About this module
Every new house, shop and bathroom needs tiling, and every old one needs repairs. A tiler who works neatly, safely and on time is always in demand.
Who it is for. People with no formal certificate. National Proficiency I is a bridging level for people with minimal education.
Why tiling
- Sekondi-Takoradi has an acute housing shortage, and oil companies and their contractors need housing for staff; gated estates are growing along the Airport Ridge corridor.
- Ghana now makes tiles: a US$77 million tile factory at Aboadze near Shama, in the Western Region, was built to produce 14.4 million m² a year.
- Accra tiling labour in 2026 was about GH¢40–80 per m² for floors and GH¢50–100 per m² for walls.
A warning about long apprenticeships
In a large study of Ghana's National Apprenticeship Programme, construction apprenticeships planned for one year usually lasted three years or more, and many young men were still in low-paid apprenticeships nearly four years later. This module aims to get you competent and earning quickly, with your own clients.
CTVET status. The Ghana Skills Development Initiative developed national occupational standards for block laying and tiling at NP I and NP II. The unit list was not found online, so this module is not that curriculum.
How the module works
Each unit has learning outcomes, performance criteria, the range and the evidence your assessor needs. You are judged Competent or Not Yet Competent from what your assessor sees, asks and reads in your logbook. About 70% of the time is practical, following CTVET's Oil Palm programme, which uses about 30% in school and 70% at the workplace.
Unit 1 · Work safely
Tile dust can scar your lungs for life. Wet cement can burn your skin without pain. Kneeling every day can ruin your knees. Protect yourself from day one.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 1.1 Control silica dust | cuts wet, outdoors, wearing a mask |
| 1.2 Protect skin from cement | wears gloves and washes cement off at once |
| 1.3 Protect knees and back | wears knee pads; lifts and splits loads safely |
| 1.4 Use the grinder safely | keeps the guard on and stands out of line |
Range. All tiling work. Evidence. Observation every session; oral questions.
Silica dust
Cutting tiles makes respirable crystalline silica, dust at least 100 times smaller than sand. It causes silicosis, which cannot be cured, plus lung cancer and kidney disease. Cut with water on the blade, and wear a mask even when you cannot see dust, because the most harmful particles are invisible.
Wet cement
Wet cement is strongly alkaline and can cause serious burns, especially when trapped against the skin. Burns may not hurt at first. Cement also causes skin rashes (dermatitis). Wear waterproof, alkali-resistant gloves, wash cement off quickly, and keep an eye-wash ready.
Knees, backs and heights
- Floor and tile layers suffer knee problems far more than other workers: wear knee pads.
- Cement comes in 50 kg bags in Ghana. That is far above the guide figure of about 25 kg for a man lifting close to the waist. Share the load, use a wheelbarrow, or split the bag.
- Use a ladder only for short, light work, keeping three points of contact.
The angle grinder
Keep the guard on, use only discs rated for the tool, stand out of the line of the disc, and wear a full face shield. Keep cables out of water and away from sharp edges.
Safe or unsafe?
- Kofi dry-cuts tiles inside the bathroom with no mask.
- Ama wears alkali-resistant gloves while mixing adhesive.
- Kwame lifts a 50 kg cement bag alone onto his shoulder every morning.
- Esi wears knee pads all day.
- Yaw removes the grinder guard to cut faster.
Safety set-up
- Put on gloves, knee pads, glasses and mask; your partner checks.
- Set up an outdoor wet-cutting station.
- Check the grinder guard, disc and cable.
- Practise a two-person lift of a cement bag.
Watch a site
Watch a building site from a safe place. Note three safe and three unsafe practices.
Unit 2 · Tools, tiles and estimating
A good estimate wins the job and protects your profit. Measure carefully and add for waste.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 2.1 Know the tools | names and uses each basic tool |
| 2.2 Choose tiles | tells porcelain from ceramic and wall from floor tiles |
| 2.3 Estimate materials | calculates tiles, adhesive and grout with waste |
Range. Rooms and walls of different shapes. Evidence. Estimates checked by the assessor.
Tile types
Porcelain tiles absorb 0.5% water or less; other ceramic tiles absorb more. Porcelain is stronger for floors and outdoors.
Estimating
Area = length × width. Split L-shaped rooms into rectangles, and measure in several places because many rooms are not square. Add 10% waste for a simple layout, 15% for bathrooms and 15–20% for diagonal patterns.
| Tile size | Covers per carton | Pieces |
|---|---|---|
| 60 × 60 cm floor | 1.44 m² | 4 |
| 40 × 40 cm floor | 1.92 m² | 12 |
| 30 × 30 cm floor | 1.53 m² | 17 |
| 25 × 40 cm wall | 1.50 m² | 15 |
| 30 × 60 cm wall | 1.44 m² | 8 |
How many cartons?
A room is 4 m × 3.5 m. You will lay 60 × 60 cm tiles straight. (1) Floor area? (2) Area with 10% waste? (3) Cartons needed?
Measure and estimate
- Measure two rooms (one L-shaped) and a bathroom wall.
- Draw each with sizes.
- Estimate tiles, adhesive and grout for each.
Price check
Visit a tile shop. Record prices for a carton of 60 × 60 floor tiles, a bag of adhesive and grout.
Unit 3 · Prepare the surface and set out
Tiles can only be as flat as the floor beneath them. Most tiling faults start here.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 3.1 Check the surface | checks level, flatness, cracks and hollows |
| 3.2 Prepare it | cleans, repairs and allows curing time |
| 3.3 Set out | marks centre lines and dry-lays to avoid thin cuts |
Range. Screeded floors and rendered walls. Evidence. Set-out checked by the assessor.
Is it ready?
The floor should have no gap over 3 mm under a 2 m straightedge. Let new screed and render cure for at least 7 days before tiling, and fix any hollow or cracked areas first.
How long must a new floor dry? Singapore's building authority says at least 7 days for screed; UK house-building guidance suggests about 3 weeks for screed and 6 weeks for concrete. Wait as long as the job allows, especially for large tiles.
Setting out
- Find the centre of the room; snap two chalk lines at right angles.
- Check the right angle with a 3-4-5 triangle.
- Dry-lay a row each way with spacers. Move the start line so cut tiles at the walls are at least half a tile.
- Start where the finished floor shows most (the doorway view).
Check and set out
- Check a practice floor with the straightedge; mark high and low spots.
- Snap centre lines and check the right angle.
- Dry-lay a row each way and adjust.
Look at floors
Find three tiled floors. Are the edge cuts even? Are any tiles hollow (tap with a coin)?
Unit 4 · Lay floor tiles
Full adhesive, even joints, flat tiles. Check every tile as you go.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 4.1 Spread adhesive | uses the right trowel and gets full coverage |
| 4.2 Lay and level | lays tiles with even joints and no lippage |
| 4.3 Cut | cuts tiles neatly with cutter and grinder |
| 4.4 Leave movement joints | leaves perimeter and field joints |
Range. Practice floor bays. Evidence. Finished floor checked for level, lines, lippage and hollows.
Adhesive and trowels
Bigger tiles need bigger notches: about 6 mm for small tiles, 8 mm for tiles 100–200 mm, and 10–12 mm for tiles over 200 mm. Aim for at least 85% adhesive contact under each tile in dry areas and 95% in wet areas. Lift a tile now and then to check.
Joints and spacers
Floors need joints of at least 3 mm; 5 mm for very large tiles or areas that go outdoors.
Movement joints
Leave at least a 6 mm gap round the edge of the room, and a movement joint every 8–10 m in indoor floors (closer in sunny or heavy-use areas). Without them, tiles can crack or lift.
Quality
Neighbouring tiles should differ in height (lippage) by no more than about 1 mm with narrow joints. A hollow sound when tapped should be checked.
Lay a floor bay
- Mix adhesive to the maker's instructions.
- Spread a small area, comb with the notched trowel.
- Lay tiles with spacers; tap level with the mallet; check with the level.
- Cut edge tiles; leave the perimeter gap.
- Lift one tile to check coverage; record it.
Cutting practice
Practise ten straight cuts and two L-shaped cuts on offcuts. Record which tool you used.
Unit 5 · Walls, wet areas and grouting
In bathrooms, the tile is not what keeps water out. The waterproofing under it does.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 5.1 Tile a wall | tiles a wall panel level and plumb |
| 5.2 Make falls to drains | sets a floor slope towards the drain |
| 5.3 Waterproof | explains and demonstrates where waterproofing goes |
| 5.4 Grout and finish | grouts and cleans at the right time |
Range. Practice wall panel; shower floor model. Evidence. Finished panel; oral questions.
Walls
Fix a straight timber batten one tile up from the floor and start there, so the rows stay level. Wall joints are usually 2–3 mm for precise tiles and 3–5 mm for others.
Wet areas
- Shower floors must slope to the drain: about 1 in 100 where there is a screen or step, and at least 1 in 80 where there is none.
- "The tile is not the waterproofing." A waterproof membrane goes under the tiles, and floor waterproofing should run about 150 mm up the walls.
Grouting
Wait at least 24 hours after laying before grouting (longer for big tiles). After grouting, allow about 24 hours before light foot traffic and about 72 hours for full curing.
Wall and wet area
- Tile a wall panel from a batten; check level and plumb.
- On a model shower floor, form a fall to a drain and check it with a level.
- Watch the trainer apply a waterproofing membrane.
- Grout the practice floor bay; clean the haze with a damp sponge.
Bathroom survey
Look at a bathroom. Does water run to the drain? Are there cracked grout lines? Write what you would fix.
Unit 6 · Your location and business ideas
Go where building is happening, and make friends with the people who send tilers work.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 6.1 Choose where to work | identifies building areas and referral partners |
| 6.2 Know the fees | lists the Assembly fees for artisans |
| 6.3 Add income ideas | plans at least three extra income lines |
Range. Sekondi-Takoradi and surrounding areas. Evidence. Area map; business plan.
Where the work is
Tiling is mobile: you go to the site. Find the work where houses and estates are being built, such as the growing Airport Ridge corridor, and near tile and hardware shops whose customers need tilers.
- Building activity. New estates, shops and renovations.
- Referral partners. Tile shops, hardware shops, masons, plumbers, contractors.
- Transport. How you will move tools and materials.
- Storage. A safe place for your tools.
- Phone signal. Clients will call you.
Assembly fees (STMA 2025)
Sekondi-Takoradi lists "masons, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, steel benders, tile layers" together in one artisans category at about GH¢100 a year, and signboards at GH¢8 per square foot. Confirm at the Assembly.
Ideas to earn more
- Small jobs between big ones: kitchen backsplashes (GH¢400–1,200) and single-tile repairs (GH¢80–200) are priced separately in Accra.
- Outdoor work: patios and paving pay GH¢2,000–8,000 per job.
- Vinyl and other floors: artisans trained in vinyl tiling started their own businesses.
- Regrouting and re-sealing old bathrooms.
- Team up with a plumber and a mason to offer complete bathroom jobs.
Meet three partners
Visit a tile shop, a hardware shop and a mason. Ask if they need tilers and how they find them.
Unit 7 · Market yourself and manage the money
Your finished floors are your advertisement. Photograph them, finish on time, and leave the site clean.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 7.1 Market yourself | builds a photo portfolio and an online profile |
| 7.2 Quote a job | writes a full quote with materials and labour |
| 7.3 Keep records | records jobs, costs and payments |
Range. The trainee's planned business. Evidence. Portfolio; quotes; record book.
Get found
- Google Business Profile is free and puts you on Google Maps and Search; add photos of finished jobs (with the client's permission) and reply to reviews.
- WhatsApp Status and a catalogue of your work.
- Before-and-after photos of every job.
- References from contractors and shop owners.
- Accurate quotes, on time, clean site. These are what clients remember.
Quoting
Always write: area, tile type and size, who buys the tiles, adhesive and grout, labour per m², extras (cutting, skirting, waterproofing), start and finish dates, and deposit. Take a deposit for materials before buying.
Quote a bathroom
Floor 4 m², walls 18 m². Labour: floor GH¢60 per m², walls GH¢75 per m². Adhesive and grout GH¢400. Your transport GH¢100. (1) Labour total? (2) Quote total (client buys tiles)? (3) Deposit at 40%?
Launch kit
- Photograph your practice floors and walls for a portfolio.
- Set up a Google Business Profile draft and a WhatsApp catalogue.
- Write a quote form and a record book.
- Present your plan to the class.
First reference
Do a small supervised job for a relative or neighbour. Ask for a written reference and photos.
Working with deaf tilers
Agree standard hand signals before work starts, use written or picture instructions, use flashing lights or flags for alarms, and pair a deaf worker with a buddy for grinder work. The deaf association names limited employable skills as a barrier to work: practical trades like tiling help.
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Competent / Not Yet Competent | The two possible results of a CBT assessment |
| Fall | A slope that makes water run to the drain |
| Grout | The filler between tiles |
| Lippage | One tile edge higher than its neighbour |
| Movement joint | A flexible gap that lets tiles expand |
| Notched trowel | A trowel with teeth for combing adhesive |
| Screed | The smooth sand-cement layer under floor tiles |
| Silica dust | Fine dust from cutting tiles that harms the lungs |
| Waterproofing membrane | A layer under tiles that keeps water out |
Logbook
Copy these pages into an exercise book. Your logbook is part of your assessment evidence.
- Unit 1: safety checks
- Unit 2: room drawings and estimates; price check
- Unit 3: surface checks; set-out sketches
- Unit 4: floor bays: coverage checks, lippage, photos
- Unit 5: wall panel; shower fall; grouting
- Unit 6: area map; partners met
- Unit 7: portfolio; quotes; record book
- Every homework, dated
Self-check quiz
- Why must tiles be cut wet and with a mask?
- Why can cement burns be dangerous even when they don't hurt?
- What waste do you add for a bathroom?
- How many 60 × 60 tiles are in a carton, and what area do they cover?
- What is the most gap allowed under a 2 m straightedge?
- What adhesive coverage do you need in wet areas?
- What is the smallest floor joint?
- Why leave a gap round the room edge?
- Where does bathroom waterproofing go?
- How long before you grout?
Further reading and sources
Best next reads: your adhesive's instructions; the UK HSE pages on silica and cement; a tile shop's product sheets.
What this module does not cover: screeding and plastering, large-format slabs, terrazzo polishing, and Takoradi labour rates (not found; check locally).
Every source used in this manual is listed, with links, in the Teacher Copy.