Wall and floor tiler
Trade preparing surfaces and laying ceramic, stone and similar tiles. Waterproofing units inside the Cert III are required for licensed wet-area work.
Jobs, demand and who does this work
Figures for the ANZSCO occupation Wall and Floor Tiler (333411), the closest official match for wall and floor tiler, from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia data, sourced 2026-09-23).
- People employed
- 21,700
- Future demand
- Stable
- Work full-time
- 89%
- Average full-time hours
- 42 a week
- Women
- 3%
- Median age
- 37
Where the jobs are (share of workers)
| NSW | 34.8% |
| VIC | 14.9% |
| QLD | 26.4% |
| WA | 12.8% |
| SA | 8.1% |
| TAS | 1.2% |
| ACT | 0.9% |
| NT | 1% |
Highest qualification held by workers
| Postgraduate qualification | 0.8% |
| Bachelor degree | 4.4% |
| Diploma or advanced diploma | 4.5% |
| Certificate I-IV | 49.5% |
| Year 12 | 15.1% |
| Below Year 12 | 17.9% |
What a wall and floor tiler actually does
Wall and floor tilers work mostly indoors on bathrooms, kitchens, laundries and commercial fit-outs. A typical bathroom job runs 4-5 days: substrate prep, waterproofing membrane and a wait-for-cure day, then 1-2 days of tile lay, then grouting and silicone. Most days start 7am with a substrate inspection and a layout plan - working out centrelines, cuts and where the cut tiles will fall. Days are spent mostly on knees, with regular standing breaks to mix glue, cut tiles on the wet saw and check level. Large-format tiles (600 x 1200 and bigger) need two people and a vacuum lifter. Stone tiles need different setting beds, sealants and detailing. Waterproofing is the critical work that protects the building - leaks usually mean rip-out and re-do, so the membrane has to be perfect. Most days finish 3-4pm. Tiling can be done into your 50s and beyond, but knees wear out fast without proper pads and breaks.
Skills you'll use
- Reading floor plans and setting out tile layouts
- Substrate preparation (cementing, levelling, screeding)
- Waterproofing membrane application
- Cutting tiles with wet saw, snap cutter and grinder
- Adhesive mixing and notch trowel selection
- Grouting, sealing and silicone work
- Stone setting and crack repair
How to become one
- 1Finish Year 10 with English
- 2Get a White Card (CPCWHS1001) for construction sites
- 3Sign a 3-year apprenticeship with a tiling contractor or builder
- 4Complete the CPC31320 Certificate III in Wall and Floor Tiling through TAFE
- 5Complete the waterproofing units to legally do wet-area work
- 6In QLD and other states with thresholds - apply for a trade contractor licence to work unsupervised above the value cap
Where you can work
- Residential builders on new estates and renovations
- Bathroom renovation specialists
- Commercial fit-out contractors on shops, hotels and offices
- Pool and outdoor area specialists
- Heritage and decorative tiling firms
- Insurance bathroom and laundry restoration
- Self-employed sole trader or small crew owner
Career progression
Typical stages and roles. Apprentice and tradesperson pay is set by the modern award or enterprise agreement that covers the job; check it with the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool.
- Apprentice3 yearsTypical roles: First-year apprentice tiler, Third-year apprentice tiler
- Tradesperson0-4 yearsTypical roles: Bathroom tiler, Commercial tiler, Stone tiler
- Leading hand or specialist5-10 yearsTypical roles: Leading hand, Waterproofer, Stone and feature specialist
- Subcontractor or business owner8+ yearsTypical roles: Subcontract tiling business owner, Specialist heritage or stone restorer
Is this for you?
You might love this if
- You enjoy precision work and tight tolerances
- You can work on your knees with proper pads for hours
- You can think through layout to avoid awkward cuts
- You have patience for waterproofing to cure properly
- You can work alone or in a 2-person crew on tight sites
This might not suit you if
- Your knees, back or wrists are unreliable
- You can't commit to 3 years of apprentice pay
- You're impatient with the prep and waterproofing stages
- You prefer to work outdoors with sky and breeze
Entry requirements
- Year 10 or equivalent
- A signed apprenticeship training contract with a host employer.
State licensing
Not nationally licensed. Some states impose contractor licensing once work exceeds a value threshold.
| State | Licensing authority |
|---|---|
| NSW | Building Commission NSW (contractor licence for residential work over $5,000) |
| VIC | No trade-specific licence listed |
| QLD | Queensland Building and Construction Commission (above $3,300) |
| SA | No trade-specific licence listed |
| WA | No trade-specific licence listed |
| TAS | No trade-specific licence listed |
| NT | No trade-specific licence listed |
| ACT | No trade-specific licence listed |