Choosing the right course

[Daniel Beard]

Hi everyone, new to the forum and new to the world of tiling. I'm looking for a career change away from my current trade (car mechanic) . I'm really eager to get into tiling, for some reason there's just something about it that really interests me. Anyway, I've done a bit of research and it seems most people go to UK Pro tiling, well this is 6 hours each way from me. The other option is gold trowel which is 3 hours away but doesn't have half the reviews that UK Pro has. Would uk Pro be worth travelling for over gold trowel? It's so hard to choose which is the right one for me. They both seem to say relatively the same things about what the course includes. And the other decision is how long the course is, for instance uk Pro do 9 day course and 13 day, which would I be better going for!? Again gold trowel do 10 day and 3 weeks. How much do I need to know and learn to have enough info and training to actually earn a wage from it? Do I need to know about working with things like natural stone and 600x600? I havnt got a clue, decisions decisions! Sorry for the long post by the way!
Many thanks

 

[Daniel Beard]

No, but the theory of larger tiles was covered.

Maybe its best if I just ring them then to work out which is best for me. The 9 day one sounds perfect with the acception of not actually laying 600x600. And as said by jcrtiling it's a very common tile to lay.

 

[Steve6690]

I'm in the middle of tiling my whole downstairs in 600 x 600 glazed porcelain with a 1mm grout gap. Laying the Ditra mat tomorrow. Might be biting off more than I can chew for a first job, but I'll know soon enough

 

[Daniel Beard]

I'm in the middle of tiling my whole downstairs in 600 x 600 glazed porcelain with a 1mm grout gap. Laying the Ditra mat tomorrow. Might be biting off more than I can chew for a first job, but I'll know soon enough

You have enough confidence to do it then from just the theory surrounding it in the course? You'll have to upload some pics when it's done. Be good to see it. That ditra mat, that's to stop cracks when the screed moves isn't it? I think anyway..

 

[Spare Tool]

I'm in the middle of tiling my whole downstairs in 600 x 600 glazed porcelain with a 1mm grout gap. Laying the Ditra mat tomorrow. Might be biting off more than I can chew for a first job, but I'll know soon enough

1mm grout lines....optimistic, very optimistic, good luck!!

 

[Daniel Beard]

You have enough confidence to do it then from just the theory surrounding it in the course? You'll have to upload some pics when it's done. Be good to see it. That ditra mat, that's to stop cracks when the screed moves isn't it? I think anyway..

Another question, do they teach you how to level a floor at all prior to laying floor tiles on the 9 day course?

 

[Dumbo]

.

 

[Steve6690]

No practical element of levelling with slc, but it's covered in the theory.

 

[Oli t]

hi Daniel I completed the goldtrowel 4 week course 4 years ago.

 

[Steve6690]

1mm grout lines....optimistic, very optimistic, good luck!!

went with 2mm in the end. Wifey wants white grout and as-near-to-invisible lines as possible. Not to many people's taste I'm sure but it's something she's always wanted.

 

[Spare Tool]

went with 2mm in the end. Wifey wants white grout and as-near-to-invisible lines as possible. Not to many people's taste I'm sure but it's something she's always wanted.

Not very practical though, white grout on a floor, epoxy or it'll be grey before you know it..