COVERINGS 2018

May 8-11, 2018, Georgia World Congress Center, Halls B & C
Atlanta, Georgia, USA

If it’s new in tile & stone, it’s at Coverings.

For almost thirty years, Coverings has been the preeminent event for the ceramic tile & natural stone industry in North America. Visitors from every facet of the tile & stone industry find that Coverings is the one event that drives their success, year after year.
Coverings attracts more than 26,000 attendees every year to The Global Tile & Stone Experience.

VISITORS AND EXHIBITORS INCLUDE:

Distributors, Retailers, Contractors – Installers, Fabricators, Architects -/ /Designers, Builders – Remodelers, Professional Services (Training, IT, Freight, etc.) and more.

EXHIBITS ON DISPLAY

TILE
Ceramic, Porcelain, Decorative and custom, Mosaic, Metallic, Glass, Quarry

STONE
Granite, Marble, Travertine, Slate, Limestone, Sandstone, Quartzite, Soapstone, Terrazzo
Agglomerates, Other natural stone

ALLIED PRODUCTS AND EQUIPMENT
Installation materials and tools, Coatings, Finishes, Sealers, Cutting and carving equipment, Fabricating equipment, Flooring equipment, Restoration and cleaning equipment, Kitchen and bath accessories, Display systems.

tiles

THE MAIN REASONS TO ATTEND THE SHOW

I. FREE EDUCATION

Coverings is an AIA/CES Approved Provider and a NKBA CEU Provider Partner.
Coverings is dedicated in providing education, including CEUs, through: conference sessions, hands-on workshops, live demos, show floor tours and more.
A robust education program which includes leading speakers from every segment of the industry ensures that someone will stay current and will have access to the business building resources. The top-rated sessions offered at Coverings are free to attend.

II. 9 MILES OF TILE AND STONE

Coverings is the source for new products presenting latest materials, trends, and tools from 1,100 of the world’s leading manufacturers and suppliers.
Coverings is a trip around the world of tile & stone. Pavilions from North America, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and Brazil are included. New trends, textures, shapes and alternative uses of tile and stone will be presented at the show.
Coverings is an investment that is paying back many times over with ideas and contacts to grow business.

III. INVALUABLE CONNECTIONS

More than 25,000 tile & stone leaders, innovators, and rising enterprises are attending Coverings. The show is the place for suppliers to meet face to face, to connect with current clients across the globe, and to network with new business prospects.

COI Pavilion

EDUCATION

45+ FREE EDUCATION SESSIONS

In today’s highly competitive marketplace, having strong knowledge of successful business tactics and best practices from industry leaders is key to professional success. Through its robust program of notable and respected speakers, Coverings provides this competitive edge – free of charge. Coverings 2018 features an outstanding lineup of 45+ FREE education sessions available to both attendees and exhibitors.
VIEW ALL EDUCATION SESSIONS HERE: https://www.eventscribe.com/2018/Coverings/agenda.asp

CERAMIC TILE EDUCATION FOUNDATION (CTEF)

Coverings has a long history of supporting the tile industry and encouraging continuing education, tile installation certification, and training.
Through its support of the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF), Coverings actively encourages the highest standards in tile installation, certification, and education.

CTEF logo

Coverings is a Proud Supporter of CTEF
In 2008, Coverings hosted the inaugural Certified Tile Installer (CTI) test.
Since 2008, Coverings has provided over $1 million in support to CTEF for certification and education.
Since 2008, Coverings has served as an annual testing location for the CTI program.
Since 2010, Coverings has hosted the Installation Design Showcase, where the most talented and competent tile installers, including numerous CTI and ACT certified professionals, display their skills during the show, implementing cutting edge architecture and design concepts in tile.
In 2013, Coverings hosted the inaugural Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT) test.
Since 2013, Coverings has served as an annual testing location for the ACT program.

tiles

ABOUT THE CERAMIC TILE EDUCATION FOUNDATION

The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) provides education and installer certification for professionals working in the ceramic tile & stone industry. The CTEF Certified Tile Installer (CTI) program is the only third-party assessment of installer skill and knowledge which is recognized by the tile industry. It also offers Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT) testing.
The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) is an educational institution that offers local, regional, and national training programs for consumers, installers, construction professionals, architects, designers, building inspectors and sales associates interested in the sale and installation of ceramic tile.

THE CERTIFIED TILE INSTALLER (CTI) PROGRAM

The program includes a multiple-choice exam and a hands-on test. Both are based on current industry standards and best practices for producing a sound installation that exhibits good workmanship. The tests, therefore, require that both the observable and non-observable characteristics of a finished installation are executed properly.
The multiple-choice exam is taken online at the installer’s convenience. The hands-on test takes place in locations across the country.
CTI Testing took place onsite at Coverings 2017.

THE ADVANCED CERTIFICATIONS FOR TILE INSTALLERS (ACT) PROGRAM

To offer consumers greater confidence that their tile installers follow tile installation procedures that exceed ANSI standards and TCNA Handbook guidelines for floor and wall, six leading tile industry organizations came together to create the Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT) program.
This program evaluates the skills and knowledge of tile installers and currently offers certifications in seven specific areas of tile installation:
Large Format Tile & Substrate Preparation, Membranes, Mortar (Mud) Floors, Mortar (Mud) Walls, Shower Receptors, Grouts, Gauged Porcelain Tile and Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels/Slabs

To learn more about the ACT Program, visit Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers. Note that installers must be prequalified for these ACT tests. Installers must be a CTI or a journeyman tile setter who has successfully completed the apprenticeship program conducted by the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (IUBAC).

WHY TILE?

Whytile.com

whytile.com is the tile trade’s first-ever industry-wide initiative designed to provide what we hope will be the information you need to make the choice for tile a clear and easy one.
You may know that tile dates to ancient times, as archaeologists continue to excavate bits and pieces of both pottery and tiles – shards that date back thousands of years – from sites around the world. In fact, early stylistic influences, including designs dating back to the Moorish conquest of Spain in the 8th century, as well as ever-popular Italian maiolica), which dates to the 15th century, continue to be carried out in today’s modern finishes.
What you may not know about tile is that it’s as rugged as it is beautiful; delivers as many health benefits for the occupants of any space as it does timeless design touches; and, thanks to the fact that each piece is hand-laid, provides customization opportunities simply unattainable through any other surface option. It’s these lesser-known facts that we’ve set out to communicate through this campaign.

Ceramiche-Piemme Fleur de bois chevron

THE ADVANTAGES OF THE TILES

STYLE FOR ALL: THE DESIGNS ARE ENDLESS AND SO ARE THE POSSIBILITIES.
Endless finishes await, from timeless elegance to top trends. Blues and greens, Metallic, Stone look, Wood look, Black and white, Thin tile
Anywhere is the perfect place for tile.
Why Tile’s Style for All section shares more about tile’s versatility, provides a tile schematics PDF download, and inspiration using various tiles.

EASY CARE: EASY CLEAN UP AND CARE… FOR ALL OF LIFE’S LITTLE MESSES.
Easy to clean and durable, tile stands up to everyday life.
Tile is: Stain resistant, Water-resistant, Prevents bacterial growth, Scratch resistant, Fire resistant.
Learn more about the benefits of tile and download a PDF of the easy care maintenance tips in the Easy Care section on the Why Tile site.

HEALTHY SPACES: BREATHE EASY ON THESE FLOORS HEALTHY SPACES START HERE.
If clean air is important to you and your family, tile is the natural choice.
Use tile in your home and avoid exposure to harmful contaminants found in other surfaces. A hypoallergenic flooring option, tile is naturally inert and resistant to dust and other harmful pollutants that are known to cause a variety of healthy problems.
Tile flooring provides uncompromising safety without sacrificing style. Tile flooring doesn’t just look good. It performs. Slip- and fire-resistant, tile flooring protects your family even in hazardous situations.
Tile is the natural, sustainable flooring choice. From unparalleled durability to zero-waste manufacturing, tile is the most eco-friendly flooring option available.

HERITAGE: CRAFTSMANSHIP THROUGH THE AGES: THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF HISTORY
OVER YOUR HEAD AND BELOW YOUR FEET.

Over the centuries, tile has facilitated many things, from creative and artistic expression to commerce and even political rebellion. Find your place in this rich and colorful lineage: What will tile make possible for you?

CONTACTS:

EXHIBITOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, Ian Blackwood, (571) 313-5801, exhibitor@coverings.com
EXHIBIT SALES & SPONSORSHIPS, Tim Fearney, (571) 313-5791, sales@coverings.com