Tilers sydney nsw

Floors and walls are the most common surfaces to be tiled. However tiling is an extremely popular way to cover a variety of surfaces both indoors and outdoors tiled. You'll see stairs, splashbacks in kitchens, pools, counter tops, pillars and more surfaces tiled.

Although a different type, tiles are also used for roofs and installed by roof tiles, normally a different type of tradesman than your normal tiler.

For as many uses as there are for tiles, there are ten times as many types. From a huge range of colours, sizes, finishes, the style they are laid and the very material they are made out of.

sydney Tiler companies

Heritage & old English tesselation experts

Small to large projects

New Build & Renovation Specialists

What is a tiler?

A tiler is a qualified tradesperson who lays tiles, which is a simplistic definition. The laying of tiles can mean levelling a floor, applying adhesive, laying the actual tiles, cutting tiles, spacing, mortaring, cleaning and sealing tiles as required. They may also be involved in the design of the space, selecting tiles, ordering and managing other required trades.

what do tilers do?

  • Provide tiling advice to clients.

  • Design and select tiles if required by clients.

  • Calculate the quantity of tiles and other materials that will be required. These are calculated by measuring up the job or from the plans.

  • Order tiles and materials to complete the job.

  • Repair and level any surfaces that have cracks, holes or are uneven.

  • Screed and level floor areas if required.

  • Install water proofing if required.

  • Remove old tiles or other surface coverings if required.

  • Clean surfaces of adhesive, silicone, grout, cement, dirt and dust to prepare it ready for applying adhesive and tiles. Missing this step may mean tiles don't bond correctly.

  • Lay tiles with an adhesive to bond the tile to a surface.

  • Space tiles so that they are evenly spaced and have room for grout.

  • Line up and match and patterns on the tiles.

  • Cut tiles using manual or power tile cutters to accommodate edges and corners of the area being tiled

  • Install tile trim at entrances or edges of tiled areas to protect the edge tiles.

  • Mix grout, apply and smooth grout lines using a sponge.

  • Remove excess grout dust.

  • Complete clean of all tiles and grout.

  • Seal and polish tiles if required.

  • Reseal tiles periodically, especially for natural stone tiles.

what are tiles?

Tiles are a hard manufactured object that is thinner that its width or length which are used to furnish or cover for protective reasons a surface such as floors, walls or roofs. Tiles are made from a variety of materials including ceramic, stone, glass, metal or other hard materials. The history of the word is from 'tegula', a Latin word meaning fired clay roof tile, which then became 'tuile' in French.

Sizes of tiles

The size of tile options varies dramatically. Common tiles vary from penny rounds approximately 20mm in size to tiles 600mm x 400mm. You can of course get tiles large than this, but within this range is where you will have a massive choice of colours, textures, finishes and what they are made out of. Tiles larger than this are possible, but your choices may start to narrow.

tile materials

  1. Cement

  2. Ceramic

  3. Glass

  4. Granite

  5. Limestone

  6. Marble

  7. Metal

  8. Mosaic

  9. Porcelain

  10. Quarry

  11. Resin

  12. Travertine

Shapes of tiles

  • Arabesque

  • Chevron

  • Diamond

  • Elongated hexagon

  • Fish scale

  • Hexagon

  • Lantern

  • Octagon

  • Ogee

  • Penny

  • Plank

  • Square

  • Rectangle

  • Round

  • Triangle

tile laying formats

  • Alternating stack

  • Basket weave

  • Brick

  • Checkerboard

  • Cross hatch

  • Diagonal

  • French pattern (Versailles)

  • Herringbone

  • Mosaic

  • Pin wheel

  • Step ladder

  • Subway

  • Traditional stack

  • Windmill

Tiling over tiles

It is possible to tile over tiles. The most important thing is to ensure the tiles you are tiling over are sound. If the original tiles are drummy and not secured to the base floor or wall, then do not tile over tiles. You are best to start again or at a minimum fix the unsound tiles. If you don't, you are likely causing yourself a future problem.

Tiling a bathroom

A bathroom is the most common area of the home to be tiled as almost all bathroom floors are tiled, as well as the walls. Most, if not all walls are tiled and often tiled all the way to the roof. When tiling a bathroom, there is normally a few extra steps as there are requirements for the tiling of a wet area which include meeting waterproofing requirements.

Marble look tiles

Marble look tiles are manufactured tiles with the appearance of naturally occurring marble including the veins, colour variation and inconsistences that make marble so appealing. They are created to deliver the luxury look at a cheaper price and without the same requirement of maintenance a natural marble needs.

They are made of two materials, porcelain or ceramic. Whilst the materia;s they are made out of are limited, the size, shape, style, colour and finish combinations are almost endless.

Marble look tiles also come in a variety of finishes including gloss, matte or textured, all to suit the type of look you are trying to achieve in your design.

Marble look tile types

  • Anticato - an aged appearance

  • Bocciardato - bush hammered textured surface look

  • Glazed marble look tiles

  • Lappato - semi polished marble look tile 

  • Matte marble look tiles

  • Naturale marble look tiles

  • Polished marble look tiles

  • Rullato - contemporary industrial look.

  • Spazzolato - a brush finish

Marble look tile pros

  • Luxury look for a much cheaper price

  • Huge range of colours, styles and sizes.

  • Low maintenance

  • Moisture resistant

  • Good for both indoor and outdoor use

  • Very durable and hardwearing in high traffic areas

  • Good for allergy sufferers

  • Temperature resistant

  • Easy to clean

Marble look tile cons

  • Prone to cracking if heavy or blunt objects impact them.

  • Edges can chip

  • Large formats can be harder to cut and install

  • Harder to install in large sizes

  • Maintaining grout lines

Natural stone tiles

Natural stone is a naturally occurring non metallic matter that is quarried from the ground and cut into manageable sizes to be used as a building product. Historically, natural stones have been used to in buildings for thousands of years to build structures and laid for roads such as roman roads that still exist today.

Natural stone tile tip

Natural stone tiles can be more costly than other tile options. The overall cost of natural stone does depend on the size of a space you are tiling. An option can to manage the cost can be to only tile one wall in your bathroom with natural stone as a feature which can be complemented with a porcelain tile. It can also be used as a feature tile strip in a wall.


Types of natural stone tiles

  • Adoquin

  • Bluestone

  • Cantera Stone

  • Granite

  • Limestone

  • Marble

  • Onyx

  • Quartzite (Quartz)

  • Sandstone

  • Serpentine marble

  • Shell stone

  • Slate

  • Travertine

Natural stone pros

  • High end luxury look

  • Wide range of colours, textures, looks and styles can be achieved.

  • One off design as being a natural product, no one tile is the same.

  • Adds value to any home

  • Very durable product even in high traffic areas

  • Good for allergy sufferers

Natural stone cons

  • Cost can be a big negative for natural stone tiles as these are the most expensive type of tiles compared to porcelain or ceramic.

  • Need to be sealed when laid

  • Need to be regularly sealed and maintained

  • Can easily scratch and show marks if not maintained regularly and correctly.

  • Need regular cleaning

  • Easily scratched if not regularly sealed and maintained

Tessellated tiles

Tessellated tiles are also known as olde English tiles. Experienced tilers arrange different size and different colour tiles in various geometric patterns to make impactful designs. They are often seen on paths and verandas in English style terrace houses as can be seen in these images. They are also used in hallways and less dramatic patterns in bathrooms.

Tile Stores

ONLINE Tile Stores

Tiling jobs

Becoming a tiler requires several years of theory education and practical on the job training to complete a tiling apprenticeship.

Seek

Indeed

Jora

Gumtree

Tiler FAQs

What tiles are best for floors?

The best tiles for floors are porcelain tiles, particularly for heavy traffic areas. They are strong and require minimal maintenance. Natural stone tiles are also have a long lifespan but can more expensive and require more care. Ceramic tiles are adequate but are more susceptible to chipping, cracking or being scratched.

How long does it take to become a tiler?

A tiler is a qualified trade profession which means a 4 year apprenticeship that includes practical experience and the completion of the Certificate III in Wall and Floor Tiling (CPC31311) a nationwide accredited qualification.

How long does it take to tile a bathroom?

A bathroom of around 20m2 will take 3-4 days as guide so you can calculate your bathroom tiler cost. This is dependent on the size of tiles, how many walls are being tiled, the number of windows and corners that need to be tiled.