Advanced Tile Installation Certifications for Greater Consumer Confidence
To offer consumers greater confidence that their tile installers follow tile installation procedures that exceed ANSI standards and TCNA guidelines for floor and wall, six leading tile industry organizations came together to create the Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT) program:
- The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF)
- The International Masonry Institute (IMI)
- The International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (IUBAC)
- The National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA)
- The Tile Contractors Association of America (TCAA)
- The Tile Council of North America (TCNA).
ACT-certified installers represent the pinnacle of performance in the tile trade and maintain a level of excellence superior to non-ACT-certified installers.
About Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers
ACT is not a training program; it evaluates the skills and knowledge of tile installers and currently offers certifications in seven specific areas of tile installation. An installer may choose to become ACT-certified in one or more of these areas:
- Grouts
- Large Format Tile & Substrate Preparation
- Membranes
- Mortar (Mud) Floors
- Mortar (Mud) Walls
- B415 Shower Receptor
- B421 Shower Receptor
- B421C Shower Receptor
- Gauged Porcelain Tile and Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels/Slabs
ACT certification in each area is granted upon successfully completing a written online test - designed to measure the installer's understanding of applicable ANSI specifications and TCNA recommended methods - and a field test conducted by trained, third-party evaluators who assess the installer's skills under real-life conditions.
To Become ACT Certified, You Must Be Pre-Qualified
Installers wishing to become ACT-certified must be pre-qualified in one of two ways:
- Be a Certified Tile Installer (CTI) through the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation; or
- Be a journeyman tile setter who has successfully completed the apprenticeship program conducted by the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
For more information on ACT certifications contact CTEF or call 1-864-222-2131. You can also contact the International Masonry Institute (for installer members of IUBAC) or call 1-800-JOBS-IMI.
