CTEF Blog - About Tile Education and Installer Certification

Ceramic tile installation and design must work together.

In fact, as designer Alena Capra, principal of Alena Capra Designs and the Coverings Industry Ambassador, explains it's critical. There must be synergy between the two. She should know given her  involvement in the Coverings Installation Design Showcase, how frequently she features tile in her designs, and her long association with Coverings.

Have you saved December 1st for #GivingTuesday? It's a great way to support organizations such as CTEF...

Have you seen this video by Sal DiBlasi about the hands-on Certified Tile Installer (CTI) test?

If you haven't and you're considering becoming certified, we encourage you to do so. We've even embedded it into this article.

When you're installing tile, do you use gridlines or spacers? Why do you do so?

If you spend time with anyone involved in the proper installation of ceramic tile, the TCNA Handbook for Ceramic, Glass, and Stone Tile Installation will be the focal point of the conversation.  Why? Because this useful guide assists in clarifying and standardizing installation specifications for tile.

In addition to providing a selection of numbered installation "methods" for differentiating and easy reference, the Handbook includes various product selection guides for ceramic, glass, and stone tiles; guidelines for wet areas; field and installation requirements, and more.

Have you wondered what goes into specifying ceramic tile, stone and glass for kitchen and bath installations - especially if you want those installations to be successful? That's what Scott Carothers focused on in his NKBA presentation, using stunning installation examples.

Here's a summary with highlights and the actual presentation included at the end of the article.

Have you heard? CTEF's “Fundamentals of Thin-Bed Knowledge” - otherwise known as the FTBK Guide - is now available at no cost to anyone associated with the tile industry. That's right no cost.

Furthermore, if you'd like to use your newly-found tile industry knowledge from this guide to complete an online test, you can earn a Certificate of Completion as a Fundamentals of Thin-Bed Knowledge industry professional for a $99 fee.

When it comes to successfully completing kitchen and bath installations, Qualified Labor matters. It helps ensure that the tile installation will perform as expected and look as designed for years to come in spaces that demand a great deal from proper performance. 

Given how demanding these spaces are, there's a tremendous benefit to ensuring that designers and installers collaborate as Dan Hecox showed us in Dan Hecox Inspires Designers, Tile Installers to Aspire to Higher Standards. The more designers understand the requirements of tile installations that perform and the better tile installers communicate with designers, the more likely success is all around.