At the Starnet 2024 fall meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, flooring industry veteran Robert Varden unveiled Advanced Flooring Technology's (AFT) new commercial carpet installation certification program designed for non-union contractors. 

While union installation groups like the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades and INSTALL offer coursework for commercial carpet installation, Varden saw an opening in the market for non-union installers. 

"The mass majority of commercial contractors are still non-union contractors, so that's where we wanted to build something and have a program they could utilize to be on the same playing field," Varden said. 

The three-day program combines training and evaluation, focusing on pattern correction, adhesive application, and technical skills.

Highlights of the course include: how to identify pattern deviation on broadloom carpet; the difference and importance of roll sequencing versus pattern sequencing; the difference between open time and working time; the proper methods for double-glue installation with Axminster carpet; proper layout of carpet tile inside and outside of a module; the use of trammel points to both balance and set up lines for a herringbone installation; how to install plank carpet tile in a herringbone pattern; and how to install square carpet tile around the perimeter of the module using proper tie-in techniques around obstacles. 

The course requires five years of field experience and limits class sizes to 12 installers. The AFT Advanced Carpet Certification will take three full days—one day of training and education and two days of testing and evaluation. 

"While I would still recommend this class to installers with even two-plus years of experience, you must have at least five years of experience in the field to become AFT Certified," Varden said.