Tiling training

At Access Training, our aim is to provide individuals with the practical skills that will allow them to build upon their current abilities, or even form an entirely new career path!  As with all of our new career course packages, our tiling training courses offer a range of different starting points, allowing you to ensure that the training course you attend is suitable for your requirements, ambitions, and current skill level.

Listed below are the three different tiling training options that we offer at our facilities, ranging from household skills to trade professional level:

DIY Tiling Course

This course is targeted towards people who would like to carry out tiling jobs in their own home, but lack the knowledge or experience to do so. In time, you will be able to carry out any necessary jobs without the need to call in professionals, making this a long-term investment for home improvement enthusiasts. You will learn all the basics of tiling installation, as well as gaining experience in cutting tiles and forming patterns, allowing you to experiment with the more creative aspects of the job. Thanks to the flexible nature of our tiling training, you can also target specific units to ensure that the course is meeting your personal requirements, making it as rewarding an experience as possible. For those who find themselves wanting to learn more by the end of the course, there is also an option to sit an exam, which will stand you in good stead for more advanced training in the future.

Essential Tiling Course

This tiling training course is great for beginners, and like our DIY course, it can be tailored to suit the ambitions of the learner. Although it is suitable for people with no experience whatsoever, it's probably a better choice for people who are interested in progressing to a more advanced level in the future.  Once you have completed the training, we can recommend an appropriate progress route for you to follow; your further training could build upon the skills gained on this course, or it could involve learning and mastering another skill, contributing to a future career as an experienced trade professional.

Professional Tiling Course

If you have serious ambitions to turn tiling into your new career, this course will provide you with the skills and knowledge required to become a certified tiler. It's ideal for people who want to start from scratch and work their way up, but would also work well for individuals who have previous experience and wish to update their skills. Upon completion of the course, you will gain a City and Guilds Level 2 Diploma, allowing you to seek paid work and enabling you to train for an NVQ Level 2 qualification in the future.

Click here to view all of our excellent tiling training courses, or get in touch with us for more information.

Even though we're only one month into it, 2014 is setting up to be a fantastic year for the construction industry and tradespeople alike with a seemingly constant stream of news to suggest Britain is truly climbing out of the recession and the industry has a long line of prosperity ahead of it. This doesn't look like it'll just mean more jobs in the industry for trainees currently going through various construction training courses, but improved benefits for you as well.

Reed, one of the largest recruitment companies in the UK, revealed that new vacancies on its website rose by 29% in January compared to 2013 - with construction and property leading the way with a 74% increase. This is due to the construction boom the industry is currently in the midst of, along with a significant rise in both private and public housing planned. Reed's statistics showed that around one in five of the national workforce actively searched for a new job in January.

However despite the gradual increase in job vacancies there have been over the last few months, the average salary hasn't seen much change at all. This is set to change though as a skills shortage, particularly in the construction industry, has become prevalent. Many fear that there is simply not enough trained labourers to replace those that will be retiring in the next five or so years - and so fully qualified plasterers, carpenters, tilers and bricklayers in high demand. Knowing that there's a construction boom currently taking place, workers have also gained newfound confidence in their careers. And of course, the ever-growing cost of living is also a factor in why employers are being pressured to (deservedly) increase pay.

So what does this mean for new construction trainees? Well, for starters there's never been a better time to start a career in the construction trade, whichever sector you think may be suitable for you! Qualified construction workers have always been in demand and commanded impressive salaries, but the industry really is at the top of its game right now - not only will you find yourself in an exciting and varied line of work, but your skills will be valued more than ever.

But what's the quickest and most effective way to break into the industry? College courses can be beneficial, but not only are many understaffed with limited facilities but they can also take years to complete. While the industry is expected to enjoy this "golden age" for a fair few years, there's no guarantee that the high demand for workers will last this long. What you need is an intensive trades training course - the very kind we provide here at Access Training Academies. Our training courses last a matter of weeks rather than months, and pack the same (if not better!) quality you'd find elsewhere. In smaller class sizes you'll learn from tutors with a number of years' experience in their field, completing both theory and practical work before earning valued qualifications here at our accredited Cardiff training centre. These qualifications come from awarding bodies such as City & Guilds, and represent exactly what a plasterer, carpenter, tiler or bricklayer need to break into the industry successfully.

To find out more about the construction training courses we offer, call Access on 0800 345 7492 and speak to one of our course advice team. They'll be happy to answer any questions you have and arrange a full tour of our facilities so you can see exactly what we do before signing up.

2014 is a brand new year - take hold of it and take the steps toward that new career you've always dreamed of.

Good news for those about to complete a tiling course and move onto work, a brand new trade association has been formed to represent the interests of all manufacturers involved in the pitched roofing industry.

The Roof Tile Association (or RTA as it will also be known) brings together bodies the Clay Roof Tile Council (CRTC) and the Concrete Tile Manufacturers Association (CTMA). Before these groups had worked in parallel, but this often led to duplication in effort from companies working in both materials. Currently membership includes Dreadnought, Forticrete, Marley Eternit, Redland, Russell and Sandtoft.

Most major players in the tiling industry have agreed that the transition to a single body has been relatively seamless. Both groups had been working closely together for sometime prior to the decision to merge which was decided in early December last year.

The RTA themselves have said that they will be "providing a forum for the industry to work with unprecedented focus on promoting pitched roofs as the natural solution for domestic architecture in the UK." They beliecve that the wide range of knowledge and experience will be invaluable in representing the tiling industry's best interests on both a national and international level.

Via Building Products/Construction Index

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If you would like to join the tiling industry as it begins on this brand new chapter in its life, Access Training Academies provide intensive tiling training courses for those looking to qualify as a professional tiler quickly and effectively. Our tiling courses are devised in association with BAL - the tiling industry's leading provider of wall and floor tiling courses. This special partnership is a sign of our courses' quality - a quality that is unlikely to be beaten elsewhere. To find out more contact one of our course advisers on 0800 345 7492.

Via Tilezine

The Tile Association have warned retailers to stay alert of a credit card scam that last affected tilers back in 2010.

Like before, the scammer will phone up as a customer to place an order for Quartz tiles worth around £3,000. They will say that they do not live locally and are unable to visit the store, and therefore pay for the tiles using a credit card. The payment will be successfully processed and the tiles themselves will either be collected by a courier or delivered to a local address.

Weeks later, the card issuer recalls the payment after being told by the holder that it is an unauthorised/fraudulent payment. The retailer will then discover when they try to retrieve them that the tiles are gone, leaving them with a larger cost to cover.

Phil Reid, Association Executive for The Tile Association, warns retailers "Please be wary of taking large value credit card payments over the phone, this method of payment is not considered secure by the banks and you face the risk of not being insured against the loss, especially if the delivery address is different to the registered address of the card. Insisting that the customer visits the store to pay for the goods via the 'chip and pin' system or via a BACS transfer, if they are unable to visit your store, gives you protection from the banks recovering the payment without your knowledge or consent."

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If you're a keen DIY tiler thinking of turning professional or would like to begin your tradesperson journey with this avenue of the construction industry, an Access Training course will provide you with everything you need for a happy and properous career. With a state-of-the-art training centre, experienced staff and a course providing you with all the necessary qualifications for employment, you're unlikely to find a better alternative elsewhere. To find out more about our tiling courses or any of the other trades training courses we offer, have a chat with one of our course advisers by calling 0800 345 7492.

Continuing our series of glossaries to help getting budding tradesmen and DIY enthusiasts on their way, we next turn to the world of tiling. Can't tell a grout from an adhesive? The term "base row" got you confused? Here's a list of some of the most common tiling definitions to help get you started;

Base row: This is your first row of tiles. Laying this is an important stage of tiling, as this provides the foundations for the rest of the tiles. These tiles must be straight, so be sure to use a spirit level.

Bond:  The adherence of one material to another. Effective bonds must be achieved between the scratch coat and mortar, between the mortar and tile, and between the backing and adhesive.

Border Tile: Borders add colour, pattern and texture to a tiling scheme and are available in porcelain, ceramic, glass and natural stone.

Fixing Time:  The length of time, after applying an adhesive, that the tiles can be fixed.

Grout: A cement-like setting mix used for filling in the gaps between tiles once the adhesive has set. It is available in a range of different colours.

Grout sealant/sealer: Most grouts are porous, meaning they absorb water over time which can cause problems with mould, damp and dirt. To prevent this, a grout sealant is applied over the grout once it has set.

Mounted Tile:  Tiles that have been assembled into sheets or units onto suitable material to facilitate handling and installation. They may be back-mounted, face-mounted or edge-mounted.

Set Time:  The time, usually in hours, after which a bonded tile can be grouted and/or walked upon without affecting the bond. The set time for ready mixed adhesives varies greatly depending on the materials used.

Spacers: Cross-shaped plastic pieces that are used to ensure an equal gap between tiles when laying them.

Tanking:  Applying a liquid waterproof membrane, usually incorporating a mesh, in areas such as showers to protect moisture sensitive background substrates from water impregnation.

Tile Adhesive: A special type of glue used for bonding tiles to a surface. There are different varieties available depending on the area to be tiled, such as standard, waterproof and heatproof adhesives. Standard adhesive should only be used if the area you are tiling will not come into contact with water.

However knowing these definitions is only going to help you so much. To be able to tile kitchens, bathrooms and more to a professional standard, what you'll need is an intensive tiling training course. Access Training offer a number of tiling courses that will not only provide DIYers with the skills they need for their latest home rennovation project, but also the qualifications trainee tilers need for a long and rewarding career in the tiling industry. For more information visit our courses page or contact us on 0800 345 7492 to book your place today!

Tiles

Many people think that PVA is okay as a primer on walls and floors before tiling. This is not the case, as traditionally PVA is a multi-purpose product and not specifically formulated to work with tile adhesives.

First of all let’s think back, we all remember PVA – the glue you used in school to paint all over your hand, then see who could peel it back to get the biggest piece off! Peeled off easy? Washed off easy?

When you treat a surface with PVA it only partly soaks in and sits on the surface of the substrate much in the same way as wall paper paste. If PVA gets wet it becomes slightly live again, it doesn’t completely return to its liquid state but it becomes sticky.

When you spread tile adhesive onto a wall, the water in the adhesive makes the PVA live and stops the adhesive from penetrating the substrate and providing a mechanical grip. Basically your tiles, grout and adhesive are being held in place by a thin layer of PVA.

Tile adhesives work by crystallising when it sets. Once the adhesive starts to set crystals form and expand into any imperfections in the substrate (at a microscopic level) to create a grip. PVA stops this process by creating a barrier between the substrate and the tile adhesive. More...

100% customer satisfaction is one of the main things we aim for here at Access Training, so it always pleases us to hear feedback from our former students on their course experience and the training company as a whole. You can view some of the older testimonials we've received on this very website, but below is one we received via email recently:

"I recently completed six weeks of training at Access, which included tiling, plumbing and electric. This training has allowed me to set up my own property maintenance and domestic electrics business as well as join a Competent Person Scheme.

None of this would have been possible without the support and guidance of the excellent staff in Cardiff. Quite simply they are some of the most down to earth, knowledgeable and professional people I have ever had the pleasure to be involved with.

The whole set up is a fantastic learning ground, particularly for military personnel and I have since written to our regional training advisors within the RAF who deal with resettlement training. The transition to civilian life could have been dull and daunting, but it’s been quite the reverse and the staff are a credit to their respective trades AND the company as a whole.

Often the administration side of an organisation gets missed when it comes to thank yous but the staff were ambassadors, making the whole process both simple and cost effective.

Not only have I recommended Access Training to a number of colleagues I look forward to returning in the future to extend my electrical qualifications further."

- Dougie Bon (Retired RAF Squadron Leader)

If you would like to take the steps toward a new career in a trade, give us a call on 0800 345 7492. We offer training courses in electric, plumbing & gas, plastering, tiling, carpentry, bricklaying, decorating and more. Each will provide you with the necessary qualifications to achieve a successful and enviable career in your chosen trade. You are also welcome to come take a visit of our Cardiff training centre, so you can see first hand the facilities and quality of teaching that we offer.

While there will always be a demand for qualified tradesmen such as electricians, plumbers and gas engineers, setting yourself apart from the other tradesmen in your local area is an important factor is getting your name out there among potential clients. And the best way to do this is to consider qualifying in more than one skill. Commonly gas engineer training goes hand in hand with plumbing qualifications, but there are far more potential combinations that could benefit your future career.

For example, if a plumber were to undertake electrical training it would open up a variety of new work for them that they wouldn’t be able to complete otherwise without a second tradesman. They would be able to properly install power showers, and by achieving a Part P qualification would also be permitted to sign off the work themselves once they had joined a relevant Competent Person Scheme.

In turn, if an electrician had plastering qualifications, they could provide a fresh finish to a wall surface after tearing it apart to complete an installation. The same applies for combining plastering, tiling and/or carpentry courses. You’ll be increasing both your eternal potential and boost your chance of success when starting up your own business.

Take note though, it’s vital that you train properly for your second skill just as you did the first. A plumber should not be attempting any electrical work without the proper electrical qualifications and the same goes for any other potential trades. Not only would you be putting yourself at risk, but your customer as well. By training properly, you’ll be able to do the job properly and known as a tradesman capable and competent enough to get the job done on their own.

If you would like to find out more about the multi-skills training routes available to you, give Access Training a call on 0800 345 7492 and our team will be happy to tell you more.

Tiles

While the best way to gain enviable plastering and/or tiling skills would be to take one of our bespoke courses and become a qualified plasterer and tiler, Access Training also have a few handy tips to share to DIY enthusiasts looking to improve their work.

More...

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