The first steps of this lesson
Step 1: Layout Is Decided Before the First Tile Is Set
Where the first tile goes decides how wide every edge cut will be at the walls, and the edge cuts are what the owner sees. A thin sliver along a wall looks like a mistake, breaks easily, and shows every bend in the wall. A tile setter finds the room centerlines, dry-lays a row of tile (a "dry run") along both directions, and shifts the starting lines before any mortar is mixed. This is a trade-practice lesson: no California code section prints a layout or edge-cut rule, so nothing here is a code requirement. The CSLB C-54 Study Guide does list "alternative layout methods" as the way to reduce tile waste (sample question 3).
Step 2: Practice Rule One: Center and Balance
Most setters center the pattern so the cuts on opposite walls, left and right and top and bottom, are the same width. Balanced cuts also put the grout joint farther from the wall, which hides a crooked or wavy wall. If a room cannot be balanced both ways, balance the direction the eye sees first, such as the doorway view.
The remaining 3 steps, the worked example and the quiz are in the course. This is a preview. The full lesson, with the step-by-step explanations, a worked example and a quick-check quiz, is inside the classroom.
Independent exam preparation. Contractors Classroom is not affiliated with the Contractors State License Board, and no course can guarantee a passing result.
