Laying down tiles is the trade of carpenters and DIY nuts. It seems a painless task, putting down tiles, but that’s easy to say when you haven’t done it. There’s an entire set of rules behind the process, and following those rules right is essential for the result to come out right.

Laying Tiles

Here are some tips on how to lay a tile:

• Putting down tiles begins at the starting point. Get a chalk and a tape measure and measure each of the walls and draw a mark at their exact middle. Then, draw a straight line, beginning at the mark, from one of the walls to the wall opposite it. Do this until all the walls are covered. The middle of that room, where all the lines meet: that’s your starting point.
• Decide on a pattern, and stick to it throughout. Are you looking towards a staggered checker board or a side-by-side pattern? There are several patterns to choose from, but whichever pattern you choose, try to stick to it for the entirety of the room. Altering the floor plan halfway will only result in a messed-up tiled floor.
• Lay the tiles whole, beginning at the center, then work your way slowly towards the walls. Stop every now and then to check that you’re still laying the tiles according to plan.
• The partial tiles (the half tiles and others that need to be cut) make up the border that runs the length of the walls.

A tile is one of those things that is easy to ignore when it’s there and not so easy to ignore when it’s not. A missing tile in an otherwise perfectly tiled bathroom is like a single spoiled fruit in a sack full of apples. It sticks out. Make sure to take your installation slowly so that you’ll be happy with the results.