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Scott Carothers

Scott Carothers is the Academic Director of the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) headquartered in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee (Nashville area). In 2007, he was hired and tasked with creating the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) program, and in 2012, he was part of the team that created the Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT) program.

For eighteen years, he has been providing training and education to others in the tile industry. Carothers has been involved in the ceramic tile industry for over 44 years and was the owner of a successful retail store and installation firm prior to coming to CTEF.

Carothers served as President and Chairman of the Board of the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA), Chairman of the NTCA Technical Committee, named the NTCA Tile Person of the Year in 2005, and received the NTCA Ring of Honor in 2013. He is a voting member of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) Handbook, and NTCA Technical Committees.

Scott has authored over 185 articles in tile industry print magazines including Floor Covering Installer, Tile, TileLetter, and eMagazine/Newsletter publications such as Floor Trends & Installation and TIleLetter along with covering numerous topics on the CTEF Blog, thereby sharing his knowledge and installation experience with his readers. Additionally, he recently retired from being a presenter and trainer for the NTCA Workshop and Regional Training programs and the NTCA Technical Hotline.

He may be contacted at scott@tilecareer.com or 864-222-2131.

Articles

ARTICLES

CTEF Tile Tip: Don't Forget Edge Profile Transitions

Scott Carothers

February 1, 2016

High-quality installations of ceramic and porcelain tile require the installer to have the hand skills to put it into place, along with the knowledge of what products are available to finish the project successfully.

Scott Carothers

December 1, 2015

Wikipedia defines a mockup as follows: “In manufacturing and design, a mockup is a scale or full-size model of a design or device, used for teaching, demonstration, design evaluation, promotion and other purposes.”

Scott Carothers

October 1, 2015

The topic of spot bonding floor tile was covered in CTEF Tile Tip about a year ago, and one would think the installers that utilize this technique would heed the warning and stop installing tile in this way. Unfortunately, that has not happened.

CTEF Tile Tip

Caution: Natural Stone Tile Installed Over Wood Framing

Scott Carothers

September 1, 2015

Many consumers, builders and even some tile installers share the mistaken idea that natural stone tile products may be installed on the floor in the same way as is ceramic tile.

Technical Focus

How to install a beautiful and functional stall shower

It is important for installers to follow guidelines found in the TCNA Handbook or recommendations from the manufacturer of a shower system to ensure a successful shower installation

Scott Carothers

September 1, 2015

For a beautiful and functional stall shower to stand the test of time, the installer needs only to fulfill one obligation

CTEF Tile Tip: Should You Listen to the Manufacturer?

Scott Carothers

July 13, 2015

If this title did not grab your immediate attention, it should have. It’s a dangerous mindset, but ignoring instructions is also one of the first shortcuts people in a hurry take.

Scott Carothers

June 8, 2015

It goes without saying that tile sizes are increasing.

Scott Carothers

March 11, 2015

For continued success, tile installers should study the TCNA Handbook and ANSI Specifications and retain as much as possible or at least know where to find the answers.

Scott Carothers

January 19, 2015

The quality of the tile work you see on the surface is only as good as what is underneath.

Scott Carothers

December 22, 2014

Almost every residential installer has heard the phrase uttered from a surprised customer at five minutes after five o’clock, something like “That is not what I picked,” or “My floor doesn’t look anything like the sample board.”

View All Articles by Scott Carothers

Cal/OSHA Standards Board to Vote May 21 on Engineered Stone Ban Petition

U.S. Countertop Materials Imports: March 2026

Building a Reputation on Strong Craftsmanship and Customer Service

Fabricator Focus

From profiles to roundtable discussions, Q&As to best business practices, we're turning a focus on topics and challenges impacting fabricators.

AI Talk Is Everywhere -- Where Does a Countertop Fabricator Begin?

Fabricators Discuss Pros and Cons of Chip Repair

How to Grow a Countertop Fabrication Shop

Events

June 25, 2026

North Carolina Stone Summit

You’ve probably heard a lot lately about how to calculate the profit for each job you produce. You likely have production benchmarks based on square footage since it’s the most common production metric in the industry. Come learn how focusing on these metrics can hurt your profitability and what to do about it.

July 16, 2026

Washington Stone Summit

Join us for "Taking Your Organization to the Next Level," a session dedicated to transforming your business practices. Discover strategies for setting clear agendas, encouraging participation, and driving actionable outcomes. Learn how to foster collaboration and communication, ensuring that every meeting enhances productivity and contributes to your business goals.

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