73101 – Tilesetters

Lead statement

Tilesetters cover interior and exterior walls, floors and ceilings with ceramic, marble and quarry tile, mosaics or terrazzo. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

Main 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 ora 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.

Example job titles

apprentice tilesetter · artificial marble setter · ceramic tilesetter · terrazzo setter · terrazzo layer · journeyman/woman tilesetter · marble layer · marble setter · terrazzo polisher · mosaic tilesetter · tile layer · tilesetter · terrazzo, tile and marble setter · terrazzo mechanic · terrazzo worker · terrazzo finisher · tilesetters lead hand · ceramic tile installer · terrazzo floor layer · terrazzo mason · tile mechanic · tile mason · tile fitter · tile installer · tile floor layer · granite setter · marble tilesetter · marble mason · marble mechanic

Wages (per hour)

Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.