Ceramic tiler, tiler

Wall and floor tilers cover walls, floors and other surfaces with tiles, in kitchens, bathrooms, shops, hotels, restaurants and more. They may work on new builds or private and commercial renovations.

Average salary*

£17000 – £30000+

Typical hours per week

42-44

How to become a wall and floor tiler

There are several routes to becoming a wall and floor tiler. You could do a college course, an apprenticeship, or on-the-job training.

You should explore these routes to become a wall and floor tiler to find out which is the right one for you. Although some of these options have certain qualification requirements, many employers are more interested in people who are enthusiastic, willing to learn and can follow instructions.

You may need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card to work on a construction site.

College

Your local college or training provider may offer relevant courses to help you train as a wall and floor tiler, including:

  • Level 1 Certificate in Wall and Floor Tiling
  • Level 2 Diploma in Wall and Floor Tiling
  • Level 2 Certificate in Wall and Floor Tiling for Property Maintenance.

You’ll need:

  • Up to 2 GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent (level 1 course)
  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent (level 2 course).
  • Find a course near you
  • Funding advice

Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship with a construction firm is a good way into the industry.

You could complete an intermediate apprenticeship in wall and floor tiling. You’ll need 2 -3 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent.

Apprenticeships are open to anyone over the age of 16. As an apprentice, you’ll be fully employed by your company and expected to work a minimum of 30 hours a week. Your time will be split between on-the-job experience and a college or training provider.

Work

If you have some basic experience, you could apply directly to a wall and floor tiling company to gain onsite experience. You might start out as an assistant to a more experienced wall and floor tiler and progress as your abilities improve.

Work experience

Work experience is essential to gaining employment within the construction industry. You could gain this at school, or by working weekends and holidays with a company or relative who works as a wall and floor tiler. Potential employers will always be pleased to see work experience listed on your CV.

Skills

Additional skills which may benefit anyone considering a job as a wall and floor tiler include:

  • Being patient and precise
  • Being thorough, with good attention to detail
  • Have thinking and reasoning skills
  • Able to work well under pressure.

What does a wall and floor tiler do?

As a wall and floor tiler you could be:

  • Working out how many tiles and how much adhesive you’ll need for a particular area
  • Cutting tiles to a certain size or shape with hand-cutters or bench-mounted tools
  • Preparing surfaces by levelling off with plaster, sand or cement
  • Decorating and protecting floors and walls using all kinds of tiles (including ceramic, clay, slate, marble and glass)
  • Fixing the tiles and applying grout before finishing off
  • Laying intricate mosaic tiles
  • Working in client’s homes or businesses.

How much could you earn as a wall and floor tiler?

The expected salary for a wall and floor tiler varies as you become more experienced.

  • Newly trained wall and floor tilers can earn £17,000 – £25,000
  • Trained wall and floor tilers with some experience can earn £25,000 – £30,000
  • Senior wall and floor tilers can earn in excess of £30,000+
  • Self-employed wall and floor tilers set their own pay rates.

Hours and salary depend on location, employer and any overtime you may do.

* Salaries have been collected from multiple industry sources

Find an apprenticeship/job

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships in England

Apprenticeships in Scotland

Apprenticeships in Wales

Vacancies

Check out the latest wall and floor tiler vacancies:

As these are external websites, the number of vacancies related to your preferred role may vary. New opportunities will be posted as they come up.

Career path and progression

With experience and extra training, you could become a site supervisor, clerk of works or contract manager.

You could also work as a trainer and assessor on tiling courses or set up your own business.