CCQ (EN) — Tile setter

1. About the CCQ Tile setter exam

The Tile setter (Carreleur) qualification exam is the official theoretical evaluation administered by the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ). Passing this exam is a key step toward obtaining a journeyman competency certificate and being authorized to work as a tile setter on Quebec construction sites.

The exam covers three sections weighted as follows: Preparing surfaces for tiling (33%), Installing tiles using the thin-set method (45%), and Installing other types of coverings (22%) — including dimension stone and terrazzo. It is offered in French and English in multiple-choice format and lasts approximately 3 hours, with a passing grade of 60%.

2. Exam structure at a glance

Section 2 (thin-set tile installation) is the heaviest single block. Together with Section 1 (substrate preparation), it accounts for 78% of the score. Section 3 covers specialty work — dimension stone and terrazzo — that not every candidate practises daily, but cannot be ignored.

3. Detailed competency elements

Section 1 — Preparing surfaces for tiling (33%)

Preparing the work to be performed:

• Recognize site hazards
• Choose personal protective equipment appropriate to the task and work situation
• Verify the conformity of received materials and prepare them
• Calculate the quantity of materials required
• Verify the conformity of the surfaces to be covered
• Prepare the surfaces according to the product to be installed

Correcting the base surface:

• Choose and install different types of membranes
• Know the conditions for using self-leveling underlayments
• Prepare and apply self-leveling underlayments
• Know the conditions for using a mortar bed
• Prepare and place mortar beds
• Explain work methods and steps

Section 2 — Installing tiles by the thin-set method (45%)

Establishing reference lines:

• Verify and adjust room squareness
• Mark reference lines

Applying setting products:

• Know the properties and conditions of use for setting products, mortars, and additives
• Prepare and apply setting products

Installing the tiles:

• Choose and install profiles
• Choose and use cutting tools
• Know joint characteristics
• Use beating-in and back-buttering techniques
• Explain work methods and steps

Grouting the tiles:

• Know the properties and conditions of use for different grout types
• Prepare and apply grout
• Clean the grout

Section 3 — Other types of coverings (22%)

Installing dimension stone slabs on floors, stairs, and walls:

• Determine the work sequence
• Prepare slabs to receive anchors
• Know anchor point locations
• Cut and drill slabs
• Choose and use products appropriate to the installation situation
• Bond slabs to the substrate
• Place and fix anchors to the slabs or substrate (mechanical anchors, wire)
• Choose and use jointing products
• Joint the slabs

Applying terrazzo (granito) coverings:

• Choose and use appropriate tools and equipment
• Mix terrazzo ingredients
• Place divider strips for the terrazzo
• Place and finish terrazzo coverings
• Order work steps
• Explain work methods and steps

4. Documents provided at the exam

This is a defining feature of all CCQ trade qualification exams: unlike RBQ contractor exams (some of which are open book), CCQ exams are systematically closed book regardless of the trade. Plan your study accordingly.

5. Recommended study documents

The CCQ suggests the following references for preparation. None of them will be available during the exam — they are study aids only. Use them to build understanding, then test recall with practice questions and flashcards.

• National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association (NTMA) — terrazzo installation technical resources (ntma.com)
• 2007 Specification 09 66 00 — Terrazzo — Terrazzo, Tile and Marble Association of Canada (TTMAC), Concord, Ontario, 2007, 80 p.
• Specification Guide 09 30 00 — Tile Installation Manual 2014-2016 — Terrazzo, Tile and Marble Association of Canada (TTMAC), Concord, Ontario, 2014, 118 p.
• Dimension Stone Guide — Volume 2 (English only) — Terrazzo, Tile and Marble Association of Canada (TTMAC), Concord, Ontario, 2010, 149 p.

6. What makes the Tile setter exam different

The Tile setter trade is unusual in how heavily the exam weights substrate preparation. Section 1 (33%) is dedicated entirely to surface diagnosis, membrane selection, self-leveling underlayments, and mortar beds — work performed before a single tile is laid. Combined with Section 2's setting-product fundamentals, the exam puts roughly half the weight on what's under the tile rather than the tile itself. This reflects field reality: almost every callback and failure traces to a substrate issue, not the tile.

Section 2 (45%) is the heaviest single block and tests the full thin-set workflow: squareness verification, mortar selection and application, profile installation, cutting techniques, joint characteristics, beating-in and back-buttering, then grouting and cleanup. The exam asks why a particular method is used in a given situation as much as how to execute it — pure field experience without theoretical understanding tends to score lower than expected.

Section 3 (22%) is small but covers two specialty workflows — dimension stone and terrazzo — that are not part of every tile setter's daily work. Dimension stone (large-format natural stone slabs) requires anchoring knowledge that's distinct from regular tile work. Terrazzo (in-situ poured aggregate-and-binder flooring with divider strips) is a separate craft with its own mix, placement, and finishing rules. A candidate who has never poured terrazzo or anchored a stone slab will struggle without dedicated study. Because the exam is closed book, the platform also tracks what you've actually memorized — flashcards spaced over multiple sessions surface weak areas before exam day.

7. Recommended preparation strategy

1. Anchor preparation around Section 2 (45%) and Section 1 (33%). Together they are 78% of the exam, and Section 1 underpins Section 2 — failures at the substrate stage make the rest of the work irrelevant.
2. Treat the exam as closed book from day one. Memorize membrane application limits, self-leveling underlayment thicknesses, mortar bed depths, grout types, and beating-in procedures — you will not have a manual to consult.
3. Read the recommended documents in this order: TTMAC Tile Installation Manual (the foundation — Section 1 and Section 2), then TTMAC Terrazzo Specification (Section 3 terrazzo), then TTMAC Dimension Stone Guide (Section 3 stone), then NTMA online resources (additional terrazzo depth).
4. Don't neglect Section 3. Many candidates underestimate the dimension-stone and terrazzo content because it's not their daily work. The 22% weight is large enough to fail the exam if you skip it.
5. Drill substrate diagnosis questions. Section 1 questions often present a real-world surface scenario and ask which corrective system applies — these are calibrated to common field mistakes.
6. Take at least two full mock exams under real conditions (3 hours, no documents, single sitting) before scheduling the real exam.
7. Review every wrong answer. The Prof-RBQ.ca platform shows the reasoning behind each correct answer — read every explanation, even on questions you got right.

8. Why Prof-RBQ.ca for the Tile setter exam

• Aligned with the official CCQ structure — content mapped one-to-one to the three sections, with extra depth on substrate preparation (Section 1) and the heavyweight Section 2 thin-set content.
• Closed-book training methodology — flashcards and spaced practice designed for memorization, not lookup.
• Mock exams in CCQ format — multiple choice, 3-hour timing, scoring out of 60% — so exam day feels familiar.
• Detailed answer explanations — every question, right or wrong, comes with a written rationale.
• Bilingual — full course in English and French. The CCQ exam itself is offered in both languages.
• A free section is available so you can try the platform before committing.

Frequently asked questions