How do you plan tiles in an L-shaped or out-of-square room?
Draw the room’s actual shape, even where the walls are at an angle. Keep the same tile lines running through both parts of the L if you want the grout joints to line up. Check cuts in the narrow passage and inside corner first.
Explanation
Draw the whole L-shape
A tile layout is a drawing of where the tiles will go. For an L-shaped room, draw both parts together rather than making two separate plans with no connection.
You can split the L into rectangles to calculate the area. But that calculation does not tell you where the tiles should start. Use the complete room shape when planning their positions.
Keep the walls as they are
“Out of square” means the walls do not meet at a right angle. Do not straighten them on the drawing just to make it easier.
Measure the walls, short returns and distances from corner to corner. These diagonal measurements help establish the actual shape. Mark columns and any areas that will not be tiled too.
Continue the lines into the narrow section
Imagine the tiles as one large grid covering the whole L. Choose a reference, such as the middle of a doorway, and continue that grid through both parts.
Check the inside corner, the narrowest section and the pieces against angled walls. If a strip is too narrow, move the whole grid and check both parts again. Keep the joint widths unchanged during this test.
In the tile layout planner, choose an L-shaped room or draw a free outline to match your room. The beginner’s guide covers the steps from measuring onwards.
Concrete example
Your living room leads into a narrow corridor. The layout looks good in the living room but leaves a thin strip in the corridor. Move the whole tile layout and check what changes in both spaces. If no option works, ask your tiler about a suitable way to separate the two areas.
Common mistake
Do not centre each part of the L independently: the grout joints may no longer meet. The largest area does not always need to set the starting point; the narrow passage may be harder to fit. Software cannot correct inaccurate measurements.
To choose between your options, see where to start tiling to avoid small cuts.
Sources & methodology
Outline features: Outilo tile layout planner, checked on 3 October 2026. The comparison method and example are original editorial content; measurements still require on-site verification.
This content follows Outilo's editorial guidelines.