Diagonal floor tiles. Laying tiles diagonally or straight

You can make the interior interesting and original by laying tiles diagonally on the floor Tiles laid diagonally on the floor look unusual and original. It will not only emphasize the individuality of the design of the room, but visually enlarge the space, giving it additional volume. Laying floor tiles diagonally is a painstaking job that requires patience and skill. Such a cladding will hide the irregular geometry of the room, advantageously beat a small space and give the room a stylish look. By laying the floor with your own hands, you can save a significant amount and get the intended composition.

Laying tiles diagonally

The method of stacking elements diagonally is slightly different from the standard method. This process is more complicated and a little more consumables will be required, since it will be necessary to cut the tiles to comply with the diagonals. Each cladding option has its pros and cons.

Many people prefer to lay floor tiles diagonally, as this way you can visually increase the space in the room.

Rhombus tile layout has its advantages:

  • Visually expands the space of the room due to the rotation of the elements;
  • Looks much more impressive than the standard version;
  • Masks the defects of the perimeter and smoothes out the visible irregularities of the walls;
  • Narrow cuts arranged diagonally look more natural than with conventional masonry.

Placing tiles diagonally will take more time due to cutting elements, and will also increase its consumption.

Diagonal tiles on the floor: marking methods

All repair work begins with the purchase of the necessary materials. You need to calculate the required number of tiles. To do this, it is recommended to draw a diagram and calculate the whole parts and trimmed elements. In order to avoid a shortage of material, this amount should be increased by 5-10 percent. For further work you will need: a container for the adhesive solution, a level, a notched and rubber spatula, a tile cutter or a grinder, plastic crosses, a mallet, tile adhesive, grout. Before starting work, it is necessary to prepare the floor surface. To do this, dismantle the old coating, remove debris, eliminate irregularities. If the floor is with significant differences, make a screed.

Be sure to walk the primer on the floor surface, this method will improve the adhesion of the adhesive, and the tile will last a long time without requiring repair.

When an ideal surface is created, it is necessary to correctly mark it for laying tiles. You can lay tiles diagonally in 2 ways from the center of the room and from its corner. In the first case, it is necessary to determine the central point. To do this, draw two straight lines from opposite corners, the intersection will be the center. If the room is square, then the diagonal line will become the main marking along which the floor can be laid.

Related article: Insulation of the loggia and balcony under the room

Before laying the tiles diagonally, you must first properly mark the floor

The second option is resorted to when the room has a rectangular shape. Several tiles are cut diagonally into triangles and begin to lay out on the floor from the corner. Having tried on the drawing, they outline the laying line, then proceed to the main work.

There is a more complicated way, which also starts from the center of the room. To do this, find the middle of the floor by the method of perpendicular intersection of two lines. A line is drawn through the center at an angle of 45 degrees relative to these lines, which will serve as the main marking. It is necessary to clearly mark the strip for the first row, you can pull the construction cord, which will become a guide. Before starting work, experts recommend decomposing the elements, creating the necessary pattern, and evaluating the result from the threshold of the room.

The process of laying tiles with a rhombus do-it-yourself

Laying tiles diagonally is carried out in several stages. First you need to dilute the adhesive solution, according to the instructions.

It is quite possible to lay the tiles with a rhombus on your own, the main thing is to correctly perform all the steps strictly according to the instructions

Stages of work:

  1. The first tile must be laid in the center of the floor so that the corner is in central point, and the edge corresponded to the diagonal and coincided with the established markup.
  2. Glue is applied to the base of the floor and the wrong side of the element with a notched trowel and the tiles are applied to the floor.
  3. After the correct location, the installed element must be tapped with a rubber mallet so that excess glue appears along the edges. This method will avoid unnecessary voids.
  4. Next, using the level, check the horizontal position of the tile, if everything is done correctly, the bubble in the device will be exactly in the middle.
  5. Subsequent elements must be laid diagonally to the corner of the room. Then return to the beginning of work and continue laying in the opposite direction. The result should be a solid diagonal line.
  6. When the first row is dry, start laying the next whole elements.

Related article: Wall mural for the hallway

Each row must be checked with a level for a horizontal position. Crosses inserted between the seams of the tiles will help keep the masonry neat and even. The next stage of work is trimming the elements with a tile cutter or grinder. To do this, mark the necessary line on the tile with a pencil, stick paper tape along the cut line to avoid chipping, and carefully work with a cutting tool.

When all the elements of porcelain stoneware are laid out, they begin to grout the joints. To do this, the tiles are thoroughly washed, the seams are cleaned of glue and crosses, and the adhesive base is allowed to dry for 2 days. After the grout is bred, and pressed with a spatula into the seams. Excess mixture is removed immediately, if the grout dries, it will be difficult to fix defects. Facing, laid out in this way, will hide the flaws of the room, visually expand its volume and effectively reflect the unique design.

Diagonal tiling with offset and insets

You can use not only square elements of floor tiles, but also rectangular options laid diagonally with an offset. When the long side of the tile leans against half of another element. Such options perfectly hide tile defects and help eliminate poor floor and wall geometry. There is also a stacking of elements diagonally with inserts. This technology is comparable to a mosaic, additional materials can be of small parameters or the size of a tile.

Tiles on the floor with offset and inserts will look beautiful and unusual in the interior

The technology of laying tiles with diagonal inserts is similar to the rhombus laying technique:

  • The center of the room is located, the corresponding markup is made;
  • On a dry floor, you need to decompose the future drawing by inserting crosses between the plates;
  • Mark the right direction by pulling the beacons;
  • Treat the surface with a primer;
  • Dilute the adhesive mass;
  • Lay out the whole elements according to the planned project;
  • Cut and lay the missing small parts around the perimeter of the room;
  • Rub the seams.

Floor tiles are laid in diagonal rows in three cases: to hide wall imperfections, create an original pattern, or visually increase the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room. Laying ceramic tiles diagonally - more difficult process than masonry in the usual way, but it is possible to do it yourself.

Laying tiles diagonally includes several stages of work:

  1. Surface preparation
  2. Floor marking
  3. tiling

Of the tools for work, you will need: a building or laser level, a notched trowel, a container for water and glue, a trowel. You can cut tiles with a tile cutter, glass cutter, grinder with an appropriate disk. Each of the cutting methods has its own disadvantage and advantage.

Surface preparation

Before laying tiles on the floor, the old coating is removed and the surface is thoroughly cleaned from dust and debris. After that, the floor is primed, and left for 24 hours to completely absorb the composition. Then the surface must be checked for evenness using a level. If there are obvious defects, the floor must be leveled: a self-leveling mixture must be laid on the base, distributing it with a roller over the entire area. After 2-3 days, the surface will harden, after which you need to apply a primer again. After a day, you can proceed to the next stage of laying the diagonal tiles with your own hands - applying markings.

Laying diagonal tiles: marking


Laying diagonal tiles - laser marking

Before marking, a tile laying scheme is outlined: it is drawn on paper in compliance with the scale. In this case, the laid tile will have both whole fragments and cut in parts. According to the scheme, you can calculate the required amount of material.

Diagonal tile laying is done as follows:

  • With the help of a laser level or a nylon thread, the first row of floor tiles is marked.
  • If the room is square, even in shape, you can mark diagonals on the floor and lay tiles on them.
  • If the shape of the room is incorrect, the marking is carried out on the basis of an isosceles triangle: in order to get a guideline for laying the first row, you need to set aside the same segments from any two corners adjacent to one wall.

The video shows an example of marking the floor before laying the tiles. Masonry begins with a whole tile.

Laying tiles diagonally

Laying floor tiles diagonally is carried out in one of the ways: from the corner or from the center of the room. Tile adhesive is diluted in accordance with the proportions of water, applied both to the base and to the tile itself. The first row of tiles is laid with respect to a stretched thread or according to the marking level. Further, laying tiles on the floor diagonally continues from the first row. At the same time, it is important to observe the angle of inclination of each tile of 45 degrees. The horizontal position is checked by checking the intersection of the seams, which should be 90 degrees.

In large rooms, the diagonal row should not start from the center, but from the edge of the wall of the room.


Thus, diagonal masonry differs from the usual one only in that the tile is not laid parallel to the walls and floor, but at an angle of 45 degrees.

Laying tiles diagonally is one way to bring a sense of originality to a living space. Tiles laid in this way will visually expand any space, making your home bigger.

Before laying tiles diagonally, you need to remember a few simple rules:

  • with this method of laying, the tile consumption will be greater than if it is done in the usual way.
  • Do not lay tiles on uneven floors. Flaws on the surface will not allow you to create a diagonal pattern of good quality.
  • you need to buy a quality tile cutter. In extreme cases, you can use the "grinder".
  • you have to be patient. Laying tiles diagonally is a more time-consuming process than horizontal-vertical laying.

Floor preparation

Preparing the floor - A new floor that has never been leveled is likely to be flawed. In order to fix this, first of all, you need to remove large protrusions and pour cement mortar cracks. Next, you need to assess the degree of surface roughness and determine the volume necessary work. If the height differences do not exceed 30 mm, then it will be possible to get by with a self-leveling screed. With differences of up to 100 mm, it will be necessary to fill with a cement-sand mixture, and more than 100 mm, expanded clay must be used so as not to load the floors.

You can proceed to the next stage of preparation after cement strainer dry completely. Its degree of drying can be checked using a plastic film, which must be covered with a floor surface overnight. If in the morning, on the side of the film that lay on the screed, moisture came out, then the cement has not yet dried and you have to wait.

Laying

The next preparation step may be waterproofing, but this is not necessary.

Marking and laying tiles - After the floor has become smooth, clean, and the screed is completely dry, you can start marking. To do this, you need a marking cord, which can be purchased at any hardware or hardware store. If you want to save a little, then such a cord can be made independently at home. To do this, you need to take a strong elastic rope and carefully rub it with a piece of chalk, after which the marking cord can be considered ready. For the purpose of marking, the cord must be stretched along the floor between the two diagonal corners of the room. Having fixed the ends, it is pulled up and sharply released. Hitting the floor, the cord will leave a colored line. The same must be done with the two remaining corners. The resulting lines intersecting in the center of the room will serve as markings for laying tiles diagonally on the floor.

The next step, after marking, should be the preparatory layout of the tiles diagonally across the entire surface of the floor. This is done in order to establish the order in which it will need to be laid out to create a diagonal pattern. The diagonal layout of the tiles starts from the center of the room, where the marking lines intersect. One of the corners is selected where the first tile should be laid, after which we continue to lay out the entire diagonal to the wall. In the same way, you need to lay out the second diagonal. After that, lay out the entire tile on the floor, filling the remaining space between the diagonals. The tile that will be against the wall will need to be cut to the required shape and size. The laid out tile, before removing it, must be numbered for convenience in further work.

Diagonal laying of tiles on glue is the most crucial moment, which, in case of an error, will be impossible to correct without losing the tile.

How to put tiles on glue to avoid mistakes? To do this, the tile adhesive solution is prepared in the volume necessary for work. For gluing tiles on the floor diagonally, you can use different kinds adhesives, their choice depends on the intensity of operation of the future ceramic coating and personal material capabilities. Glue for tiles can be divided into three types: cement-sand mixture, adhesive mastics and dispersed adhesives. They differ in price, drying speed, consumption, composition, pretreatment method and other indicators that can be found by reading the product characteristics on the package or consulting with the seller. Laying tiles diagonally is done in the same order in which it was laid out when marking. It is best to use a notched trowel to apply the adhesive solution. The solution must be applied both to the back of the tile and to the floor surface, which will provide better adhesion. It is necessary to ensure that the tiles are laid on the same level and do not protrude one above the other. If suddenly there is a need to adjust the height, then this can be done by gentle tapping with a rubber mallet. Laying ceramic tiles on the floor requires some experience, and if you are not sure that the laying of tiles on the floor diagonally will go without errors, then it is better to resort to the help of a specialist.

Grouting - after the laying of the tiles on the floor is completed and it is securely stuck, it is necessary to start grouting. For this, special dry mixes are used, which can be purchased at any hardware store. The method of preparing the grout for use will be indicated in the instructions on the package. Grout mixtures can be divided into two types. The first includes those that are used for seams with a width of not more than 5 mm. The second type includes grouts used for joints with a width of more than 5 mm. Their difference lies in the fact that in grouts of the second type, sand is additionally added to the mixture of cement and additives, which is necessary to reduce shrinkage and prevent cracking. In stores, you can see grouts based on synthetic resins, but their price will be higher than cement ones. Before starting work on grouting, it is necessary to clean the tile joints from glue. To do this, you can use the usual kitchen knife or spatula. The resulting solution is rubbed into all joints between the tiles with a rubber spatula. Before rubbing, it is recommended to moisten the seams with water to prevent shrinkage and cracking of the drying grout. The color of the grout must be chosen according to the color of the tile. If the solution gets on an already laid ceramic floor, it must be removed immediately before it dries.

On this, the laying of floor tiles diagonally is considered complete.

Classic layout - with this method of flooring, it is characteristic that all horizontal rows are located exactly in relation to each other. Facing according to the classical scheme is suitable for rooms with the correct geometry, that is, all angles in the room are approximately 45 °, and the discrepancies in the diagonals do not exceed 5 cm.

Diagonal layout - with this method, they are laid on the floor with a rhombus. That is, they deliberately lay the tiles so that oblique rows are visually obtained. Diagonal flooring is the only right solution if the room has an irregular or complex geometry. For example, when combining a balcony and a kitchen into a single loggia or when combining a toilet with a bathroom into a single bathroom, they almost always get a floor surface with irregular geometry.

Attention! The easiest way to decide on the layout is to take and accurately measure the diagonals, at the corners of the room from the inside. If the size is practically the same (difference up to 5 cm) - you can veneer according to the classical scheme. If the run-up is about or more than 10 cm, then definitely, it is necessary to choose a diagonal installation.

Non-standard tile layout from the Concret collection of the Natucer factory

Marking for laying porcelain stoneware according to the classical scheme

With ideally correct geometry, floors are almost never found. In either case, there are diagonal divergences in the room and the first thing to do is to decide where the wedge will be placed. That is, it is necessary to lay out several horizontal and vertical rows without glue on a prepared even screed, while taking into account the following points.
  • The wedge should not be on the entry threshold. Where there is a threshold into the room - there should be a whole even tile.
  • Standing at the entrance to the room, visually determine the areas open to the eye and hidden areas of the floor. Areas hidden from view - the area behind the door, areas where the sink or heavy furniture will be located, and simply areas “where it is not visible”.
  • Having laid the tiles exactly along the threshold and having determined the zones hidden to the eye, the tiles are laid out so that the wedge or cutting does not stand out too much. On the screed, indicative marks are made, according to which the laying of porcelain stoneware will begin.

Diagonal markings for porcelain stoneware cladding

For marking, you will need a rebound marker thread and a 90 ° construction square. It is necessary to perform the following series of actions in sequence.
  • The marker thread is stretched between parallel corners along the diagonal of the room above the screed. Pulling and sharply releasing the thread, a straight line is made on the screed diagonally between opposite corners.
  • In the center of the room, a 90 ° square is applied to the line on the screed. Focusing on the second shelf of the square, above the screed, between the other two corners, the second line is beaten off with a marker thread.
  • The resulting point of intersection of the two lines on the screed will mean the center of the room and the area from which to start laying porcelain stoneware.

Diagonal installation of Baltic tiles by Cithetiles

Preparation of tools and necessary materials

For flooring you will need tools:
  • Level, square and tape measure;
  • Small spatula and trowel;
  • Special spatula - comb with a tooth height of 6-10 mm;
  • Small angle grinder (angle grinder, she is also a grinder) with a win disc;
  • Stationery knife and pencil.
  • Rubber mallet;
Of the materials, you will need to calculate and buy tile adhesive, as well as PVC crosses to form uniform seams between the facing elements. And, of course, it is necessary to purchase porcelain stoneware at the very beginning of all work, before marking.

From what site does the laying of porcelain stoneware on the floor begin?

With classic cladding, the principle is as follows:

1. Laying the facing material on the glue starts from the threshold. That is, longitudinally to the future threshold, 1 row of a whole tile is laid out on glue;
2. Further from the horizontal row on the threshold, a complete vertical row is laid out along one of the walls;
3. Tiles are no longer laid in the threshold area, the laid porcelain stoneware is carefully stepped over, and all laying is carried out from the far corner into the room;
4. If you correctly use the square, the level and constantly navigate by the marks on the screed, then over time they go exactly to the first row of tiles at the threshold;
5. On the first day, only whole slabs of porcelain stoneware are laid on the glue, all other extensions and cut parts are laid after 2 days.

When facing the floor diagonally:

1. Laying porcelain tiles on adhesive composition start from the center of the room, where a cross was drawn on the screed with a marker thread. The center of the cross is the point of contact of the first 4 tiles;
2. After laying the first 4 tiles in the center of the floor, later you can lay porcelain stoneware in any convenient direction, the main thing is to leave a small space so that you can move without stepping on the tile;
3. In the early days, lay out as large an area as possible only from whole porcelain stoneware. Further, after a pause of 1-2 days, extensions are laid on the glue - porcelain stoneware cut around the perimeter of the room.

Attention! No one can say for sure when it will be possible to step on porcelain stoneware laid on glue and move along it. Much depends on the air temperature in the room, the brand of tile adhesive and the thickness of its layer.


Classic tiling

In order for porcelain stoneware to be laid on the floor with high quality, it is imperative to ensure that no voids form under the tile and that the entire space is filled with tile adhesive. To achieve complete filling, the tile adhesive must be applied both to the surface of the screed and to the back of the porcelain stoneware. Moreover, it is desirable to apply the working tile adhesive in different directions.

Initially, with a trowel, the adhesive composition is applied to the surface of the screed and its mass is distributed “by eye”. After that, the adhesive mass is distributed over the screed and its uniform thickness is formed using a comb spatula. Further, in a similar way, glue is applied to the back side of porcelain stoneware and a single layer thickness is set to it with a comb. At the next stage, the tile is laid in its place and the upper part of the porcelain stoneware is lightly pressed with the palm of your hand.

On top of the surface of the facing material is placed on the edge bubble level and weak point blows are made on porcelain stoneware with a rubber mallet. The main task here is to align as evenly as possible in level ceramic tiles placed on glue. Having completed the leveling of the first tile in a similar way, the adjacent porcelain tile is placed on the adhesive, while the same thickness of the seam between the tiles is formed by inserted PVC crosses.

Advice! If you are going to tile the floor with your own hands for the first time in your life, we recommend that you preview the video with step by step instructions or chat with professional builders.

Grouting joints between floor tiles

It is advisable to grout the joints between porcelain stoneware 5-7 days after it has been laid on the adhesive. As long as the joints are empty, they allow the adhesive to ventilate under the tiles and the adhesive itself dries faster and better. Grouting is done with a special filling mixture tile joints using a flexible rubber spatula. Previously, all seams are cleaned with a clerical knife from foreign debris and dust. Then, along the cleaned seams, they pass with a vacuum cleaner. After that, all the seams are filled with a finished grout with a rubber spatula and pause for about 30-40 minutes. When the filler for tile joints hardens a little, they pass over the entire lined surface with a wide, very damp sponge, after which they repeatedly pass over the entire surface several times with a dry piece of old rags.

Laying tiles diagonally has some advantages over the usual (generally accepted) cladding method:

Diagonal floor tiles.

  • When there is a narrow undercut under the wall, the triangular pieces look more natural and less noticeable. Oblique, narrow pieces with chess (ordinary) lining, constantly attract the eye.
  • When laying porcelain tiles of the same pattern in several adjacent rooms, the geometry of the rooms does not affect the seams and the resulting layout of tiles against the walls. The location and shape of these rooms can be of any configuration and the tiles on the floor will look natural.

Laying tiles diagonally.

Diagonal tiling in two adjacent rooms.

  • When facing two adjacent rooms floor tiles with different colors and patterns, it is possible to play with contrast on the door line. This can be done by placing tiles on the floor diagonally in one room and in straight rows in another.

Contrast when laying tiles in different ways

I am not alone in my reasoning about the ability of tiles laid in a rhombus on the floor to hide irregularities in the geometry of rooms:

The technology of laying tiles on the floor diagonally.

There is an opinion that in order to lay tiles diagonally, it is necessary to draw diagonals on the floor and start facing along these lines.

This condition is possible only in one case. If the room is square in plan. That is, the sides are the same, and all the angles in the room are 90 degrees.

There is an easier way to glue tiles diagonally. To do this, you need to cut several tiles exactly diagonally and start facing using these oblique halves. The first whole 4-5 tiles laid in a square will give one even side. It must be taken as the base. Align, if not a straight line, with a wedge. And in the future, continue the straight line with a chopping cord or a laser beam. At some stage (section), you can reproduce a right angle on it, and already carry out all further laying according to this angle. This will help to get even rows of seams even on non-calibrated tiles.

technology of laying tiles on the floor diagonally.

Filling the space with whole tiles, pruning can be done the next day. These triangular pieces no longer affect the geometry and layout.

Where to start laying diagonally.

The impracticality of facing along the diagonals applied on the floor is that you have to start from a corner or some wall. But the most prominent place often becomes the passageway of the room and the doorway without a threshold. In this place, there are usually two various coatings. If you start gluing tiles from a corner, you can get a kaleidoscope of pieces on the aisle.

Diagonal start of cladding

Therefore, the technology for laying out tiles in a “diagonal” way is slightly different. Laying begins with walkways and areas that will not be blocked by furniture or equipment.

Diagonal tiles on the aisle.

In arbors of irregular shape, when laying diagonally, it is better to bypass the perimeter with a whole tile. And fill the middle, then already, with diagonal rows.

Diagonal tiles in the gazebo.

This will help to avoid the appearance of pieces on the edge of the site and the formation of a cut, not always even edge. Small pieces do not hold well, especially at the edge of steps or platforms. A whole row of tiles around the perimeter also creates a visual frame. A frame in design is always a winning option. Be it a frame or ceiling frieze frame.

Where to start laying tiles diagonally in the garage on the floor is shown

How to measure and cut a tile diagonally.

In the West, for this case, various devices have been invented to facilitate the procedure.

Porcelain stoneware measuring fixtures for trimming

But, often, it's all vanity from scratch. There is nothing easier than directly on the tile to mark with a pencil the points along which the cut of a manual or electric tile cutter must pass.

This idea is more clear in a short video. All videos are short. Without introductions and philosophy. Main essence, supplementing the text on the site.

Difficult sections of cutting tiles are easier to do with a pre-cut paper stencil.

Details below:

Calculate the consumption of tiles diagonally.

Earlier, in an article on , it has already been said that the consumption of tiles diagonally is the same as with normal installation and is 7-8 percent. And this figure depends on the size of the tile itself and the presence of a complex pattern on it, representing a set of several tiles. The smaller the tile, the less percentage of it goes to cutting.

Price (rates) for laying tiles diagonally.

It is generally accepted to consider this method of laying as increased complexity. Therefore, the cost of this work is somewhat higher than with the usual way. The appreciation can be expressed 1.2 – 1.3. This value can vary and depends on some incomprehensible accidents, currency fluctuations and traditions of a particular area.

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