Edwardo Martinez CTI #1239 describes becoming a Certified Tile Installer as, “I did it backwards. No studying, no prep work. I filled a spot last minute. I did it to test my skill and knowledge.”
He is next in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on articles in TileLetter.com.
>> See Certification provides confidence; shows commitment and excellence
Why should we discuss tile trends on a blog that focuses primarily on tile education and installer certification? Because they really matter.
Shon Parker CTI #999 compares becoming a Certified Tile Installer to going to college for computer programming and obtaining a degree. It increases your worth to employers and clients and signals your commitment to learning everything you can about installing tile correctly the first time.
Shon Parker is next in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on articles in TileLetter.com.
John Cox, President of Cox Tile (pictured in the image above on the far left), is the Technical Consultant to the Coverings Installation Design Showcase.
First launched at Coverings 2008, the Installation Design Showcase or IDS features the live installation of tile in several professionally designed vignettes. Although planning and preparation begin several months before the show, the big deal about the IDS is that installation must be completed before the end of the Coverings exhibition, in time for review, admiration, comments, and celebration.
Tile industry teamwork is what powers so much of the awareness of quality labor and the importance of tile industry installation standards and best practices.
Not only do you see it happening within the Top Tile Associations and Organizations, but you see it regularly in action when hands-on Certified Tile Installer (CTI) evaluations take place, starting with the tile companies that host the evaluations.
What's certainly true about a tiny house is that, by virtue of its size, it brings you closer to nature. Imagine taking that one step further based on how tile inside the house mimics nature. That's what the Vitruvian, a tiled tiny house created during Coverings 2017 in Orlando, captures based on the vision of designer Nikki Vega from BlueTreeHome based in Orlando. She specializes in tiny homes.
Nikki teamed up with the installation team from J & R Tile, Inc. for the live installation of tile in a tiny house on the Coverings show floor during the annual Installation Design Showcase.
Tile in a tiny house is a natural choice for anyone who admires how versatile and sustainable tile is. It's also a must for those participating in the live installation of tile in three tiny houses on the Coverings show floor as J&R Tile did during Covering17 in Orlando, Florida.
We are frequently asked why someone who has been laying tile for twenty or more years should bother becoming a Certified Tile Installer.
Rather than expand on 5 Benefits of Being a Certified Tile Installer, we'll let Charles Nolen CTI #1222 from Miller's Flooring America explain why he made the decision. Charles is next in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on articles in TileLetter.com.
Inspired by tile for a tiny house? Most definitely yes, when that tile captures a clean, calm feel that The Georgia Pear Interiors' Lauren Figueroa decided was perfect for the West Michigan tiny home she designed for the Installation Design Showcase during Coverings 2017.
She teamed up with Welch Tile & Marble for the live installation of tile in a tiny house on the Coverings show floor...
Imagine creating a tiled tiny house where every interior surface is covered with tile...
That's what Dan Welch from Welch Tile & Marble and Lauren Figueroa from The Georgia Pear Interiors did during the Coverings 2017 Installation Design Showcase. They were one of three groups participating in the live installation of tile in three tiny houses on the Coverings show floor. In this case, the team completed the West Michigan Tiny House.
We caught up with Dan to ask him about his tiny home experience while participating in the Installation Design Showcase.
Certified Tile Installer Mike Corona says,
You don't become a tile installer or a business owner overnight. It takes time, enthusiasm, pride, reliability, respectfulness, a willingness to learn, and dedication. No two jobs are the same; each one has its own unique nuances. As a qualified installer, you need to be able to communicate how to deal with those nuances and qualify yourself to not only meet but exceed expectations. Being qualified will exponentially increase your value and you will have endless opportunities.
Mike Corona CTI #923 Corona Marble and Tile
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The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) provides education and installer certification for professionals working in the ceramic tile and stone industry.
The CTEF Certified Tile Installer (CTI) program is the only third-party assessment of installer skill and knowledge that is recognized by the tile industry.