CTEF Blog - About Tile Education and Installer Certification

A heartfelt Thank You from all of us at CTEF for being part of the 2022 NTCA Matching Grant Campaign!

Or, Why You Should Always Work with Qualified Tile Installers

Did you get to tour the Tile Installation Experience at Coverings 2018? Whether you did or didn't, here's your chance to review and appreciate what makes working with Qualified Tile Installers truly unique - in terms of best practices you can expect and bad practices you will want to avoid.

We've even included a Facebook Live tour with Scott Carothers that Floor Covering Installer magazine conducted during Coverings.

Although from 2018, this article is sure to put tile installation excellence into perspective.

There's no denying that without companies like Tile ProSource to support CTEF, the Certified Tile Installer program would not be what it is today.

The CTI program requires hands-on testing locations around the country, not just in Pendleton, SC where CTEF is headquartered. Furthermore, in addition to the hands-on test itself, the program includes an orientation the evening before the test, not to mention cleanup.

So committing to being a CTI test location host means you're willing to give up a good bit of space for some serious tile installation action over more than a day.

In the case of Tile ProSource in Tennessee, the owners not only generously offered CTEF warehouse space but also treated everyone involved in the CTI test to a tile-themed feast. Plus, they've also added to their online checkout process an option to donate to the CTEF Mission!

If you've been reading the articles on this blog, you're familiar with the importance of carefully planning your installation ahead of time, and ensuring that you've obtained approval on a mockup from everyone involved - architect and/or designer, general contractor, and, of course, the owner - before you start installing. 

In case you still don't believe that it matters, this article is for you.

If you're wondering whether it's better to install tile under cabinets or not, the answer is... it depends. It depends on the structure of your home as well as your kitchen and its subfloor, the materials selected, and your own preference.

Have you heard? CTEF will raffle off a stunning original American flag mosaic designed by the award-winning Angie Halford Ré during Coverings 2022, and donated by Laticrete's Ron Nash, both based in Utah.

We caught up with both to learn more, and encourage you to purchase raffle tickets! 

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! We've put together the ultimate guide to finding tile installers for homeowners and would love to get it into their hands. Will you help us get the word out?

For those who are unfamiliar with the Certified Tile Installer program, tile contractor Salvatore DiBlasi put together a two-part video series documenting not only what's involved, but also how the hands-on test is graded.

If you're having porcelain tile installed and you're looking for confirmation or validation that the project will be completed correctly, where do you go?

We recommend two paths:

1. Know where to find porcelain tile installation standards
2. Know where to find tile installation experts for the project

Let's explore.

If you have no experience in tiling and haven't been involved in a trade school program, how do you become a tile installation professional?

Great question, and here are options for you to consider.