Tile Daily Log Template
Download a tile daily log template to track crews, preparation, waterproofing, tile installation, materials, equipment, inspections, delays, and daily progress.
Document Tile Installation, Preparation, and Field Conditions Each Day
A tile daily log gives specialty contractors a consistent record of crews, labor hours, demolition, substrate preparation, waterproofing, membrane installation, tile and stone work, materials, equipment, inspections, delays, safety observations, and completed quantities. It helps field and office teams understand exactly what happened during each shift and how actual production compares with the project schedule and planned work.
This Tile Daily Log Template is designed for commercial tile subcontractors, residential tile installers, ceramic and porcelain tile contractors, natural-stone installers, shower and waterproofing contractors, foremen, superintendents, project managers, quality-control staff, and field administrators.
What Is a Tile Daily Log?
A tile daily log is a field record completed for each workday or shift. It documents who worked, which areas were released, what demolition or preparation occurred, which waterproofing or membrane systems were installed, what tile or stone was set, what quantities were completed, what materials and equipment were used, and what conditions affected production.
A complete log may include existing-tile removal, thinset removal, grinding, patching, self-leveling, wall floating, mud beds, backer board, waterproofing, flood testing, uncoupling membranes, crack-isolation membranes, layout, floor tile, wall tile, mosaics, stone, tile base, thresholds, niches, curbs, benches, stairs, grouting, sealant, movement joints, trim installation, protection, punch-list work, material deliveries, and next-day planning.
When to Use This Template
- At the end of each tile or waterproofing shift
- During demolition and removal of existing tile, stone, mortar beds, or membranes
- While grinding, patching, flattening, self-leveling, wall floating, or installing mud beds
- When documenting backer board, waterproofing, uncoupling, or crack-isolation systems
- During floor tile, wall tile, shower tile, mosaic, stone, base, niche, threshold, or stair installation
- When recording mortar, grout, sealant, trim, and movement-joint work
- When tracking material deliveries, shade lots, batch numbers, shortages, or damaged products
- When documenting inspections, flood tests, defects, corrective work, or other-trade damage
- When recording delays, unavailable work areas, access restrictions, or extra work
- When planning the next shift's crews, materials, equipment, inspections, and area releases
Who Should Use This Template?
This template is suitable for commercial tile subcontractors, residential tile contractors, ceramic and porcelain tile installers, natural-stone contractors, waterproofing crews, floor-preparation crews, foremen, superintendents, project managers, quality-control staff, safety personnel, and office administrators.
It can be adapted for multifamily, healthcare, education, hospitality, restaurant, retail, office, residential, municipal, tenant-improvement, renovation, and public-works projects.
What a Tile Daily Log Should Include
| Daily Log Section | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Project and Shift Details | Identifies the project, date, shift, building, floor, room, elevation, phase, foreman, cost code, and schedule activity. |
| Site and Environmental Conditions | Records weather, enclosure, temperature, humidity, temporary heat, lighting, water availability, ventilation, and conditions affecting mortar, grout, waterproofing, or curing. |
| Crew and Labor | Tracks tile setters, finishers, waterproofing installers, prep technicians, saw operators, material handlers, supervision, overtime, standby, and rework. |
| Demolition and Preparation | Documents tile removal, thinset removal, grinding, patching, leveling, wall floating, mud beds, backer board, and substrate correction. |
| Waterproofing and Membranes | Records waterproofing areas, membranes, seams, corners, penetrations, drains, cure conditions, flood tests, repairs, and release status. |
| Tile and Stone Installation | Tracks floor tile, wall tile, mosaics, stone, base, thresholds, niches, curbs, benches, stairs, patterns, layout direction, and completed quantities. |
| Mortar, Grout, and Accessories | Records mortar, grout, sealant, backer rod, edge profiles, movement-joint profiles, spacers, leveling systems, and specialty accessories. |
| Materials and Deliveries | Documents products, manufacturers, sizes, colors, shade lots, batch numbers, quantities received, shortages, rejects, transfers, returns, damage, and waste. |
| Equipment and Access | Tracks grinders, HEPA vacuums, mixers, wet saws, rail saws, tile cutters, lifts, scaffolds, carts, and equipment downtime. |
| Quality Control and Inspections | Records substrate inspections, waterproofing inspections, flood tests, layout reviews, lippage, joint width, alignment, grout, sealant, and corrective action. |
| Safety, Delays, and Extra Work | Documents dust controls, PPE, wet-area restrictions, unavailable rooms, substrate defects, other-trade impacts, schedule delays, and potential change work. |
| Photos and Next-Day Plan | References existing conditions, preparation, waterproofing, layout, installation, testing, defects, completed work, and planned crews, materials, and inspections. |
How to Use the Template
- Enter the project, date, shift, building, floor, room, elevation, phase, foreman, cost code, and schedule activity.
- Record environmental and site conditions that could affect preparation, waterproofing, mortar, grout, sealant, or cure.
- List employees and crews with classifications, regular hours, overtime, standby, material-handling, and rework hours.
- Describe demolition and substrate preparation by room, wall, surface, substrate, and measurable quantity.
- Record waterproofing and membrane work by system, manufacturer, product, area, cure status, inspection, and test reference.
- Track tile installation by manufacturer, product, size, color, pattern, surface, location, and completed quantity.
- Record grout, sealant, trim, thresholds, base, niches, movement joints, and stair quantities separately.
- Document material deliveries, shade lots, batches, quantities used, shortages, rejected products, damage, transfers, and waste.
- Record equipment usage, inspections, delays, defects, extra work, safety observations, and supporting photos.
- Complete the next-day plan with released areas, crews, products, equipment, testing, layout, and coordination needs.
A hotel tile crew mechanically prepares 2,800 square feet of corridor slab, completes waterproofing in 12 showers, flood-tests eight previously completed showers, installs 1,950 square feet of 24-by-48-inch porcelain floor tile, sets 740 square feet of restroom wall tile, and installs 220 linear feet of tile base. The daily log records one rail saw, two mixers, one floor grinder, four shade lots, a 75-minute room-release delay, three wall areas requiring additional flattening, one failed flood test requiring repair, and photos of substrate preparation, waterproofing, layout, and completed tile.
Best Practices for Tile Daily Logs
- Complete the log on the same day the work occurs.
- Identify exact buildings, floors, rooms, walls, elevations, surfaces, and phases.
- Record measurable quantities instead of descriptions such as “continued tile.”
- Separate demolition, preparation, waterproofing, tile setting, grouting, sealant, and punch-list work.
- Record manufacturer, product, size, color, shade lot, batch, and installation location when relevant.
- Document waterproofing and flood-test results before covering completed work.
- Track productive work, standby, room-release delays, equipment downtime, and rework separately.
- Photograph concealed preparation and waterproofing before tile installation.
- Reference RFIs, field direction, work orders, and approved changes clearly.
- Preserve revisions rather than overwriting an issued daily record.
Common Tile Daily Log Mistakes
- Completing logs several days after the work occurred
- Using vague descriptions without surfaces, rooms, tile types, or quantities
- Combining preparation and tile installation into one activity
- Failing to record waterproofing, flood tests, or membrane inspections
- Omitting tile size, pattern, shade lot, grout type, or installation method
- Combining productive labor, standby, delays, and rework
- Not documenting additional floor flattening, wall correction, or substrate repair
- Failing to record material shortages, breakage, rejected deliveries, or damaged tile
- Omitting other-trade damage, unavailable rooms, or schedule impacts
- Revising completed logs without preserving the original record
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should complete a tile daily log?
The foreman, superintendent, project manager, crew leader, or another designated field supervisor familiar with the day's tile and waterproofing work should complete the log.
What tile quantities should be tracked?
Track units that match the work, including square feet of floor and wall tile, linear feet of base and movement joints, thresholds and niches by each, stair components, waterproofing area, grout or mortar quantities, labor hours, and equipment hours.
Should substrate preparation be recorded separately?
Yes. Separate grinding, patching, flattening, self-leveling, wall floating, mud beds, and backer-board work so production and potential extra work can be reviewed independently from tile setting.
What waterproofing information belongs in the daily log?
Record the system, product, location, area, coat or membrane status, seams, corners, penetrations, cure status, inspection result, flood-test reference, repair status, and whether the area was released for tile installation.
Should shade lots and batch numbers be recorded?
Yes, when applicable. Recording shade lots, dye lots, batch numbers, and installation locations can help trace material if a color, calibration, finish, or manufacturing issue appears later.
Can the daily log support change orders?
Yes. Records of additional preparation, waterproofing repairs, material changes, room-release delays, other-trade damage, labor, equipment, quantities, and photos can support change review, but approval should follow the project's change-order procedure.
What photos should be referenced?
Useful photos include existing conditions, demolition, substrate defects, grinding, patching, leveling, mud beds, waterproofing, flood tests, tile labels, shade lots, layout, setting, grouting, movement joints, damage, corrective work, and completed surfaces.
How long should tile daily logs be retained?
Retention depends on company policy, contract requirements, warranty needs, insurance procedures, and applicable recordkeeping rules. Store completed logs with the project's permanent field documentation.
Create a Reliable Daily Record of Tile Work
A structured tile daily log helps contractors document crews, preparation, waterproofing, tile installation, materials, equipment, inspections, delays, and next steps in one consistent field record.
SimplySub can help tile subcontractors organize daily logs, jobs, employee time, photos, documents, schedules, change orders, and job-cost information within one workflow.