How To Get Faster At Wall And Floor Tiling

[DemoXpert]

'Tis said, a rookie will take 2 to 3 times longer to do the same job as that of an experienced tiler, so the question is: how long will it take for one to go from rookie to expert, providing he's working on a regular basis?! Any ideas?

 

[Dan]

A couple of years at least.

It's the prep that's key!

 

[DemoXpert]

Sweet, at least one knows what to expect Thank you Dan

 

[Dan]

I did a lot of conservatory floors and they were a God send. Those are quick for even a new tiler if it's prepared well and the cutting is quick.

But the fiddly bathrooms with dodgy walls can set a quick tiler miles in front of your average one let alone a rookie as you put it.

I couldn't tile bathrooms that quick. About average I'd guess. But I can cut quick. Did they for years and only that and grouting.

 

[DemoXpert]

Bathrooms is all I'm doing at the mo, so I'm guessing, once I master them, anything else will be a walk in the park... At the moment it's taking me roughly 7/8 days to complete an average bathroom, at around 16 sq meter, way too long obviously as I've noticed ppl wrap them up in 2/3 days

 

[Dan]

Is that including preparation?

Prep can be 2 days in some bathrooms.

Tiling alone I can see 26 meters in ceramics being 2 or 3 days by an experienced expert but even he's rushing it if he's beating that. Surely?

Your large porcelains and whatnot could slow you down.

 

[DemoXpert]

Then again, I'm only on my 4th bathroom, so I suppose I shouldn't be too hard on myself

Nope, that's tiling and grouting alone, sure prepping would take longer and sure porcelains would do too, let alone large ones...

 

[Dan]

Must be a perfectionist which is fine.

Speed comes with time. But perfection is what you want to aim for first.

 

[DemoXpert]

Lol you got it in one

I'll get there...

 

[White Room]

If you get the prep as good as you can that can give a bit more speed other than building tiles out with extra adhesive.

 

[andy8758]

The tradition is that it takes about 10,000 hours to become a skilled worker. If you work a 40 hour week for 48 weeks a year, after 5 years you will have 9,600 hours experience.

Your speed will improve, but not noticeably after just 256 hours tiling (4 bathrooms taking 8 days).

I completed a short tiling course. I've done my 10,000 hours, and learnt from a lot of mistakes. My first few bathrooms took 7 or 8 days too. I can now tile 16m bathroom in about a day and a half (if no complications) but often spend as much as a day on prep, and a half day grouting and finishing. A big boost to my speed came from working with other experienced tilers. Some very simple tips can make a massive difference to your speed - but I will leave you to get that experience for yourself!

 

[Just Rizzle]

just got in after a day of graft we put down 3 crates of 15 mm 900x600 limestone 75 mtrs in one day only another 4 crates to lay

 

[White Room]

You say We, how many is that....

 

[Just Rizzle]

You say We, how many is that....

me and my son hes carrying and mixing im laying and spreading room was6.6x11,5

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

Then again, I'm only on my 4th bathroom, so I suppose I shouldn't be too hard on myself

Nope, that's tiling and grouting alone, sure prepping would take longer and sure porcelains would do too, let alone large ones...

the more hours you put in the quicker you learn but learning on your own is a long hard road with great cost to you and your clients you need to take a step back .you can read the info a thousand times and still get it wrong .and watch it once and get it right .you need to be a labour to a tiler and work for at least a year on a pittance .it may seem like you are a slave but your eyes buy what you see .as a second note i have had tilers working for me that would tile a bathroom in a day and tilers that would take 3 days who left the best job they each did .its the finish job that matters not the time .when you get to work turn off the mobile .do you realy need to know that sharon just had her hair cut

 

[Just Rizzle]

the more hours you put in the quicker you learn but learning on your own is a long hard road with great cost to you and your clients you need to take a step back .you can read the info a thousand times and still get it wrong .and watch it once and get it right .you need to be a labour to a tiler and work for at least a year on a pittance .it may seem like you are a slave but your eyes buy what you see .as a second note i have had tilers working for me that would tile a bathroom in a day and tilers that would take 3 days who left the best job they each did .its the finish job that matters not the time .when you get to work turn off the mobile .do you realy need to know that sharon just had her hair cut

watch and learn only way I did it years ago watching a gang of irish lads I got all the crap jobs but it learnt me a lot some want to earn the money with out putting in the hours

 

[Aston]

if you want to get faster work with some ''good'' time served pros! they will give you some valuable tips and they will push you harder than you'll push yourself. you will struggle to keep up, but thats the whole point.

practice is the obvious answer but you can put 10,000 hours in and be doing things counter productively so its always good to work with a pro, so you know you are doing things correctly.

 

[Simons70]

IMO if you are lucky to work with some good tiler,in 2 years you learn enough for go faster.If you work alone,need more time and more mistakes.I was really lucky to work with one good teacher,who learn from his father,and have 40 years experience,day by day,even Sunday,never Holiday,If not go to work Sunday,we work in his garage to clean tools,some time to modified or invent tools for next day work.After 2 years day by day with him,I was pretty sure I'm never become a good tiler,everything I do was not right,and show me one better way to do it quick and better.After I start the first job alone I was really impressed by how growing my skills,I start one big floor,aprox 400sqm ,300x300 brick.I fit every day 80 sqm alone,talk to myself and follow the good advice received ,start at 7.30 and finish at 5 o'clock.6 bags adhesive before launch and 6 bags after launch.So,alone even after 5 years you can't achieve the same experience like you can receive in 2 years if you work with good tiler.

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

IMO if you are lucky to work with some good tiler,in 2 years you learn enough for go faster.If you work alone,need more time and more mistakes.I was really lucky to work with one good teacher,who learn from his father,and have 40 years experience,day by day,even Sunday,never Holiday,If not go to work Sunday,we work in his garage to clean tools,some time to modified or invent tools for next day work.After 2 years day by day with him,I was pretty sure I'm never become a good tiler,everything I do was not right,and show me one better way to do it quick and better.After I start the first job alone I was really impressed by how growing my skills,I start one big floor,aprox 400sqm ,300x300 brick.I fit every day 80 sqm alone,talk to myself and follow the good advice received ,start at 7.30 and finish at 5 o'clock.6 bags adhesive before launch and 6 bags after launch.So,alone even after 5 years you can't achieve the same experience like you can receive in 2 years if you work with good tiler.

spot on

 

[Brian C]

just got in after a day of graft we put down 3 crates of 15 mm 900x600 limestone 75 mtrs in one day only another 4 crates to lay

Did you seal the tiles aswell?