TAFE NSW South Western Sydney Institute Wall and Floor Tiling Version 1 February 2010

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

This unit of competency will address the following elements

Plan and prepare.
Identify hand and power tools.
Select tools for project
Use tools
Select plant and equipment
Use plant and equipment
Clean up.

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Plan and prepare

Planning and preparing for a job is, in many ways, more important than the job
itself. A well-planned job can save time, money, resources and, most importantly,
lives if safety issues are responsibly dealt with.
Occupational Health and Safety is a vital part of your knowledge in the
workplace. More than most occupations, trades workers are faced with many
challenges and hazards that form part of the daily duty of doing one's job.
For example,
Tradespeople generally work in more unstable/less secure environments.
Tradespeople generally work with tools that are capable of profound injury, if
mismanaged.
Tradespeople are more likely to need and use or come into contact with
harmful substances and materials.

Figure 5.1-Angle
grinder, drills

Figure 5.2 Tile saw Figure 5.3 -adhesive

mixer

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Identify hand and power tools.
Power tools Electricity can be dangerous and care should be taken in its use. Even if
you have worked in the industry a long time or feel you know about electrical safety,
do not take risks with electricity. To prevent accidental electrocution, always use
earth leakage circuit breakers (ELCBs)
Before power tools are used, operators must be given extensive instruction in
the safe use of each power tool to be used
Figure 5.4 -Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB)
As part of the Wall and Floor Tiling Trade course, students will be instructed in the
safe use of numerous power tools, including:
Basic electrical safety
Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers (ELCBs)
Extension leads
Drills
Rotary hammer

Figure 5.4-Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers (ELCBs)

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Select tools for project
There are many other tools that a tiler may need to carry out wall and floor tiling.
Specific tasks may require the use of special tools that can be purchased as needed.
When purchasing tools always select a quality brand that ensures long term use
Do not use a tool that is not designed to do the job. Using tools incorrectly, can cause
damage to the tool and can also be a danger to the user.
Accident statistics are surprisingly high in the tiling trade.
Tradespersons should be safety conscious at all times.
Use tools as instructed and safety gear when necessary.

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Hand cutting tools
Tungsten tip scriber
Tungsten-carbide tipped pincers
(round-nose or off-set type)
Parrot or beak nose pincers
Strip Breakers
Tile file
Sanding block

Accessories
Tape measure
Hole cutter
Rod saw
Pick hammer
Tri square

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

4.2 Tools
These are the tools you will be using for cutting tiles by hand

a) 1 Metre Fold Rule

b) Tape measure

c) Dividers

Available in
- Wood
- Plastic
- metal

4 Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

d) Guides
Straight piece of timber - Steel
Steel rule
rule - Template
- Sliding bevel - Gauge board

e) Hole Cutting Equipment

1. Pick Hammer

2. Rod Saw

Tile Clamp

3.

Also used with the Pick Hammer

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

f) Shaping and finishing equipment

Sanding block Abrasive cloth carborundum stone
Tile files

Tile
Files
Carborundum stone

g) Scribers

Abrasive
cloth

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

h)

Hand operated cutting machines

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Tile nippers have a variety of shapes and are used to
form shapes and holes in tiles to place around fitting in tiled walls
and floors.
A square edge nipper is used to create a square or rectangular shapes
A round edge nipper is used to create circular shapes holes in a tile
A parrot nose nipper is used to start shaping a hole after using a pick
Parrot Nippers

hammer

i) Side Nippers

round
straight

Strip Breaker

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

4.1 Trade Terms

a)

Template

- guide or mould used for cutting tiles to the size

and shape that you need for the job.

Template

Gauge
board

a)

Gauge Board

- guide or mould used for cutting tiles to the size

and shape that you need for the job.

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

A gauging trowel is an important part of a tilers tool box It is a multipurpose tool
that is used for mixing small amount s of mortar(mud) and is also used for o apply
mortar to the back of tiles when fixing tiles using the thick bed method

Spirit levels
Spirit Levels can be obtained in sizes ranging from 300mm to 1200mm. It is called
a spirit level because alcohol is contained in the bubble used to measure level and
plumb. The alcohol in the bubble is very stable in extreme temperatures and will not
expand in extreme heat or freeze in extreme cold. The spirit level is a very accurate
tool and if handled with care, you should have lifelong use of this
tool

Figure 5.15 Spirit level

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Plumb bob
A plumb bob is a weight attached to the end of a stringline that
hangs freely to line up vertical surfaces. It works on the principle of
gravity holding it plumb

Water level
Figure 5.16 Plumb bob
This level consists of a length of clear plastic tubing filled with water. It is
used to transfer levels to wall surfaces and is particularly useful when there are
obstructions between level points. This type of levelling device is cheap and it is
used with a high degree of accuracy

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Straight-Edge-(aluminium or timber)
Used in conjunction with a level and pencil to transfer levels to surfaces, Also
used to check surfaces for alignment as well screeding off mortar when preparing
surface for tiling. Edges must be parallel and timber must be straight grained

Figure 5.18 Straight-edge

Lump/Mash hammer
The lump hammer is used for any heavy duty work. It is often used with a
chisel or bolster to remove tiles or cut bricks

Figure 5.19 Lump/mash hammer

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Rubber Mallet
A rubber mallet is used to beat tiles into the bedding to enable a strong and
solid bond

Figure 5,20 Rubber mallet

Chalk line
A chalk line is a container that has a reel of stringline fitted in the inside o
the container. The container is also filled with coloured chalk powder that
attaches to the string-line when it is pulled out. The chalked line used to
mark level lines on wall surfaces as well to mark set out lines on floors

Figure 5.21 Chalk line

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Squeegee
A squeegee is used to compress the grout into the tile joints as well as to
remove excess grouting material before wiping the tile surface

Sponge

Figure 5.22 Grout squeegee

Bucket- can be used for water or for

mixing adhesives or grout

A sponge and water is to clean off the tile

surface and should be kept clean

Figure 5.23 Cleaning sponge

Figure 5.24 Water bucket

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Tungsten tip chisel
These chisels are used to chisel out or remove damaged tiles from
the centre of the tile causing minimal damage to surrounding tiles

Figure 5.25 Tungsten chisel

Cold chisels
Preparing surfaces, recessing
walls, stripping old tile work

Scutch hammer & comb

A Scutch hammer is fitted with a tungsten comb
which is used for preparing surfaces such as
removing paint and cement dags from wall surfaces

Figure 5.2 Cold steel chisel

Figure 5.27 Scutch hammer and comb

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Builders steel square
Used in setting out ,when checking substrates for square and
parallel alignment

Figure 5.28 Builders Square

D handle shovels
Used for mixing sand cement, these are also available as a long handle
shovel

Figure 5.29-D handle shovel

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Use tools
General procedure for hand cutting dust-pressed tiles
The glaze of the tile is cut or scored by drawing the cutting tool firmly across the
glaze (once should be all that is needed).
This then becomes a weak point in the glaze and when pressure is applied by
placing that line on a nail (or similar) and exerting a firm downward pressure, the tile
will break along that line.
Ascertain the size needed, either by measuring the area where the cut is going or
by putting the tile on the space and marking the tile directly.
After the tile has been marked, place a guide on that mark.
Draw the cutter firmly along the guide, once only should be enough.
Place the line of the cut over a nail (or similar object).
Place the base of the thumbs (or the top of the thumbs if the cut is small) on either
side of the cut or apply steady, downward pressure.
Rub down the edges of the cut (if necessary) with carborundum block, (or similar).
If a number of tiles are to be cut at the same size use one tile as a *template and
cut the rest on a *gauge board.

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

4.4 Basic Tile Cutting by Hand
Procedure for cutting tiles by hand.

6 Steps
Teacher
click on
Photo

Determine the size of the tile by measuring or marking.

Mark tile with pencil. Do not use a permanent marker

Place scoring guide on top of the tile.

Score along the edge of the guide with

your scriber.
Do this Firmly and Once Only

WHY

do we score only ones?

Answer:
1) More scoring does not make it easier to break the tiles
2) Extra scoring might cause more damage to the tile

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

REMEMBER
WHY

Pressure breaks the tile - not scoring:

does the tile break along the score mark?

The score on the surface of the tiles will make that the
weakest point and the tile will break along that line
under pressure.

Place the tile directly over the nail and break with your
hands as shown.

REMEMBER

2 things to snap the tile evenly

Put thumbs and fingers on both sides of the score.

Put equal pressure on both sides and push down

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

6

Smooth the edge of the cut with an abrasive

cloth or tile file.

of the
Using theTake
stripnote
breaker
. edge of the template.
This method is easy and safe if multiple thin strips are required.

Important points to REMEMBER.

Use this method on dust pressed tiles.
Tiles should be marked as lightly as possible.
Too much pressure can damage the edge of the cut.

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Reverse marking-to cut tiles to suit walls and floors that are out of alignment
Use this technique when objects are not parallel to the body of the tile work such
as Door Jambs, windows and internal corners as well as walls and floors to be tiled

Figure 5.31 Reverse marking wall and floor tiles

Reverse marking
Place the tile upside down and at the bottom of the tile you want to cut
and mark where the cut would be
Slide the tile up and mark the top
Draw in the line and cut the tile
Turn the tile over and check to see if it fits.
Make any adjustments if necessary.
Repeat that process for the rest of the corner

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

4.5 Making straight cuts

Edges should be..

Answer:
Straight
Smooth
Parallel

1.
2.
3.
HOW

do we check for parallel?

A

If the tiles are on top of each other, you cant tell if the 2 long
sides are parallel but
If they are placed beside each other
A

Parallel

wider here

Not Parallel

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

A rebate is a small part of the tile which is cut away

WHERE

would you need to cut rebates out of the tile work?

1.

Light switches

2.

Taps and pipes

3.

Power points

4.

Ceramic fittings

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Procedure for cutting rebates.
1

Measure out or mark the size and shape

of the cut.

Leave a 5mm clearance around pipes

and stop cocks .

If you can, score along the marked line.

Nip out small pieces of tile DO THIS

SLOWLY (small bites with the nippers).

4 Steps

WHY?

Do you need to care extra when you are

nipping out near the finished edge?

Answer
If you cut too much it cant be replaced
you will have to start again.

REMEMBER
Keep checking your rebate against the object you are cutting around.

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Pick away at the glaze in a small area only.

Pick out a hole big enough for the enlarging tool

( parrot nippers ) to fit through.

This method also allows you to make square holes

7

Keep checking the size of the hole as you enlarge the rebate.

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Procedure for cutting recesses with pincers
Mark on the tile the size and shape of recess that needs to be cut.
Use a pencil or felt tipped pen for this purpose.
Score along those marks with a tungsten tipped scriber.
Slowly nip away at the tile with the pincers, removing small amounts with each nip.
Take extra care when getting near the finish marks.
When cutting around taps you should leave a small gap so the tap bodies can be
removed for servicing.

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Cutting tiles with manual tile cutting machines
Dust pressed wall tiles are easily cut by scribing the glazed surface with a tungsten
carbide tipped cutter and snapping the tile either by hand or placing the scribe mark
over some sort of raised section placed under the tile.
Holes can be cut using the tile pick and stand.
However, monocuttura tiles that are commonly used now need to be cut with a tile
cutting machine

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

4.6 Mechanical hand cutters

There are many types of machines for cutting tiles.

They will cut MOST ceramic floor and wall tiles.

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Scoring and breaking the tile
The machines usually have a base plate (can be fixed or flexible).
A guide arm and handle and a tungsten carbide cutting wheel.
Measure and mark the size of the cut
Place the tile on the base of the cutter
Line up the mar with the scoring wheel
The wheel is drawn over the surface of the tile and another part of the guide arm
then applies pressure to the tile which snaps over a raised section in the base
plate.
Holes can only be made in these tiles with a tungsten carbide or diamond
tipped hole saw.

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

4.6 Mechanical hand cutters
Procedure for using Mechanical tile cutters

5 Steps

Measure or mark the size of your cut.

Place the tile on the base of the cutter.

Line up the mark with the scoring wheel.

Scoring
wheel

HINT

Feet
Tile

If your cutting more than 1 tile put a mark on the measuring guide
this way you dont have to measure your tile every time.
or fix the guide into the correct position.

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

4

Score the tile from top to bottom.

REMEMBER Put equal pressure downwards and towards yourself.

Dont use too much force mark the tile lightly

WHY mark lightly?

Answer: You might damage the glaze on both sides of the mark
5

Break the tile

Do this by resting the feet of the lever at the top or bottom of the tile
and about 15 20mm from the edge. Then push down steadily. In
some cases you might have to hit it firmly, but gently.

NOTE

Some machines have a height adjustment setting to help with that step.

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Cutting holes
Procedure for holes

7 Steps

Measure or mark the size and shape of the cut.

Place the tile against the pipe stand

Hold the tile firmly, this will stop the tile from bouncing on the pipe
when you pick at it.

WHY?

Is it important to stop the tile from bouncing?

Answer:

Bouncing will put the tile under stress

and might break.
4

Start picking at the hole over where the centre of the hole would
be.

4. Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

REMEMBER

2 things

1. Check as you go.

Too much = too late = two jobs

2. Be accurate.

i. Looks good
WHY?

ii

Saves time

iii Saves material

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Select plant and equipment

Brick saw

Tile wet saw

Marble cutter

jack-hammer

Generator

Figure 6.4 Tiling plant and equipment

Before you start using any equipment, have a look and ask yourself
Is the equipment in good working condition?
Has the equipment been serviced tested and cords tagged?
Is the power supply point safe and in good condition?
Are electrical cords in anyones way?

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Electrical equipment:
Do not tamper with any electrical equipment, if it does not work, have it
checked by an electrician.
Keep extension leads off the ground, if you happen to see a lead on the
ground, and then pick it up, never wheel barrows or other equipment across
extension leads.
When using power tools always use an Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker
(ELCB), this is especially important when using power tools in damp areas.
Protect your fellow workers if you become aware of any dangers, dont keep
it to yourself either remove the danger or bring it to the attention of someone
who can fix the problem.

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Use plant and equipment
Do not improvise with equipment, use the proper equipment or tools for specific tasks,
dont try and force machinery or other equipment to do a job that it was not designed
to do.
Do not operate any equipment in the workshop or on the job site unless you have
been trained in its operation.
Most machines have guards to protect the operator, make sure you use them.
Wear appropriate clothing and shoes use protective clothing whenever necessary.
Never work under, or even walk under, suspended loads.
When working overhead, watch out for others below.
Take care of your tools maintain them in good condition.
Adopt the correct posture when lifting weights use the legs to lift not your back.
Use your common sense at all times on the job site you will not get into trouble for
being cautious you most certainly will get into trouble if your actions cause injury or
inconvenience to others.

Use Wall and Floor tiling tools and equipment 1

Cleaning and maintenance of tools
Construction tools and equipment are expensive and/ or fragile. Adequate,
regular cleaning and maintenance will prolong their lifespan. Maintenance
normally involves returning tools to professionals for calibration; however some
devices may be maintained by following manufacturers handbook instructions.
Tools should be kept clean and dry when not in use. A light application of oil
to all steel based tools, as this will prevent rust. Always ensure that tools are in
good working order before using and stored away safely after use
Visually inspect, clean and maintain tools, leads and equipment prior to storing
them, then clear the work area of waste materials
Cleaning operations include;
Tools and equipment must be cleaned, maintained and stored correctly
Metal blades can be with mineral oil
Wooden handles on tools can be wiped with raw linseed oils
Safety signs and barricades must be remove and stored for later use