A Tiler is a person who is responsible for covering the walls and floors of a construction with tiles. This can involve tiling a bathroom or a kitchen or tiling an entire restaurant. Sometimes a Tiler will also have expertise in how to do design work with tiles.
A tiler, when called into a job first takes a survey of the area in which she will be working. She figures out the square footage of the area and talks with the project manager about what kind of a design is needed for the room. Tiling is not limited to floors and can also be used to add eclectic touches to walls and other fixtures. Often, before the first tile is set, the tiler will sketch out a few designs for approval by the project manager. When the design is approved, the tiler will get to work. They clear their design area, gather their tools (mostly hand tools) and the tiles they need and begin laying the project out—tile by tile.
There are a variety of adhesives used to fix tiles in place and the tiles vary in size and shape. A tiler learns through training—either in design classes or through on the job training. A tiler knows how to use different colors, finishes and textures of tile to create the overall look requested by the project manager or client. Tiles are often used to accent a design that is already in place and are considered by many to be a great facet of design.
Tilers have basic math skills and use equations to figure out how many tiles are needed to cover the area they are responsible for tiling. They also have experience using different tools involving tools for cutting the tile to make sure it fits into the space required. Tilers also know how to cut around angled ceilings, pipes, uneven walls, socket areas, windows and even reveals. Tilers also use plaster to help level out the area that needs to be tiled and often are required to repair the surfaces that need to be tiled (this is especially true when tiling is wanted in an older building or structure.
One of the best things about being a Tiler is that there isn’t any required coursework and there aren’t any certification tests that need to be completed in order to be a professional Tiler. Tilers, of course, will need to get as much experience as possible because potential employers will want Tilers who have provable experience. Tilers need to be able to work slowly and carefully and must have a keen eye for detail. Tilers should also be fairly creative and be able to deal with clients. Customer service experience is also helpful in this area.
Tiling is becoming more and more popular as people move away from linoleum and back toward tiles to give their homes and businesses special looks. Because tiling is becoming more popular, the need for experienced Tilers is growing.
