Tilesetters – NOC : 7283

Unit Group

7283 Tilesetters

Tilesetters cover interior and exterior walls, floors and ceilings with ceramic, marble and quarry tile, mosaics or terrazzo. They are employed by construction companies and masonry contractors, or they may be self-employed.

Example Titles

apprentice tilesetter

ceramic tile installer

marble setter

terrazzo polisher

terrazzo worker

tile installer

tilesetter

View all titles

Main duties

Tilesetters perform some or all of the following duties:

Prepare, measure and mark surface to be covered
Build underbeds and install anchor bolts, wires and brackets
Mix, apply and spread mortar, cement, mastic, glue or other adhesives using hand trowel
Set tiles in position and apply pressure to affix tiles to base
Align and straighten tile using levels, squares and straightedges
Cut and fit tiles around obstacles and openings using hand and power cutting tools
Pack grout into joints between tiles and remove excess grout
Install tile strips
Lay and set mosaic tiles to create decorative wall, mural and floor designs
Mix, lay and polish terra surfaces
Cut, polish and install marble and granite
Remove and replace cracked or damaged tiles
May prepare cost estimates and orders.

Employment requirements

Completion of secondary school is usually required.
Completion of a three- or four-year apprenticeship program
or
A combination of over three years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in tilesetting is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
Trade certification for tilesetters is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified tilesetters upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

Additional information

The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.
Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.

Classified elsewhere

Bricklayers (7281)
Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers (7284)
Supervisors of tilesetters (in 7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers )