NTCA launches Thick-Bed Regional Training in Columbus, OH

The National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) is launching a brand-new training module in its Regional Training program: Thick-Bed Installations. This program will debut at America’s Floor Source in Columbus, Ohio on August 26, 2022.

Thick-Bed Installations Regional Training is open to NTCA members and other professional tile contractors and installers, with a class size capped at 20. Led by highly-qualified and experienced NTCA trainers and supported by a team of tile industry experts and partners, instruction will be given in both classroom and hands-on environments to address real-world tile system installation challenges. Attendees will learn how to use and apply ANSI A108 installation standards and TCNA Handbook methods.

The primary learning objective of this free class is to become familiar with the flexibility of dry-pack mortar beds to resolve a wide range of installation challenges and to achieve tile industry standard substrate requirements. Focus will be on thick-bed installations for floors and shower pans, using a variety of drain types and membranes, with additional instruction on wall installations.

Areas to be covered include:

• Practical application of ANSI standards for thick-bed installations
• How to locate and apply TCNA Handbook methods for thick-bed installations
• Analysis of wall and floor substructures / substrates for flatness
• Substrate preparation requirements for floors and walls
• Material components, recipes, ratios for site-mixed dry-pack mortar mixes
• Types and uses of pre-mixed / bagged dry-pack mortar mixes
• Bonded and un-bonded thick-bed systems
• Movement joints in a thick-bed system
• Reinforcing materials in a thick-bed system
• Tools and techniques used to construct thick-bed installations
• Wet area drain systems / slope to drain / sloped fill / sub-surface and surface applied membranes
• Screed methods and techniques

This program will emphasize:

• Applicable tile industry standards and methods
• Compliance with manufacturer instructions
• Substrate analysis, preparation, installation
• Use of tools for thick-bed installations
• Efficient work-flow planning and teamwork
• Jobsite safety and health practices

“We provide training on several areas of thick-bed training in a number of our traveling NTCA Workshop and Regional Training programs, and have decided to develop a full-day Regional Training Program focused only on thick-bed installations,” said Mark Heinlein, NTCA Training Director. “Attendees will work with seasoned mud (thick-bed) installers and professional NTCA trainers.

“This is an important class for every tile installer – it will provide instruction on skills that bridge the gap between a variety of installation materials and methods or can be used in standalone thick-bed installations,” Heinlein added. “We are really looking forward to working with installers to help them build skill sets that will make them better at their tradecraft. Attendees are certain to take away new knowledge and skills that will help them on their next job.”

Attendees should arrive by 7:30 a.m. with their own kneepads for a short classroom-type presentation followed by a full day of hands-on, attendee-involved instruction that will wrap up by 4:45 p.m. Attendees will receive new skills they can apply to many types of tile installations and a deeper understanding of time proven methods, materials, tools, and techniques.

For details on this free program, to register, and to join the waitlist for future Thick-Bed Regional Trainings, visit https://bit.ly/3ttWgeB at the NTCA Events Calendar website.