NTCA training director Gerald Sloan (left) and NTCA Training and Education Committee chairman Dan Welch of Welch Tile and Marble will conduct live demonstrations on the installation stage during the Coverings show, April 29-May 2 in Orlando.

The National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) will be holding seven different live demonstrations during Coverings 2008 in Orlando, Florida, to offer attendees an up-close look at how a variety of challenging tile installations are handled by top contracting professionals.

Each 30-minute demonstration will be held live on the show floor and will focus on lippage, warpage and lighting. The two alternating presenters will be Gerald Sloan, NTCA training director, and Dan Welch, training and education chairman of Welch Tile and Marble, also the NTCA Region 6 director.

“We are proud to participate in such a worthy endeavor,” said Bart Bettiga, executive director of NTCA. “We now have a wonderful blend of non-proprietary demonstrations and exposure to new products and installation systems taking place almost every hour throughout the duration of the show. These kinds of activities give industry professionals one more reason to attend the show.”

The schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, April 29
12:15-12:45 p.m.: Identifying potential problems of the substrate for walls and floors
2:45-3:15 p.m.: Correcting unsuitable substrates

Wednesday, April 30
12:15-12:45 p.m.: Understanding lippage in ceramic tile installations
2:45-3:15 p.m.: Understanding warpage in ceramic tile and the effects this can have on an installation

Thursday, May 1
12:15-12:45 p.m.: Critical lighting and the battle that must be fought
2:45-3:15 p.m.: Proper grout joint width and installation for large format tile

Friday, May 2
12:15-12:45 p.m.: A complete overview of lippage, warpage and lighting issues with practical strategies to solve problems associate with them.

For more information, please contact NTCA membership director Bob Brown at bob@tile-assn.com, via telephone at (601) 939-2071, or visit www.tile-assn.com.