| How to lay your tiles successfully. |
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Laying with tiles
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Material needed
Prepare
- A Stanley knife with a strong blade (always work with new blades)
- Double sided tape or glue for surfaces exceeding 20m2
- A tape measure
- A chalk
- A metal ruler
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How many tiles do you need?
You can use this
table to calculate exactly how many tiles you need for your room. Take the length and with of your room, the intersecting square gives the total number of tiles needed. For example, if your room measures 4 x 3,5m, you will need 56 tiles (each tile measures 50 x 50cm).
Tips:
Check that all the boxes of tiles have the same production serial number to avoid difference in shading.
Keep a few tiles aside to replace those which may be stained or damaged. |
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Laying
Ensure that the floor is clean, dry, flat and not slippery. Take up old flooring if necessary..
Unpack your tiles and leave them in the room for 24 hours to let them breathe. During laying, the temperature should be above 18°C.
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Measure your room and mark the centre using the chalk. Divide your room into four sections by drawing two perpendicular lines through the centre of the room. Always start from the centre of room and work out towards the walls as these are never completely straight. Start by laying the centre tile, (you don't need to glue) then lay all the tiles in all 4 directions.
From the centre tile lay on each of the four sides in a straight line, thus forming a cross, all you need to now do is fill in the gaps. To facilitate the laying, you can use double-sided tape to fix the tiles. It is important to make sure the first tiles are as tight as possible to stabilise your work towards the sides of the room.
Lay the tiles taking care to respect the direction marked on the box. Each tile has an arrow on the back indicating the direction in which it is to be laid. Carpet tiles are designed to be laid free-floating, however you can use double sided tape from time to time to ensure stability.
Place the tiles going from the centre towards the walls, always checking that the tiles are tight against each other. Once at the skirting boards, you will need to cut the tiles to size. Cut the tiles on the back, using a sharp Stanley knife. Place the side you have cut against the skirting board to ensure a snug fit with the other tiles. Be careful not to cut yourself.
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You can create finishing edges by using half or quarter tiles of a different colour. Always cut on the back of the tile to ensure a clean cut. After making a light incision, bend the tile until the backing snaps, then carefully cut the fibre. |
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Finishing touches
To complete the edges, take two tiles A and B. Lay the tile to be cut (B) on top of the last tile laid.
Then lay Tile A against the wall so that it overlaps Tile B.
Cut Tile B along the edge of Tile A: Tile B will then be the exact size needed for the edge.
Replace Tile A by Tile B, placing the hand cut edge of Tile B against the skirting board.
More tips:
Recesses and difficult cuts
Using flexible cardboard, make a stencil of the surface to cover.
Place the stencil on the tile. Draw the outline with chalk.
Carefully cut the tile, taking care that all the angles are fully separated. Before laying, check the tile for size and shape.
Carpet tiles are perfect to creating patterns and designs yourself.
To insert a design or a pattern, simply place the pattern or design on the floor, with chalk outline the piece to be removed, cut and replace with the designs or patterns of your choice.
You can also create geometric patterns using tiles of different colour.
 
- To obtain a rolled carpet effect
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- To obtain a chessboard effect
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To give an edging:
Edging of various widths can easily be created, depending on the size of your room. As the walls are rarely completely straight and it is preferable to limit waste due to sizing, we recommend laying 24 or 48 cm edging.
- Trace a line 24 or 48 cm from the wall.
- Lay the floor times as previously explained, up to the line.
Lay the edging in the same way as the outer tiles. Do not pre cut the tiles as the walls are rarely straight.
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To get a rug effects:
If you wish to have a rug pattern in the living room, you should proceed as follows:
- Trace the rug size on the floor, taking into account your off cuts.
- Place the predominant colour in the centre and work outwards to the limit of the rug.
To give your rug an edge:
- Trace your edging lines on the floor.
- Lay the predominant colour of your room from external rug limit to the walls.
- Place the rug up to the internal limit.
- Using a stencil, cut squares 5cm2 and insert them using double sided tape.
- Carry out a test first using a few squares to be certain that the cut is effective. |
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