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CTEF Blog - About Tile Education and Installer Certification

Tile Over It or Take It Up?

[fa icon="calendar'] Oct 24, 2023 8:30:00 AM / by CTEF Blog Team posted in Installing Tile TIps

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If you've been installing tile for a while, you've certainly encountered situations where you were asked about tiling over an existing tile installation rather than taking up the tile and/or underlayment and starting from fresh. How did you respond? 

Here are two situations Mark Heinlein CTI #1112 and National Tile Contractors Association
Training Director to help explore possible responses.

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Do You Have Enough Mortar to Accommodate Tile Warpage?

[fa icon="calendar'] Oct 10, 2023 8:30:00 AM / by Scott Carothers posted in Ask Scott, Installing Tile TIps

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When you install tile, do you ensure that you have enough mortar to accommodate inherent (actual) tile warpage associated with large format tile?

Tile sizes are changing; getting larger, longer, and proportionately having more inherent warpage. Likewise, changes are being seen in tile installation methods, using thin set and large and heavy tile mortars to accommodate tile warpage.

Let's review what's involved.

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What Made You the Ceramic Tile Installer You Are Today?

[fa icon="calendar'] Sep 26, 2023 9:45:00 AM / by Brad Denny posted in About CTEF, Certified Tile Installer Program

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CTEF has a question for you: What made you the ceramic tile installer you are today? What unique experiences affected you in such a way that you embraced education and training to become a successful Certified Tile Installer?

Seriously, if you install ceramic tile, you have a story about your journey.

When you talk with others who are successfully earning a living in the trade, they too have a story. It may be completely different than the pathway you followed, yet equally valuable.

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Understanding Efflorescence aka that Ugly White Powder on Your Tile

[fa icon="calendar'] Sep 12, 2023 8:30:00 AM / by Scott Carothers posted in Ask Scott, Installing Tile TIps

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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.

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Stone Forensics on the Importance of Hiring Certified Tile Installers

[fa icon="calendar'] Aug 29, 2023 8:30:00 AM / by CTEF Blog Team posted in Certified Tile Installer Program

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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.

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Fight Subpar Tile Installation Says John Trent CTI #277

[fa icon="calendar'] Aug 15, 2023 8:30:00 AM / by CTEF Blog Team posted in Qualified Labor Series

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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.

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Don't Patch Your Tile Substrate With Thin Set

[fa icon="calendar'] Aug 1, 2023 8:30:00 AM / by Scott Carothers posted in Ask Scott, Installing Tile TIps

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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.

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CTEF Online Auction: 8/20 through 8/27. Mark Your Calendar!

[fa icon="calendar'] Jul 18, 2023 8:30:00 AM / by CTEF Blog Team posted in About CTEF

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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.

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How to Install Tile with Electrical Radiant Heating

[fa icon="calendar'] Jul 4, 2023 8:30:00 AM / by CTEF Blog Team posted in Installing Tile TIps

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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.

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How Do You Protect the Tub in a Bathroom Tile Remodel?

[fa icon="calendar'] Jun 20, 2023 8:30:00 AM / by Scott Carothers posted in Ask Scott, Installing Tile TIps

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

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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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Mike Corona CTI #923
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