, a veteran tile installer with over 40 years of experience. The product portfolio centers on the TAVY Thin-Skin Two-Part Underlayment System, which enables tile installation over any existing surface without demolition. This core system is complemented by a comprehensive suite of spacing and leveling tools including the Two-Sided Tile Spacer, T-Spacer, Wedge Spacer, Basix Tile Spacer, Tile Puck, and Tile Mallet—all designed to work together for professional tile installation results. The products emphasize ease of use for both professionals and DIYers, with features like reusable floating spacers and tools that eliminate tedious removal processes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TAVY Thin-Skin Two-Part Underlayment System A two-part underlayment system consisting of fiberglass-reinforced fabric plus TAVY #007 Glue that lets installers build a 1/32" concrete sub-floor over vinyl, laminate, plywood, concrete, metal, or Formica without demolition or added height. One roll plus one gallon of glue covers 100 sq ft, weighs under 15 lbs per 100 sq ft, suppresses cracks up to 1/8" over concrete, and is tested by the Tile Council of America.
• TAVY Two-Sided Tile Spacer Patented circular tile spacer with a cross side for four-corner intersections and a straight-edge side for general spacing; the circular shape prevents bottoming out in adhesive so spacers can be brushed out with feet. Available in seven sizes from 1/32" through 3/8".
• TAVY Two-Sided T-Spacer Two-sided spacer designed for offset tile installations, offering both a 'T' side and a 'Straight' side for straight grout lines in any configuration. Available in four sizes: 1/16", 1/8", 3/16", and 1/4".
• TAVY Basix Tile Spacer Traditional cross-style tile spacers in TAVY Color-Code core sizes that float in water for easy clean-up and reuse, sold in 100-count or 500-count packs in 1/8", 3/16", and 1/4" sizes.
• TAVY Two-Sided Wedge Spacer Dual-purpose wedge spacer with front wedge design for vertical tile position adjustment and back side for horizontal spacing, helping achieve a level first row. Available in 1/8", 3/16", and 1/4" sizes.
• TAVY Tile Puck 10-ounce weighted leveling and lippage-detection tool that produces a clicking sound when slid over high spots between tiles, replacing torpedo levels. Usable on tiles, appliances, machines, shower seats, curbs, countertops, cabinetry, drains, and shelves.
• TAVY Two-Sided Tile Mallet Angled-design mallet safe for all tile types that removes air from beneath tiles, maximizes mortar coverage for lifelong bonding, ensures level installation, and allows easy packing of tiles against spacers for perfect grout lines.
• TAVY Thin-Skin #007 Glue High-solids multi-purpose adhesive formulated to bond to any surface, used together with one roll of TAVY Thin-Skin Underlayment to cover 100 square feet.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ron Hazelton's House CallsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTAVY Tools products featured in multiple instructional segments on Ron Hazelton's House Calls, a National Home Improvement TV Show. Armen Tavy appears demonstrating tile installation techniques over various surfaces including concrete, plywood, vinyl flooring, and laminate countertops.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Mapei: Global manufacturer of tile adhesives, grouts, underlayments, and flooring installation systems. Comparable as a broad incumbent supplying tile-setting adhesives (analogous to TAVY #007 Glue) and substrate products to contractors and distributors worldwide.
• Bostik: Global adhesives manufacturer offering construction and tile-setting adhesive products under a wide portfolio. Comparable to the #007 Glue product and to TAVY's positioning in tile-setting adhesive chemistry.
• Laticrete: Established manufacturer of tile and stone installation systems including adhesives, mortars, grouts, and waterproofing/underlayment products. Directly comparable in the tile-setting materials category that TAVY's #007 Glue and Thin-Skin compete in.

Direct peers

• Raimondi: Italian-based manufacturer of tile installation tools, including the well-known Raimondi leveling system (clips and wedges). Directly comparable to TAVY's wedge spacer and Tile Puck/leveling tool range for professional tile installers.
• Marshalltown Company: Manufacturer of masonry and tile tools including trowels, floats, levels, and spacers. Comparable to TAVY's tile tools portfolio serving the same professional tile/masonry installation channel through distributors and retailers.
• Rubi Tools: Spanish-based manufacturer of tile cutting and installation tools including manual cutters, leveling systems (Delta/cyclone), and spacers. Comparable to TAVY's tile spacer, leveling (Tile Puck), and installation tool product lines targeting professional tile setters.
• Ardex Americas: Manufacturer of specialty tile and stone installation products including mortars, self-leveling underlayments, and waterproofing membranes. Comparable in the tile substrate and setting materials category that TAVY's Thin-Skin and #007 Glue compete in.
• Schluter Systems: Manufacturer of tile installation systems including Ditra underlayment, profiles/transitions, and leveling products. Closely comparable to TAVY's Thin-Skin underlayment and spacer/transition products that solve similar substrate and edge-finishing problems for tile installers.
• Custom Building Products: Manufacturer of surface preparation and tile setting materials including mastics, mortars, grouts, and underlayments under brands like RedGard and Wonderboard. Comparable to TAVY's Thin-Skin #007 Glue and underlayment fabric offering for tile installation substrates.
• QEP Company: Public company (formerly) and long-established manufacturer of tile, stone, and flooring installation tools including spacers, levels, saws, and underlayment systems. Directly comparable as a multi-product tile tools and accessories supplier selling through distributors and retailers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tavy-enterprises-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tavy Tools