I am about to take the plunge at begin tiling my back passage much to the delight and trepidation of Mrs Ajax.

I am using 150mm x 150mm quarry tiles from Wickes (mainly cos they're cheap and I'm tight) and I want to do a diamond pattern with no border so diagoally laid tiles all the way to the edges. Did my front path the same way some years ago but I laid the walls for that and they were square and straight.

Anyway the passage is about 3m by 1.5m and I have laid SLC over the lot so that I have a very slight fall to one point where any water that might get in can run off to and out through a drain.

Being an old house nothing is straight including the bases of the walls on all four sides of the passage so I can't just cut tiles in half diagonally and start at the edges as I did at the front.

I think I need to draw a straight line right down the middle and lay a row of tiles along the line and work out from the centre and then cut the edges to fit as I get there.

Does anyone have a better (and by that I of course mean easier) idea.

The passage is semi outdoors i.e. covered and I don't tile quickly. I used Wickes outdoor tile adhesive last time and it is fine so will probably use it again. Constructive comments or ideas on this also welcome.

why no border ? Using a border is like having a get out of jail free card when doing a job such as the one you have, scribing your diagonal cuts into 2 out of square walls will be challenging for you if you have never done it before, that said, I would simply find the centre of the 2 ends and snap a line down between the centre points, frame the drain gulley with a 75mm strip of tile mitred at the corners this will help with any sharp or unsightly cuts on the diagonal around the gulley,

Main reason I was not going to put the diamond pattern right to the edge is so put a skirting on which will hide the edges so you wont be able to see the cuts if I do make a mess.

Till I start laying them though nothing is cast in stone. If I use a border would you use a whole tile then cuts at very edges or would you just place cut tiles to the edge. I think would look better with whole tile then cuts to edges if I go that way.

Opinions as well as advice are welcome.

whole tile to whole tile with diagonal half cuts and cut in the border to the edges ,if you dont use a border make up a guaging stick for your cuts it will help getting acurate cuts through the diagonal, second best, measure each side of the tile with a steel rule then cut in individually takes a bit more time but will give acurate cutting

Now the trouble begins. Bought adhesive, bought notched trowel (6mm) bought laser line and then went to get tiles. I have a load which I have reclaimed and thought it would be simple enough to just get a couple of boxes to top up what I have. Nightmare or what. I did not relaise that cheap quarry tiles came in so many different sizes, texture and shades. Thing is I can't find any to match what I got so Mrs Ajax had made up my mind to do a diamond pattern with reds and blacks alternate. \did this on the fornt garden path and it looks nice enough. No problem says I. I got the reds and can get the blacks on Monday.

I intend to lay all the reds and then lay the blacks into the spaces provided afterwards. The blacks are about 3mm smaller in edge length than the reds so should not be a problem fitting them in. I want to do it this way because the reds are 10mm deep but the blacks only 8mm so I will place all the reds and then dollop addy in the gaps so I can keep the addy bed slightly thicker in the gaps thus bringing the thinner black tiles to the same level as the reds and have a nice even floor.

Does this make sense. Is it a reasonable idea or is it destined for disaster. I know it will be fiddly but I am in no particular rush.

It sounds like you are making hard work for yourself, wait until you have all the tiles in hand before you decide how you are going to tile it as a tile being 3mm smaller could be potentially unslightly

6mm trowel for Quarries ???? far too small IMO

deffo wait until you have all the tiles and lay a few out first try a 10 mm trowl might make it easier why not break it into seperate panels lay one red border black 45 and alternate on next panel bit worried about 3mm diff hope this helps

Nothing I can do about the 3mm thing unfortunately. I don't think it will show up too much if I alternate red black red black. Bear in mind it is a job for myself and not a paying job. I will be using a dark grout so that should helpo take out the effect a bit as well.

Will now go and buy a 10mm trowel to go with my 6mm one. Only £3.95 so will throw away when done. Will get the tiles at the same time.

Will post pics if it turns out ok. If not I'll start a thread saying "this is why you should use a professional tiler" .....