centered floor layout?

[Hornviper]

Hello guys,
I have a rather general question, but I am trying to learn as much as possible.I know that it all depends. Imagine a rectangular-ish bathroom floor. I do like centered layouts, but I know a lot of people who just start off the doorway or one of the walls and hope for the best. I've traveled a lot, and I don't think I've ever seen centered bathroom/toilet floors, so that makes me wonder. I guess a centered layout would only make sense if all the cut pieces are visible. I am just starting to wonder if snapping chalk lines and getting the same size cuts everywhere is really the "end of the world".
I am not trying to get on your nerves , there are just thousands of people who start off one of the walls and that doesn't seem to be doing them any harm.
By the way, I am not talking about any complicated/intricate layouts. Only the simplest layouts you can think of.

Thank you and please take it easy.

 

[J Sid]

chalk line

depends if the walls are being done

 

[Hornviper]

chalk line

depends if the walls are being done

Some people use chalk lines to mark the center of the room. Or at least they used to. Let's assume everything's being done. I guess a centered layout is a bad idea then. Starting off a wall seems to be the way to go regardless of the situation. Hmm...

 

[J Sid]

centre wall or work of a focal point centred or halves tile then see how it looks

 

[Spare Tool]

There is no right or wrong way rule book, as you've found on your travels everybody has there own ways of setting out and the floors are still tiled.
If the floors are running through multiple rooms would try and centre a focal point like a corridor or patio door, sometimes no matter what you do things just won't land right, and if that's the case would just work to nearest to balanced and largest cuts possible, never hope for best though..your luck will eventually run out!!

 

[Time's Ran Out]

The first question I’d ask you - are the walls being tiled with the same tile as the floor?

 

[Hornviper]

I lived in Germany for a while and I paid attention to what all the Turkish tilers were doing. They would start with a full tile in one of the corners and work out. No dividing the space into quadrants, pythagorean theorems, laser levels, symmetry. An American tile setter I knew used to divide the room/space into quadrants, so he could get the same size cuts on all sides. That's one of the reasons I posted this thread as I was a little confused. It's good to know there is no wrong way as the EU way is much faster and therefore more lucrative.

Thank you so much guys. Happy New Year and lots of luck and happiness.

 

[Spare Tool]

I lived in Germany for a while and I paid attention to what all the Turkish tilers were doing. They would start with a full tile in one of the corners and work out. No dividing the space into quadrants, pythagorean theorems, laser levels, symmetry. An American tile setter I knew used to divide the room/space into quadrants, so he could get the same size cuts on all sides. That's one of the reasons I posted this thread as I was a little confused. It's good to know there is no wrong way as the EU way is much faster and therefore more lucrative.

Thank you so much guys. Happy New Year and lots of luck and happiness.

All though there is no right answer that fits all, generally a centred balanced look is aesthetically more pleasing to the eye than say a full tile to the left and a slither to the right..

 

[Dumbo]

Even if you centre a room in both directions you can not guarantee and it would be unlikely that the end cuts would be the same as the side cuts .

 

[Hornviper]

Even if you centre a room in both directions you can not guarantee and it would be unlikely that the end cuts would be the same as the side cuts .

Naturally. The cuts in the horizontal rows won't be exactly the same as the ones in the vertical rows. Can't argue with that.

 

[Hornviper]

I don't mind starting with a full tile at the doorway or in one of the distant corners but if the area that's being tiled is out of square I might find myself up the stream without a paddle. I've seen that happen several times but a lot of people don't care. And probably rightfully so.

I've only helped other tilers and I am not a pro, as you can see. I only know what looks good to me and what doesn't.

 

[Dumbo]

Naturally. The cuts in the horizontal rows won't be exactly the same as the ones in the vertical rows. Can't argue with that.

But you said the American tile setter got the same cuts on all sides .

 

[Hornviper]

But you said the American tile setter got the same cuts on all sides .

I did. The same/similar size cuts along opposite walls. Similar cuts in the horizontal rows, similar cuts in the vertical rows. Not the same/similar around the perimeter. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Hornviper]

I worked for him for a few months. He used to find the center points of all four walls and snap lines. (so there's a cross in the middle of the room) Then he would make sure the intersecting lines formed a 90 degree angle. That's why I was a little surprised when I went to Germany. No one cared. No measuring or worrying about small cuts, symmetry, balanced cuts, etc. The only problem was that most rooms weren't perfectly square.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

@Hornviper - I see from your November welcome that you are young and new to tiling!
My advice would be to forget the habits of those you’ve seen who ‘don’t care’ and learn this trade correctly.
You’ll never work on a building site in Britain ( as you have no location in your profile) if you don’t set a room out symmetrically. Architects and designers have no tolerances for the aesthetics of tile spacing, pattern continuation etc. IMHO .
In the private contract market a skilled tiler will spend a good length of time setting out the room prior to fixing their first tile so they know where every tile will finish.

 

[Hornviper]

Good to know, John. I know that most/all of you don't mind going through the hassle of measuring, squaring things up and basically doing what you think is best. I wanted to learn to tile the UK way as I respect what you guys do, but I never got to work with a British tiler. I live in the EU and things are different. I just don't like the idea of starting somewhere and hoping for the best or saying "well that's how they fit". I know a few people who work in the UK (in the private contract market) and symmetry is the last thing on their mind. The currency exchange rates are more important but anyway... I don't want to be like them and I hope there's nothing wrong with that. I know who I want to learn from.

 

[Albert]

Good to know, John. I know that most/all of you don't mind going through the hassle of measuring, squaring things up and basically doing what you think is best. I wanted to learn to tile the UK way as I respect what you guys do, but I never got to work with a British tiler. I live in the EU and things are different. I just don't like the idea of starting somewhere and hoping for the best or saying "well that's how they fit". I know a few people who work in the UK (in the private contract market) and symmetry is the last thing on their mind. The currency exchange rates are more important but anyway... I don't want to be like them and I hope there's nothing wrong with that. I know who I want to learn from.

You have come to the right place

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

@Hornviper - I see from your November welcome that you are young and new to tiling!
My advice would be to forget the habits of those you’ve seen who ‘don’t care’ and learn this trade correctly.
You’ll never work on a building site in Britain ( as you have no location in your profile) if you don’t set a room out symmetrically. Architects and designers have no tolerances for the aesthetics of tile spacing, pattern continuation etc. IMHO .
In the private contract market a skilled tiler will spend a good length of time setting out the room prior to fixing their first tile so they know where every tile will finish.

Good call TJ spot on.

 

[Dumbo]

Good to know, John. I know that most/all of you don't mind going through the hassle of measuring, squaring things up and basically doing what you think is best. I wanted to learn to tile the UK way as I respect what you guys do, but I never got to work with a British tiler. I live in the EU and things are different. I just don't like the idea of starting somewhere and hoping for the best or saying "well that's how they fit". I know a few people who work in the UK (in the private contract market) and symmetry is the last thing on their mind. The currency exchange rates are more important but anyway... I don't want to be like them and I hope there's nothing wrong with that. I know who I want to learn from.

I'm not being funny but the next time you are in Germany maybe you should find some German tilers and see what they are doing .

 

[Hornviper]

I'm not being funny but the next time you are in Germany maybe you should find some German tilers and see what they are doing .

I did not in any way, shape or form say that they were bad, so I am not knocking them. The ones I worked with weren't fond of balanced layouts and probably with good reason. I probably shouldn't care too much about setting out and all, but I guess I am too freaking dumb.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

@Hornviper - what could be the good reason for not setting out correctly and if you don’t care why ask for advice?
Not sure what your thread is trying to clarify!

 

[Dumbo]

I did not in any way, shape or form say that they were bad, so I am not knocking them. The ones I worked with weren't fond of balanced layouts and probably with good reason. I probably shouldn't care too much about setting out and all, but I guess I am too freaking dumb.

The reason I say this is I know some guys that have worked in Germany and they reckon they are definitely some of the best tilers in the world .

 

[Hornviper]

The reason I say this is I know some guys that have worked in Germany and they reckon they are definitely some of the best tilers in the world .

Different strokes for different folks. There's nothing wrong with that. Personally I think that a lot of thought and attention to detail go into what you guys do and I do respect that. So my hat's off to all of you.

 

[Hornviper]

@Hornviper - what could be the good reason for not setting out correctly and if you don’t care why ask for advice?
Not sure what your thread is trying to clarify!

No need for exclamation marks and angry remarks, John. I am not here to argue with people. As I said, I am still learning. I like to take my time and come up with at least a decent layout. A few local pros have told me that centering my work and not starting with a full tile off a wall that's crooked (or a corner) is a bad idea. More cuts and work. I guess I just want to know what exactly I am doing wrong. I didn't mean to get on your wick.

 

[Dumbo]

Going of a wall is usually a bad idea as they are not normally straight ,Corners are never usually square but other than that there is more to setting out than finding the centre of a room .

 

[Hornviper]

Going of a wall is usually a bad idea as they are not normally straight ,Corners are never usually square but other than that there is more to setting out than finding the centre of a room .

I never said that finding the center of the room is the be all and end all of tiling. There's more to it, I agree wholeheartedly. There are a lot of old masonry walls in our houses (especially in mine as it was built in 1924) which are anything but straight, so you get the picture.
Symmetry is a great thing if it's visible. I've got a nasty V-shaped corner gap (crooked corners) in one of my bathrooms. I might be able to take a pic or two tomorrow.

Again, my apologies. I didn't mean to annoy you. Peace.

 

[Spare Tool]

A laser or chalk line down the centre of your room squared off to the longest sighting wall is always a good place to start though, then see how things pan out from there...

 

[Hornviper]

A laser or chalk line down the centre of your room squared off to the longest sighting wall is always a good place to start though, then see how things pan out from there...

That's what I normally aim to do. Thank you for your time and help, and I hope this thread hasn't upset all of you. I will not be posting any other threads, so everything should be okay.

Thank you and good night from me. God bless.

 

[Italy]

The reason I say this is I know some guys that have worked in Germany and they reckon they are definitely some of the best tilers in the world .

to learn something else, then I must also register in a German forum.....

 

[Andy Allen]

Always try and centre the main focal point, and square off a wall that follows your eye line.
This multi room job was all centred off the hallway, as this was the main focal point as soon as you opened the front door.