The National Tile Contractors Association's (NTCA) upcoming August tour will span 10 states and offer a comprehensive series of standards-based educational workshops and regional trainings for industry professionals. This significant initiative will feature a total of 17 free workshops and six free regional trainings, marking a considerable expansion compared to the previous year's offerings.

The primary goal of this tour is to equip industry professionals with essential skills and knowledge while fostering meaningful connections with peers and industry experts. These workshops and regional trainings provide invaluable opportunities for professionals to stay updated on industry standards, best practices and emerging trends. This effort aligns with NTCA's ongoing mission to elevate the standards of tile craftsmanship and promote continuous learning within the industry.

Thanks to the generous support of sponsors dedicated to advancing the industry through education, all workshops and regional trainings are offered free of charge. Each session will be presented by NTCA Technical Trainers, who possess extensive experience in tile installation.

Workshops: California, Colorado, Florida, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont

The workshops, spanning three hours in the afternoon or evening, are open to tile installers, contractors, sales personnel, and members of the architecture and design community. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in an interactive learning environment to connect with peers and industry experts during the workshops, providing time for networking and knowledge exchange. Meals will be provided, and there will be chances to win valuable prizes.

The workshops will focus on one of the following topics:

• Ins and Outs of Layout for Contractors
• Tile Matters – Best Practices for the Pros
• Failures – Could It Be Me?
• Tile Technology – Membranes

NTCA will also host a special workshop in Nashville, Tennessee, this August, titled "Tile Design Trends and Installation - What Every Industry Pro Should Know." Hosted by Louisville Tile, this course will feature insights from Celebrity Designer Jennifer Farrell and NTCA Training Director Mark Heinlein. The event will take place on August 15, 2024, at Louisville Tile, 650 Melrose Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of integrating the latest tile trends into their projects while ensuring top-quality installation standards.

Workshop Dates

8/1    Daltile            Bakersfield, California

8/6    Daltile            Hartford, Connecticut

8/6    Floor & Decor   Lone Tree, Colorado

8/7    Daltile            Denver, Colorado

8/7    Daltile            Williston, Vermont

8/8    Floor & Decor   Timnath, Colorado

8/8    Daltile            Derry, New Hampshire

8/13    Daltile            Tampa, Florida

8/14    Floor & Decor        Fort Myers, Florida

8/15    Louisville Tile        Nashville, Tennessee

8/15    Daltile            Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

8/19    Floor & Decor        Draper, Utah

8/20    D & B Tile        Delray Beach, Florida

8/21    Daltile            Ft. Collins, Colorado

8/21    D & B Tile        Doral, Florida

8/22    D & B Tile        Sunrise, Florida

8/22    The Tile Shop        Colorado Springs, Colorado

Regional Trainings: Maryland, Massachusetts, New York

Regional training sessions offer tile installers an immersive, all-day experience to hone their skills using traditional and cutting-edge tools, materials, and techniques. These hands-on sessions are designed to empower participants with practical knowledge rooted in ANSI standards and methods outlined in the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) Handbook for Ceramic, Glass, and Stone Tile Installation. The NTCA Reference Manual serves as a guiding resource throughout the training.

The sessions are carefully crafted to provide solutions-based training, addressing real-world challenges tile installers face. The content is aligned with industry standards and methods, ensuring relevance and applicability. To maximize the learning experience, each session is limited to 20 participants. Upon successfully concluding the training session, attendees will receive a document of course completion.

Topics for the August Regional Trainings include:

• The GPTP/Slabs Training equips you to install porcelain panels with confidence and accuracy. Learn new tile industry standards and methods for installing GPTP, how GPTP is made, where it can be used, and special tools, setting materials and techniques required to install it.
• The Substrate Preparation and Large-Format Tile Training will show you how to use the ANSI A 108 standards and TCNA Handbook to address real world challenges in hands-on installations focusing on substrate examination and preparation for setting large-format tile.

NTCA Regional Trainigs

8/7        Floor & Decor        Silver Spring, Maryland

8/14        Nemo Tile        Waterville, New York

8/21        Floor & Decor        Commack, New York

8/23        Gramaco        Savage, Maryland

8/28        Belknap White        Mansfield, Massachusetts

8/30        Floor & Decor        Capital Heights, Maryland

Don't miss these opportunities to elevate your skills, expand your network, and stay at the forefront of industry standards. All workshops and regional trainings are open to anyone interested in enhancing their skills. NTCA membership is not required. Dates and times listed above are subject to change, for the most up-to-date information on each event visit the NTCA Event Calendar.

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