At the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV, the CFI Team of Instructors presents two courses which run simultaneously on the showroom floor on the lower level on January 28-29, 2014.  

Visitors at Surfaces are offered the opportunity to view the training program and the intensive certification that is required of the installers to achieve their goals. CFI personnel will be available to answer questions during the testing.

“This is a great opportunity for the CFI Team of Instructors to share their knowledge and skills with installers who are excited about adding value to their careers,” said Jim Walker, CEO. “The CFI brand is known worldwide and when flooring installers become certified, they can ‘sell’ the value of what they have earned. The members of CFI greatly appreciate the partnership with Surfaces to showcase installation talents to the attendees. We invite everyone to visit the area and learn about the CFI programs. Because of the overwhelming response to the CFI carpet certification in 2013, I would suggest that registrations be made earlier due to the limited space.”

The Ceramic and Wood/Laminate Installation Training and Certifications will be held on Tuesday, January 28 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and Wednesday, January 29 from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm and will feature some of the industry’s top installation trainers. During the two-day workshops, the importance of pride and professionalism is emphasized, as well as the value of customer satisfaction.  

The instructors will share their expertise on ceramic installation from planning the job, preparation, substrate preparation and actively involve installers in a backerboard installation, staggering of joints, movement joints, thin-set installation, working with trammel points, layout, balancing, troweling, coverage, grouting of the tiles and all phases of a quality tile installation. The installers will perform each step in the installation process according to the CFI Proven Methods of Installation and ANSI Standards.  

The CFI Team will also share their skills and knowledge with the installers who participate in the wood and laminate workshop. The installers will be involved in a hands-on setting for each step of the installation from planning to the finished project.  Installers will be actively involved in performing  moisture tests, preparing the substrate, layout, balancing, moisture retardant systems, the installation of laminate and wood floor, as well as the various types of floors such as floating floors, glue-down and nail-down floors and more.

Experts from the industry will also be available during the two-days. Speakers from the National Wood Flooring Association and the North American Laminate Flooring Association are also involved.  Those who successfully complete the CFI requirements of installation certification for the laminate and wood course have the opportunity to apply for the NWFA, NALFA and Armstrong Certifications.  

Two years of active experience is required to apply for CFI Certification.  However, those with a minimum of six months or more of experience may attend and receive training. The CFI Study Guides are available online at www.CFIinstallers.com to prepare for the event. The majority of the training involves a hands-on skills workshop, but also includes demonstrations, an oral review and written test.

To apply for certification, the installer must submit proof of two years’ active installation experience.  Installers register at the www.surfaces.com website.  Click on the “Register” tab at the top of the page and you will be able to add the CFI Training & Certification to your registration. The event is limited to 20, so register early.  Be one of only 20 who will participate in another historic Surfaces’ event!

“CFI installers emphasize the value of training to move forward in their careers,” said Robert Varden, Executive Director.  “They are proud of their achievements and become very marketable in the industry. CFI recently celebrated 20 years as an installers’ organization and is responsible for training over 50,000 worldwide.  CFI installers are an elite group of highly motivated individuals who strive daily to achieve customer satisfaction with every job.”

All tools and installation materials will be provided by CFI and sponsors of the certification training program and lunch will be provided both days. The cost of the program is $495 and includes Exhibits Only or Exhibits with Education registration. For more information about the CFI Installation Training and Certification, contact Whitney Robinson at wrobinson@CFIinstallers.com or call (816) 231.4646.  For additional educational opportunities being offered at Surfaces 2014, please visit www.surfaces.com.