YEARBOOK 2013 /14 | FEATURE
BECOMING THE MASTER
Here at Tomorrow’s Flooring, we think training is vital for staying one step ahead. Whether you are a flooring contractor or specialise in installing a certain type of floorcovering, if you can prove you’re the best you can possibly be, in your profession, you will stand out a mile from the competition. With that in mind, we headed over to Manchester to find out more about Quick-Step Academy’s Master Installer course and see it in action.
It’s quite often drummed into us how important training is – but the Quick-Step Academy really does go one step further. Providing fantastic value for money, the intensive three- day Master Installer course has proved a worthwhile investment for many fitters, with numerous trainees reporting a direct increase in sales after completing the programme. Designed for professionals with at least two year’s experience of wood and laminate flooring installations, the course builds upon existing knowledge of evaluations, screeds and adhesives as well as the technicalities of more intricate fittings. And having sat in on the third day of a course, headed up by the Academy’s Training Manager, Darren Robinson, we can confirm that it’s worth every penny.
It’s the oldest cliché in the book – but the Academy really does have to be seen to be believed. The facilities are spotless, from the reception area, the kitchen and canteen, to the large training room with various bays and obstacles for course attendees to navigate
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around. And it’s easy to see why it’s the Master Installer programme in particular that has cemented the training centre’s reputation as the number one destination for installers looking to expand their skillset and reap the rewards that come with being accredited by one of the largest flooring manufacturers in the world.
The first day of the course covers five main topics – so Darren has a lot to fit in! Starting with health and safety, including safe working practices and tool safety, you then move on to your product knowledge of laminate and parquet – including the manufacturing process, product overviews, correct choices for certain jobs and warranties. After that, Darren drums in the importance of subfloor moisture testing to all of the fitters, going over the correct testing methods and how to record the results. Of course, after a focus on subfloor moisture testing comes a session on subfloor preparation and Darren leaves nothing out, going over tool
choices, applying DPMs, priming, patch repairs and smoothing compounds.
A break for a fully-catered lunch is then followed by an afternoon session on installation of laminate floors, including installing accessories, expansion gaps, templating and panel replacement. There’s also the chance to round the day off with a questions and answers session, which gives everyone the chance to ask Darren on any points they’re unsure of. Darren said: “It’s important to start off with the correct subfloor preparation techniques. 99% of flooring faults come from installation, rather than the materials, so it’s important to address that first.”
The second day of the course (and if you’re not local to Manchester, accommodation is provided through the Academy if you choose it as part of your course package) sees Darren go over stair installation – arguably one of the most challenging parts of fitting a floor and one he goes over at length. Every
step of stair installations (no pun intended!) is touched on – starting with straight stairs and base profiles going right through to winding staircases. The afternoon of the second day is then dedicated to parquet installations and follows the same routine as the previous day’s laminate session.
Day three of the course has a main focus on solid wood. Again, all bases are covered from wood characteristics and installation limitations to both glue and nail installations. After that, the afternoon provides the perfect chance for all of the budding Master Installers to go over what they have learned before Darren puts them into groups for their assessments. The assessment, which is usually done in pairs, sees each pair given a bay to work with and a hypothetical job given to them by Darren himself. He will state what work he wants doing, whether it’s a laminate winding staircase or a wooden floor fitting around a toilet base, and each group will have to complete the job to the best of their ability.
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