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Building trades

Tiler

Carreleur

Installs wall and floor coverings, prepares surfaces, waterproofs rooms, and finishes tile joints in kitchens, bathrooms, terraces, and commercial spaces.

Advantages

  • The finished result is visible and satisfying.
  • The trade is useful in renovation and new construction.
  • There is a strong need for careful workers who like precision.
  • The job mixes planning, cutting, laying, and finishing.
  • A skilled tiler can work on houses, shops, hotels, and outdoor spaces.

Disadvantages

  • The job can be hard on knees, wrists, and the lower back.
  • Tile cutting creates dust and noise.
  • A small alignment mistake is easy to see in the final result.
  • Heavy boxes of tiles must be moved often.
  • Waterproofing and finishing require patience and time.

Tools

Main tools used in this job

Each card shows the English term, the French term, and one visual reference to help students recognize the item more easily.

Cutting tool

Manual tile cutter

Carrelette

Scores and cuts ceramic or porcelain tiles in straight lines.

Photo: Germans Boada, S.A. · CC BY-SA

Saw

Wet tile saw

Scie a eau pour carrelage

Cuts thick tiles, stone tiles, and difficult angles with water cooling.

Photo: Stevie Rocco · CC BY

Trowel

Notched trowel

Spatule crantee / peigne a colle

Spreads tile adhesive in regular ridges for good bonding.

Photo: Pittigrilli · CC0

Float

Rubber grout float

Taloche a joint

Pushes grout deeply into joints between tiles.

Photo: Vincent Ma · CC BY-NC-SA

Level

Spirit level

Niveau a bulle

Checks flatness, alignment, and vertical lines during laying.

Photo: R. Henrik Nilsson · CC BY

Nippers

Tile nippers

Pince a carreaux

Trim small pieces from mosaic or around difficult shapes.

Photo: Twotonetoo · CC BY-SA

Mixer

Mixing paddle

Helice de malaxage

Mixes adhesive, primer, and grout evenly in buckets.

Photo: Achim Hering · CC BY

Suction cup

Suction cup lifter

Ventouse de carreleur

Helps lift and place large format tiles more safely.

Photo: Adamantios · CC BY-SA

Materials

Main materials used in this job

Materials are shown with the same bilingual format so the learner can connect the right object, name, and usage.

Ceramic

Ceramic tile

Carreau ceramique

Common wall and floor tile used in homes and commercial rooms.

Photo: Epolk · CC BY-SA

Porcelain

Porcelain tile

Carreau en gres cerame

Dense and strong tile often used for floors, bathrooms, and terraces.

Photo: ColumbD · CC BY-SA

Mosaic

Mosaic tile

Mosaique

Small decorative tile sheets used in showers, splashbacks, and curved areas.

Photo: Amin · CC BY-SA

Terracotta

Terracotta tile

Carreau en terre cuite

Warm clay-based tile used for rustic interiors and outdoor areas.

Photo: Sisters.seamless · CC BY

Stone

Natural stone tile

Carreau en pierre naturelle

Stone coverings such as slate, travertine, marble, or granite.

Photo: Manequin · CC BY-SA

Glass

Glass tile

Carreau de verre

Smooth decorative tile often used for kitchens and bathrooms.

Photo: Hakatai Enterprises · CC BY-SA

Adhesive

Tile adhesive

Mortier-colle

Cement-based or ready-mixed product that fixes the tile to the support.

Photo: EvelynGiggles · CC BY

Membrane

Waterproof membrane

Membrane d etancheite

Protective layer used in wet rooms before tiling.

Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York · CC BY

Grout

Grout

Joint de carrelage

Fills joints and protects spaces between the tiles.

Photo: Kelly · CC BY

Spacer

Tile spacers

Croisillons

Keep equal spacing and regular joint lines during laying.

Photo: Etan J. Tal · CC BY