Thursday, March 24, 2005

In to Out or Out to In

We just picked up some floor tile at the dollar store. Someone once told me you are supposed to start in the center of the room and work your way out. This would mean pieces around all of the edges. Somehow that does not make sense to me, but I also am fully aware that a lot of this does not make sense to me. Can anyone help?

2 comments:

Adrienne said...

It is a matter of what LOOKS nicer. You don't want to have stray pieces in the middle of the room. If you start in the center you have an even distribution around the room and then your edges are not always even so that is where your pieces come in.

marty said...

OK, you want to start at a wall assuming that the wall is straight. It isn’t, and that’s why you don’t start there. Measure the room one way. If you odd inches are six or more mark the center ( 12’ 7” makes the center 6’ 3 ½”) If you odd inches are less than six move the center six inches either way. Now measure the other way and do the same. Lay a row of tiles (dry) from the center to the walls you will see that you have an edge equal on both sides and over six inched (takes the same number of tiles) Lay out rows of dry tiles to check how you will be doing at and alcoves, zigzags or whatever. You can make adjustments to the center to make everything perfect.

If working from the center is a problem measure out from the center in even tiles and chalk a line and start there. It makes no difference where you start if you have a straight line and a balances layout. As you are finishing up near a wall you will now notice that the edge pieces are not all the same size.

Cutting the edge. Place a new tile directly over the last time laid. Place another full tile against the wall. Cut the bottom tile along the edge of the top tile and the bottom tile should exactly fit the open area, cut side to the wall.