Hi all! Finally, I managed to register here :))))))))) Dear forum members, here is my story - a couple of years ago, I had to quit my job and get by on my own for a while. In general, I am an electrician by profession, and somehow it happened naturally, I started repairing and installing washing machines, refrigerators, split systems, etc. I had to learn a lot, but I never experienced any particular difficulties in this area, and there is a ton of information on the Internet. Then everything seemed to settle down and I found a job (installation of video surveillance systems), but then a crisis happened, sanctions and other crap... in short, there is the prospect of going on unpaid leave for an indefinite period. A colleague suggested we start renovating apartments. He is also more of an electrical specialist, but he also works with gypsum plasterboard, but for me it’s kind of like plumbing and... tiles. But I was never familiar with this business; I glued wallpaper, painted, plastered, but never had a chance to work with tiles. Actually, the essence of the question is, is it possible to learn how to lay tiles yourself, or is it better to take specialized courses? Well, just glue the tiles professionally, and not anyhow...
Yes, of course you can do it yourself! I think that 90% of craftsmen are self-taught, and the fact that you have not worked with tiles before is not a problem, there is always a first time for everything. But my advice is to practice at home first, and then at the facility :)))))))))))))))
To be honest, laying tiles is not selling you caps. There is a sea of its own subtleties and nuances. Skill and ability comes with experience. At the beginning of his journey, he left it at this for several years. But now I understand what, why and how. My opinion is that you, Evgeniy , need a mentor or experience working with a master tiler in pairs.
There is, of course, another option: try and study everything yourself (the Internet and our forum are here to help). However, time is our dearest and kindest friend.
Do I understand the essence of the question correctly, should I attend special educational institutions or professional courses on laying ceramic tiles, or should I learn everything on my own in practice? If so, my advice is to concentrate on practice. The work of a tiler is largely an acquired skill; the necessary theoretical basis is actually minimal here. And modern educational institutions, unfortunately, are concentrated mainly on it. If possible, you can, of course, listen to lectures - it won’t be superfluous, but practice in laying tiles comes first!
By the way, regarding the tiler mentor, if you find such a mentor, don’t get carried away, you can easily become a hostage to someone else’s experience. And the world of ceramic tiles is big, and it’s constantly evolving :-)
The main catch in the phrase is to glue tiles professionally . The fact is that there are no criteria for professionalism in laying tiles, or rather, I have not met them. In most cases, the Customer expects to receive a beautiful appearance of the lined surface without defects for 10-15 years. Both a master with and without a diploma can perform such work.
I learned how to lay tiles myself. And now I understand that a master tiler needs:
The material on the listed points is presented in the section stages of arranging ceramic cladding . This is where you should start. Next, you will need practice and study of standards and technological maps. Well, write your questions to the forum, we will answer. And they will definitely arise if you start taking action.
Thanks for the support and advice. You understood everything correctly, I am worried about the fact that I am essentially self-taught, and this makes me not confident in certain moments! When I worked with household appliances, it was easier to understand connection diagrams and even the internal structure, since this was close to me both in my specialty and in my work experience... With tiles, we plan to initially find a professional tile maker and build a couple of apartments with him and gain experience, and then do it yourself.
Let me disagree with you Vasily, the criteria for professionalism in laying ceramic tiles do exist, and there are standards and requirements... To begin with, you can familiarize yourself with the instructional and technological maps for institutions of primary and secondary vocational training, although they are old and In many ways they are not relevant, but the main postulates are clearly indicated there. Another thing is that our customers are not spoiled by the quality of tiling work, hence the opinion that there are no professionals in the field of laying ceramic tiles.
And I find fault with myself more when I evaluate how well I laid the tiles. Clients often don’t notice many of the flaws; for the majority, as long as the tiles on the walls stay in place and the seams are more or less even :))))))))) Therefore, I myself try to make sure that my conscience doesn’t bother me, and trim so that it’s more beautiful, and to draw the angles evenly, a lot depends on the perception of the master. I know a carpenter, he has a barn at his dacha - dear mother! There is not a single level board, the roof is leaking, etc., according to the principle “it will do,” but there are people who approach it with all their hearts. This is how I try to do things so that people aren’t ashamed to look them in the eye, and my clients appreciate it. There are, of course, characters who, in order to bring down the price, find fault with every tile, but you can immediately see such people... for me it’s better not to deal with them. You won’t earn all the money, but your nerves are always more valuable :))))))
In my opinion, you should undergo training as a tiler. This will give you more confidence in your work. And if at the site they tell you something like “this is a violation of the technology of facing work”, “this is contrary to SNiP”, “time standards and production standards for 1 man-day are such and such”, then you will already understand what they are talking about and you can correctly explain your position. For the customer, the fact that the tiler has a qualification level will be a positive thing.
It should be mentioned here that the profession of tiler has qualification grades from 2 to 5. On the basis of 9 classes, training is possible with a grade from 2-3; on the basis of 11 classes, training is possible with a grade from 2-4. It is also possible to take specialized courses with grades from 2-4. The duration of the courses varies from 2 to 6 months.
I agree about the confidence. If you have complexes about education, there is no other way to get rid of them :))))))))))
And also, colleagues, am I the only one who finds the word TILES hurting my ears (or my eyes ;))??? How to lay TILES.. where to buy TILES... which TILES are better, etc. Since we claim to be a professional community, let's be closer to professional terminology. There is no such material as TILES, there are CERAMIC TILES. Otherwise, it won’t take long for you to slide down to the floor tiles :))))))))))))))))))))
Maybe I don't understand something. But isn’t tile or simply tile a separate type of ceramic tile? In my opinion, the format and composition of the clay is special... Does anyone have any information about this?
In the explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, edited by Ozhegov S.I. we find TILES - the same as TILE . Next, we find that a tile is a tile made of baked clay for cladding walls, stoves, usually covered on the front side with glaze, tile. Apparently, the term tile comes from the German kachel and, with the light hand of Peter I, it began to be called clay tiles. Today, tiles (tiles) mean ceramic tiles, which are thin-walled products made from ceramic mass and/or other inorganic materials. The term ceramic tiles is more often used in standards.
I am also inclined to believe that tiles and ceramic tiles are perceived today as synonyms. However, in advertising and when searching the Internet, the second term is more often used.
Regarding Peter I, I can say the following. During a visit to Holland in 1697-1698, he drew attention to the beautiful “tiles” made in a style that is familiar to us, namely, the masters of Gzhel. So, after his return, he ordered the production of smooth white tiles, painting them with blue glaze. This led to a new direction in tiled art.
Regarding the profession of tiler, I am wondering what types of work can be performed by a master with a qualification level from 2 to 5?
Characteristics of the work . Performing simple work when tiling with ceramic, glass, asbestos-cement and other tiles.
Must know : types of basic materials used for tiling. Rules for preparing the solution manually.
Work examples . Sorting tiles by size, color and grade. Manual preparation of solutions, dry mixtures and mastics according to a given composition. Preparation of base surfaces for tiling.
Characteristics of the work . Carrying out simple work on tiling with ceramic, glass, asbestos-cement and other tiles.
Must know : the properties of hydrochloric acid and the permissible strength of the solution. Methods for installing and fastening tiles. Requirements for the quality of cladding. Techniques for working with a level.
Work examples . Tiling with mortar on continuous straight surfaces of walls with a joint thickness of more than 2 mm and floors using ready-made beacons. Filling the joints between tiles with mortar. Stretching and coating the metal mesh with solution. Leveling layer device. Dismantling tiles of lined surfaces. Cutting and cutting tiles with sharpening of edges. Drilling holes in tiles. Preparation of mortars and mastics for fixing tiles. Preparation of solutions for washing lined surfaces. Floor covering with cast stone slabs.
Characteristics of the work . Performing moderately complex work on tiling with ceramic, glass, asbestos-cement and other tiles.
Must know : methods of laying out, hanging and marking horizontal and vertical surfaces. Methods of installation and fastening of shaped tiles. Rules for repairing floors and changing tiles. Methods of cladding with marble glass. Fundamentals of the design of machines for vibrating tiles.
Work examples . Hanging and marking under the cladding of straight surfaces. Cladding pilasters, niches and other small surfaces. Tiling with mortar and mastics on continuous straight wall surfaces with a joint thickness of up to 2 mm. Installation of shaped tiles (cornice, plinth, corner). Laying friezes of a simple pattern with markings. Changing facing tiles. Repair of tile floors. Cladding of wall surfaces with marble glass and tiles made of glass crystallite and glass marble. Floor tiling using machines for vibrating tiles.
Characteristics of the work . Carrying out complex work on tiling with ceramic, glass, asbestos-cement and other tiles.
Must know : methods of marking and laying out curved surfaces for tiling and decorative cladding. Methods of decorative cladding.
Work examples . Cladding of ceilings and curved surfaces. Laying ceramic carpet floors with surface marking for laying according to a given pattern. Laying out surfaces and laying friezes of any pattern. Decorative tiling.