From having the skills to carry out your own tile repairs to forging a full career as a professional tiler, there are many reasons to learn tiling.  

Why do you want to learn tiling? 

DIY tiling for personal projects, property renovation or landlords 

Are you a DIY enthusiast or just looking to tackle a personal project or two at home? Perhaps you’re a property developer or landlord interested in learning tiling for maintenance or renovation? 

Having the skills to be able to carry out home improvements and routine repairs means you avoid having to call on professional tradespeople.  

Not only could this save you money, but it also puts the time in your hands as good tradespeople are often busy and booked well in advance. You may find they're reluctant to come out for a simple tile replacement.  

If you’re learning DIY tiling, you’ll gain the skills to not only install tiles in your home, but also do maintenance work on tiles, such as regrouting, reapplying silicone sealant, and replacing chipped or broken tiles.  

Working as a professional tiler 

Are you already working in the trades as a plumber or handyperson and keen to add tiling to your skillset?  Perhaps you’re considering a career change. Is tiling a career that appeals to you, and you want to gain the skills and qualifications to get started working as a tiler?  

By adding tiling to your skillset, if you’re already a plumber or working as a handyperson or related multi-skilled property maintenance professional, you may be able to increase the scope of work you can take on. 

A plumber who can also do tiling can now do bathroom fitting. A handy person who can do tiling can now complete a kitchen with a new splashback.  

Pursuing tiling to a professional level opens up even more opportunities, including taking on more complex work or decorative finishes, working on construction sites, and working with natural stone, as well as career progression.

How and where to learn tiling 

While online tiling tutorials on YouTube are freely accessible, there’s no replacement for real-life, hands-on instruction. 

If you know someone who is a dab hand at DIY tiling, perhaps they're prepared to show you the ropes. This mentoring approach can be a great way to learn enough to do a small tiling job at home. It could also serve as a taster to see if tiling is really your thing before you think about proper training.  

A trade course in tiling ticks all the boxes, from foundation level for DIY up to industry-ready standard qualifications for aspiring professional tilers.

  • Learn from a professional tiler 
  • Hands-on practice in a purpose-built environment 
  • Live feedback 
  • Health & safety  
  • Use of tools and materials  
  • Suitable for beginners 

Learning the basics of tiling 

Tiling isn’t just about making sure the tiles are straight. It's a combination of knowledge and skill for even the most basic projects at home. Knowing what adhesive to choose and why. Knowing how to prepare the surface so the tiles adhere properly. Knowing how to grout and finish for a perfect (and durable) finish. Knowing how to plan the tiling and cut the tiles for economy and aesthetics.  

Once you have the basics, practice makes perfect. The opportunity to work on real tiling projects puts that knowledge into practice, combines the learning, and helps you build speed and confidence.  

Start tiling at Able Skills 

Whatever your end goal with tiling, wherever the trade might take you, the Introduction to Tiling course is an ideal place to start. It’s a short course covering the basics of tiling.  

The Introduction to Tiling course is suitable for: 

  • DIY enthusiasts 
  • Career exploration
  • People interested in property maintenance 
  • Property renovators 
  • Existing tradespeople (plumber, handyperson) 
  • Aspiring professional tilers 

As it's approved by City & Guilds, you'll also gain a certificate, and, if you are taking your training further, the block of learning transfers to a longer training programme or professional qualification.