CPC31320 Wall & Floor Tiling study guide
CPC31320 Wall & Floor Tiling · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
CPC31320 is the Certificate III in Wall and Floor Tiling, a nationally recognised trade qualification listed on the National Training Register and classified under ANZSCO 333411 as a Wall and Floor Tiler. It is designed for people who cut and lay ceramic, glass, slate, marble and clay tiles on interior and exterior walls and floors, including decorative work, and it suits an Australian apprenticeship pathway. The register notes there are no entry requirements, though anyone carrying out construction work must complete the general construction induction training program, which CPCWHS1001 satisfies. To finish the qualification you must demonstrate competency in 20 units: 17 core and 3 electives. Topics on this exam: Core units of competency (construction industry common skills and wall and floor tiling) and Elective units of competency. The CPC31320 Wall & Floor Tiling study guide has 2 sections and about 686 words.
01Core Units: Construction Common Skills and Wall and Floor Tiling
The core units combine general construction induction skills with the tiling trade basics. You need to understand work health and safety (WHS) duties, hazard identification and risk control, manual handling limits, safe use of plant and power tools, and environmental controls such as silica dust suppression, waste segregation and run-off containment. Planning and preparation matter: interpreting drawings and specifications, confirming datum lines, calculating quantities with wastage allowances, checking substrate flatness and moisture, and selecting adhesives and bedding methods to suit the substrate and tile type. Standards and tolerances are a frequent exam theme, so know the difference between surface regularity, lippage limits and joint width tolerances, and be able to explain curing times before grouting and sealing.
333 words, about 2 min02Elective Units: Specialist Tiling Techniques and Finishes
Elective units extend the core into specialist work: waterproofing wet areas, laying large-format and stone tiles, installing mosaic and feature patterns, tiling stairs and curved surfaces, and setting out complex jobs. You should understand membrane systems and their curing and flood-test requirements, movement and construction joint placement, slip-resistance ratings for wet areas, and the handling and sealing of natural stone. Pattern setting-out is heavily examined: herringbone, chevron, basketweave and running bond each have different datum and cut rules, and feature strips or borders must be centred and balanced against the room, not just started from one wall. Questions often test whether a membrane must extend up walls and into showers, or whether a flood test is required before tiling.
353 words, about 2 min