CTEF Blog - About Tile Education and Installer Certification

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. 

Have you experienced a tiny home where tile is the star? Coverings 2017 featured the live installation of tile in three such tiny houses on the Coverings show floor, including the Palm Springs Mid Century Retro Tiny Home featured in this article.  Kim Lewis Designs collaborated Visalia Ceramic Tile, Inc. to bring this project to life. 

We caught up with Kim Lewis to learn more about her, the project and how she used tile in the design of her tiny home.

During Coverings 2017, Visalia Ceramic Tile, Inc. joined forces with Kim Lewis Designs during the yearly Installation Design Showcase. What made this Installation Design Showcase different was that it featured the live installation of tile in three tiny houses on the Coverings show floor. In this case, the team completed the Retro Bungalow Tiny House.

We caught up with Visalia Ceramic Tile's Sam Bruce to ask him about his company and what tiling a tiny home at Coverings was like.

Scott Heron CTI #182 of Precision Tile Company, Inc. in West Columbia, S.C., is thoroughly committed to quality tile installations. Not only is he a CTEF Certified Tile Installer (CTI), but he has also achieved the distinction of holding three certifications in the Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT) program.

Scott is next in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on articles in TileLetter.com. 

>> See Five-Star Spotlight - Precision Tile Company Inc. 

>> See CTEF, Schluter conduct first open-shop ACT testing

If you're wondering how to become more efficient when setting tile, consider becoming not just a Certified Tile Installer (CTI), but also going for Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT). 

That's what Juan Sauceda CTI #64 who is also ACT-certified did and discovered.

Juan is a superintendent and tile installer for Neuse Tile Service and the next Certified Tile Installer (CTI) to be featured in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on articles in TileLetter.com. 

 >> See ACT certification enriches Neuse superintendent’s abilities. Juan Sauceda is the first Neuse Tile Service installer to obtain ACT credentials

Do you love to watch Home Improvement shows like HGTV? For many, they are a wonderful source of design ideas and inspiration especially for complex spaces such as bathrooms and showers. In the case of Jeremy Waldorf CTI #1185, these shows are also an opportunity to observe the quality of the tile installation. 

Jeremy is owner/operator of Legacy Floors in Howell, Michigan. He is the next Certified Tile Installer (CTI) to be featured in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on articles in TileLetter.com. 

>> See Jeremy Waldorf: owner/operator Legacy Floors - Certification offers customer extra value, bolstered by education and experience

To support the mission of the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF), Kevin Insalato of California Flooring in the Chicago area has started officially promoting tile installation certification with focus on the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) program.

Kevin is as passionate about quality tile installation as Scott Carothers is (see Why Scott Carothers Cares Intensely About Tile Installation Certification and Education). Only fitting that he should join forces with CTEF to help develop the Regional Evaluators program for tile installation certification. We caught up with Kevin to learn more.

CTEF owes special thanks to Coverings for its generous and long time support. In fact, that's why you will now notice Coverings listed as an Elite CTEF Sponsor when you explore becoming a CTEF Sponsor.

About Coverings

If you aren't familiar with Coverings, here's perspective on the show and the critical role it plays in the tile industry. 

According to Steve Keator CTI #455, being a Certified Tile Installer (CTI) means providing tile installation that truly satisfies the greatest expectations for quality. Steve is the next Certified Tile Installer (CTI) to be featured in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on articles in TileLetter.com. 

Did you attend the Remodeling Show | DeckExpo | JLC LIVE (R|D|J) on Oct. 6 and 7 in Baltimore, Maryland? If you did, you had the opportunity to see proper tile installation firsthand, and ask questions of installation experts, Scott Carothers from CTEF and Mark Heinlein from NTCA (pictured above).

>> See Why Scott Carothers Cares Intensely About Tile Installation Certification and Education

>> See Mark Heinlein on 5 Benefits of Being a Certified Tile Installer