Terrazzo setter needed in Canada by VADEL INC. 

Terrazzo, Tile & Marble Setters cover interior and exterior walls, floors, and ceilings with decorative and/or protective terrazzo, tile, or marble finishes. The job is varied – a setter could line a swimming pool with mosaic floors one day and tile a kitchen backsplash the next.

Job details

•  Location: Calgary, AB
•  Salary: 26.00 to 27.00 hourly for 30 to 40 hours per week
•  Terms of employment: Permanent employment
  Full time
•  Start date: Starts as soon as possible
•  Vacancies: 3 vacancies

Definition and Nature of the Work

Within the field of construction there are many specialized workers. Marble setters install marble, terrazzo panels, and structural glass in large buildings. Tile setters apply tile to walls, floors, and ceilings in homes and businesses. Terrazzo workers install a decorative concrete mixture used mostly for flooring in schools, office buildings, and hospitals. These workers use a variety of tools including hammers, chisels, trowels, putty knives, power grinders, and polishers. They generally work with at least one helper.

To set marble, marble setters first drill holes in the corners of a marble sheet. They place fasteners, such as bolts or screws, through these holes. Then they press the marble against a plaster mixture that they have applied to the wall. Once the marble is in place, marble setters pack a special mixture between the slabs and smooth and finish this mixture with a trowel. A trowel is a flat, pointed tool made of metal.

Tile setters apply a special cement to the walls, floors, and ceilings they are covering. Sometimes they put cement on the backs of the tiles, as well. Then they set each tile in place and tap it to make sure the cement will hold. To fit tiles in corners and around plumbing and electrical outlets, setters use chisels and other tools to crack the tiles to the proper shape and size. This requires skill and patience.

Terrazzo is an ornamental mixture of tinted concrete and marble chips. Terrazzo workers first lay a base of mortar, which is a mixture of cement or plaster. They level the mortar with a straightedge. They put metal strips in the mortar wherever there is to be a joint or a change of color between the panels. Then they mix colored cement and marble chips to make the terrazzo. They put this mixture over the mortar base, and they roll and level it. In a few days, when it is dry, the terrazzo workers smooth and polish the surface with a grinding machine.