Which layout should you choose for 600 × 1200 mm or wood-look tiles?

Explanation

Choose the tile direction first

The long edges of a rectangular tile can run along the room or across it. Draw both options without changing the other settings.

Check the pieces at the entrance, far end and side walls. Choose a look you like, but also check the cuts and the number of tiles to buy. Your preferred direction may not use the fewest tiles.

Then compare the rows

In a straight layout, the joints line up from one row to the next. In a staggered layout, tiles in the next row start further along.

A half offset means half a tile’s length; a one-third offset means a third of its length. These are layout options, not rules for every large tile. Check the instructions or ask the supplier to confirm what is suitable for your product.

Change one setting at a time. Otherwise, you will not know whether the result comes from the direction or from the row offset.

With wood-look tiles, check the printed design too

The wood-grain pattern may need to face a particular way. An offcut is the piece left after cutting: even if it is large enough, it may not work if it needs turning. Also check any advice on mixing the different printed tile faces.

The format here is 600 × 1200 mm, or 60 × 120 cm. Use the actual dimensions of your product, especially when its size is labelled in inches rather than millimetres.

Compare suitable patterns in the tile layout planner. The beginner’s guide explains how to check the quantities afterwards.

Concrete example

Your kitchen is long and narrow. Draw one layout with the long tile edges running lengthways, then another running across the room. Check the pieces at the doorway and far end. Next, try an offset allowed by the manufacturer and check that it does not create repeated small pieces in the same place.