Tile Setting NC II study guide
Tile Setting NC II · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
Tile Setting NC II is a Philippine national certificate under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) system. It certifies that a holder can perform the core competencies of a tile setter at skilled-worker level: preparing surfaces and setting out work, cutting and shaping ceramic and porcelain tiles, mixing and applying mortar and adhesive, laying floor and wall tiles including special features, grouting and sealing, and checking finished work for defects. The Tile Setting NC II study guide has 10 sections and about 3,594 words.
01Workplace Communication for Tile Setters
This domain tests whether you can receive, confirm and pass on site information accurately, take part in toolbox talks and coordination meetings, and complete the paperwork that follows tiling work - delivery receipts, daily logs, material requisitions and handover notes. Close the loop every time.
372 words, about 2 min02Workplace Safety and Housekeeping (5S)
Safety and housekeeping questions test whether you can name the hazard, name the control and apply 5S to a real tiling workplace - not recite slogans. Respirable crystalline silica: dry-cutting porcelain, stone or cement board releases fine dust.
390 words, about 2 min03Interpretation of Drawings, Plans and Specifications
This domain tests reading a set of drawings well enough to set out and tile without guessing: floor plans, elevations, sections, the finish schedule and the written specification. Title block and revision cloud: always work from the latest revision; a superseded sheet is a defect waiting to happen.
317 words, about 2 min04Tools, Equipment and Materials: Selection, Use and Maintenance
Questions here ask you to choose the right tool for the tile and the task, use it safely, and keep it working - because a worn diamond blade or a clogged trowel shows up later as a defect in the finished work. Notched trowel: 6 mm notch for mosaics and small ceramics, 10–12 mm for large-format tiles and uneven substrates.
388 words, about 2 min05Surface Preparation and Setting-Out
The exam tests whether you can hand over a substrate that will hold tiles for years, and set out a layout that produces balanced cuts instead of a 20 mm sliver in a doorway. Clean, sound, dry and flat: remove paint, old adhesive, dust, oil and loose screed.
359 words, about 2 min06Cutting and Shaping of Tiles
This domain covers straight cuts, curves, notches and holes - and the edge quality that separates a professional finish from a chipped one. Score and snap: one firm pass with the cutter wheel on the glazed face, then snap.
360 words, about 2 min07Mortar and Adhesive Mixing and Application
Questions test the mix, the notch, the coverage and the timing - the four things that decide whether a tile stays bonded. Follow the bag: measure water with a jug, add powder to water, mix 2–3 minutes with a helical paddle at low speed, let it slake for the stated time, then remix briefly.
343 words, about 2 min08Tile Laying and Fixing: Floors, Walls and Special Features
This domain is the core skill: laying floor and wall tiles flat, level, plumb and aligned, including the special features - niches, steps, skirtings, window reveals and wet-area falls. Bed the tile into the adhesive with a slight twist and a rubber mallet or levelling block, then check with a level and straightedge as you go.
373 words, about 2 min09Grouting, Sealing and Finishing
This domain tests the finish: grout mixed and applied correctly, joints full and even, movement joints kept flexible, and surfaces sealed only when the time is right. Wait for the adhesive to cure as stated, usually about 24 hours, before grouting.
355 words, about 2 min10Quality Control, Defect Identification and Rectification
This final domain tests inspection: knowing what acceptable work looks like, naming a defect correctly, and fixing it so it does not come back. Flatness and level against the specification, checked with a straightedge and level, not by eye.
337 words, about 2 min