CTEF Blog - About Tile Education and Installer Certification

We've all seen it: that really ugly white powder that grows on cement grout and also tile, stone, brick, and concrete, particularly when it's installed someplace with moisture (i.e., in a basement or outdoors). That white residue is called efflorescence.

This article goes into detail about efflorescence, including situations that readers have shared with us since the article was originally published in September 2016.

Fred Hueston, President and Founder of Stone Forensics, recently published Why It Is Important to Hire a Certified Tile Installer, Including CTEF Certification. Have you read it?

The article is so powerful that - with Fred's permission - we are sharing highlights with you here.

Horrified about subpar tile installation? Become a Certified Tile Installer. That's according to John Trent CTI #277, a former tile installer, and former territory manager for Schluter Systems since 2012. He was one of those subpar installers who now encourages all installers he meets to become Qualified Labor.

John is next in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on an article in TileLetter.com titled John Trent: Certification - fighting the good fight against sub-par installations.

Note that this article is part of the CTEF classics, capturing valuable insights from the first CTIs.

What Do You Use to Patch Your Substrate so It Is Ready for Tile?

You've surely been in the position as a tile installer to deal with job site conditions that require the substrate (floors and walls) to be patched making it “tile ready”.  No question, it's critical to get the substrate flat enough to accommodate tile.  This is particularly true if the tile is large format.

Are you getting ready to stock up on tile installation tools, products, and materials? If yes, please mark your calendar for the August CTEF Online Auction.

Tile is a natural for radiant heating.

However, installing tile with radiant heating can get overwhelming when you realize that the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) Handbook includes multiple methods that address this type of installation. The details vary somewhat depending on the structure you are working on and which type of heat source your radiant system uses - hydronic or electrical.

• On ground concrete
• Above ground concrete
• Wood subfloor/joist system

Fortunately, Mark Heinlein CTI #1112 and National Tile Contractors Association Training Director, Technical Trainer / Presenter shares his expertise in this article.

As a conscientious tile installer, do you take the time to protect bathroom fixtures before you start your installation?

An NTCA Experience is genuinely priceless. That's why it's included in the CTEF Auction. It allows you to experience what makes the tile industry special.

Are you wondering how to elevate your reputation in the marketplace? If you install tile, the ideal way is through the CTEF tile certification programs.

Martin Brookes is the owner of Heritage Marble & Tile in Mill Valley, California. He's involved in the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) including as past president, is a Five Star Contractor, and is a strong supporter of the CTEF tile certification programs.

He has seen firsthand how certification affects the entire ethos of his business. Certification has enabled Heritage Marble & Tile to stand out not only as highly reputable and expert but also as the San Francisco Bay Area Premier Tile Installation Company.

We caught up with Martin to learn more.

Did you attend Coverings 2023? If you did, we hope you visited the CTEF booth where tile installation education and certification were prominently displayed! More specifically, CTEF demonstrated Sealants, Mosaics, and Troweling for Coverage, and Walked Through Gauged Porcelain Tile Panel Test for Advanced Installer Certification (ACT).