CPC31320 Wall & Floor Tiling key terms

The surface or base material onto which tiles are fixed, such as a concrete slab, render, screed, fibre-cement sheet or plasterboard. Its condition, flatness and absorbency strongly influence adhesion and finished quality.

A levelling layer of sand-cement mortar or proprietary compound laid over a structural floor to create a flat, sound surface at the correct fall or level for tiling.

A mortar coating applied to masonry or concrete walls to provide a true, flat and suitably keyed surface ready to receive wall tiles or further finishes.

The first, deeply combed mortar layer in multi-coat render or plastering work. Its grooved surface gives a mechanical key so the following coat grips firmly.

The deliberate slope built into a floor or screed so water drains to a waste outlet or doorway. Correct fall prevents ponding in wet areas such as showers and balconies.

A cement-based or dispersion product used to bond tiles to a substrate. It is classified by strength and application, and must suit the tile type, substrate and service conditions.

A trowel with square or U-shaped teeth used to comb adhesive into parallel ridges of consistent depth, giving even coverage and allowing air to escape under the tile.

Spreading a thin, even layer of adhesive directly onto the back of a tile before pressing it into the combed bed, improving contact and bond, especially for large-format or porous tiles.

The proportion of a tile's underside in contact with adhesive. Good coverage, typically high in wet areas and for external work, prevents hollow spots, cracking and debonding.

The period after combing adhesive during which it remains tacky enough to wet out and grip a tile. Tiles fixed after this time may fail to bond properly.

The usable working period of a mixed adhesive, grout or coating after water or catalyst is added, before it stiffens or skins and must be discarded.

A preparatory coating applied to a substrate to control absorbency, improve adhesion and bind dust. The correct primer type depends on whether the surface is porous, dense or previously painted.

A product, often a bonding slurry or keying liquid, applied to smooth or low-absorbency surfaces to create a mechanical or chemical key that helps mortar or render adhere.

A cementitious or epoxy material packed into the joints between tiles to fill the gaps, protect the edges and reduce water penetration while accommodating slight movement.

The designed gap left between adjacent tiles, determined by tile size, tolerance, substrate movement and grout type. Uniform joints improve appearance and allow grout to perform correctly.

A small removable or leave-in device placed between tiles during fixing to hold joints at a consistent width while adhesive sets.

The height difference between the surfaces of adjacent tiles at a joint. Excessive lippage is visually poor, can be a trip hazard and is limited by standards.

A white, powdery salt deposit that appears on the surface of grout, mortar or tiles when soluble salts migrate to the surface with moisture and crystallise as it evaporates.

A continuous, flexible coating or sheet applied to wet-area substrates beneath tiles to stop water passing into the structure. It must be compatible with the adhesive and allow drainage.

A room or zone such as a bathroom, laundry or shower where water is regularly used, requiring specific waterproofing, drainage fall and substrate preparation before tiling.

A deliberate gap through the tile, adhesive and sometimes substrate that allows expansion and contraction without cracking or debonding. It may be filled with a flexible sealant.

A compressible strip or tape placed at junctions and perimeters so that the tile finish is separated from adjacent construction and can move independently without restraint.

A structural gap provided in a building or slab to accommodate thermal and moisture movement. Tiling must respect it, often through a matching movement joint in the finish.

A thin, profiled sheet fixed over a substrate before tiling that separates the tile layer from minor substrate movement and cracking, improving the chance of a durable finish.

A tile with a large face area, typically requiring greater adhesive coverage, back-buttering and careful handling. Its size makes substrate flatness and lippage control especially important.

A flat tool with a porous sponge face used to work grout into joints and to clean excess from tile faces without pulling grout out of the joint.

A straight tool containing a bubble vial used to check whether a surface is horizontal or vertical, and to confirm that tiles and screeds are true and even.

A manual or powered tool used to score and snap, or wet-cut, tiles to size. The correct blade and technique depend on tile hardness and finish.

A powered cutting machine with a water-cooled diamond blade used to cut hard tiles accurately while controlling dust and heat at the cut line.

A hand or power tool that removes small bites of tile material to shape curves, notches and cut-outs around fittings without cracking the tile body.

The legal and practical duty to protect workers and others from harm on site through risk assessment, safe systems of work, training and use of controls such as dust suppression and guards.

Items worn or used by a worker to reduce exposure to hazards, such as safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, respirators and knee protection during tiling tasks.

Fine airborne particles released when cutting, grinding or drilling concrete, tile and stone. Inhalation can cause serious lung disease, so dust controls and respiratory protection are required.

A document supplied with a hazardous chemical that describes its hazards, safe handling, first aid and storage requirements. It must be available and understood before products are used.

Planning tile positions before fixing, including datums, centring, cuts and bond pattern, so that joints align, cut tiles are balanced and the finished layout looks correct.

A reference line or level established on site from which measurements, heights and tile courses are set out consistently across a room or elevation.

The arrangement in which tiles are laid, such as stack, running, herringbone or basketweave. The chosen pattern affects setting out, cutting and waste.