Tips for Tiling Floors

To start with, you will need to work out the area to be tiled using your exact tile dimensions, not forgetting the joint width. This way, you are allowing for the tiles to align properly and look their absolute best when laid.

If your flooring is unlevel – even if only by a few millimetres – you will need to apply a levelling compound. We have a selection of products, including the Fast Setting Fibre Reinforced Flexible Floor Leveller, that work perfectly on various substrates, from concrete, wood and asphalt to existing tiles. Allow plenty of time for your leveller to dry for it to become fully effective.

Working from the centre outwards will provide much better scope for setting floor tiles. By starting in the middle, you can gradually extend your tiling pattern symmetrically towards the edges of the room.

You can pinpoint the centre of your room by measuring the opposing walls; using a soft pencil or chalk mark the centre of each wall, then draw a line between the two points. Repeat for the other two opposing walls and hey presto.

Not all rooms are perfectly parallel, though using this method will help you get as near to the centre as possible. From here, you can ‘practice lay’ your tiles in all four directions up to the walls, remembering to include a minimum of 3mm using spacers to allow for the joints. We have a range of tile spacers available online or in-store.

Take your time and try not to get frustrated – it’s a finicky job but precision is key if you want an aesthetically pleasing tiled floor. Once you are happy with your drafted layout, mark your centre tile and take a breather before moving on to applying your adhesive.

Using a special floor tile trowel will prevent you from losing your marks when applying adhesive to your substrate. Their notched edges are designed to enable parallel application, as well as ensure that you use the correct amount of product. We have a selection of tile adhesive application tools for both walls and floors, expertly designed to help you achieve the best possible results.