Marking for laying rectangular tiles diagonally. Laying tiles diagonally on the floor: laying rectangular tiles with video instructions

Finishing with tiles or porcelain stoneware is a popular option for finishing the floor in the room. There are several styling options. For example, diagonally. Many do not dare to use this method, considering it difficult. But, knowing all the nuances of installation and observing the required rules, you can independently lay the tiles in an original way.

How to calculate the number of tiles to lay diagonally on the floor

  • you need to measure the total area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room;
  • if it is not required to lay out a drawing, then the resulting value must be divided by the area of ​​\u200b\u200bone product - when laying out a drawing, you should know the size of each element;
  • approximately 20% must be added to the figure obtained - this is a margin for trimming and damage that occurred during the performance of work;
  • since the diagonal version requires more material, another 15% must be added to the result, rounded up;
  • the number is divided by the number of tiles in the package - the total number of packages required for work is obtained.

ATTENTION! If possible, you need to buy several pieces of tiles separately for stock.

Marking and preparing the surface for laying

In order for the installation to be performed correctly, and the result turned out to be neat, it is necessary to make markings. This is done as follows:

  • with the help of two strings, the center of the room should be determined - the ropes must be stretched from one corner to another;
  • the rope must be pulled through a certain center, this should be done perpendicular to the walls - this will determine the angles according to which the tile will be located.

ATTENTION! To check the correctness of the markup, you need to decompose the tile and evaluate the result. If everything is done correctly, you can begin to prepare the foundation.

Tiles are laid out on a flat surface. Therefore, it is required to eliminate irregularities and defects, as well as to remove dirt and dust. Then degrease and prime.

If the screed is not used, then you can take a mixture for a self-leveling self-leveling floor. The dry composition must be diluted with water according to the instructions that are indicated on its packaging.

The resulting solution is applied to the base and evenly distributed over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room using a roller. Then leave the floor until the mixture is completely dry. If everything was done correctly, you will get a flat surface.

Technique for laying tiles on the floor diagonally

Flooring can be installed in two ways: from the center or from the corner.

Angular way

This option is used for installation in rooms with a small area, as well as if tiles of the same color are used. He is quite labor intensive. The process should begin from the corner that is viewed first when entering the room. When using this method of installation, you need to check that the tile is located exactly perpendicular to the corner. To achieve a more accurate result, sometimes you have to slightly shift the tile.

From the center

The method is especially convenient when installing tiles in a square-shaped room. First of all, a rhombus should be laid out in the center of the room. After that, all whole elements are laid out. Cut tiles along the walls are placed last.

ATTENTION! It is advisable to pre-prepare a diagram according to which the work will be performed by printing or drawing it on a piece of paper. This will greatly simplify the process.

Stages of work:

  • after the method is chosen, it is advisable to lay out the tiles on the floor - if the result suits you, you can proceed to laying;
  • apply an adhesive to the tile - if the room is large, then it is allowed to apply the solution to the floor so that it is enough for about 4 elements;
  • using a level, it is necessary to level the tile and press it firmly to the base - all laid tiles should be parallel to one line, it is advisable to check the evenness of the laid elements every few rows;
  • to avoid the appearance of voids, the tile must be moved from side to side;
  • the width of the seams should be adjusted with crosses, which must be installed after each laid element;
  • installation of scraps against the wall is carried out after the entire whole tile is laid - you need to start from the very extreme corner;
  • the last stage is the application of grout;
  • all excess glue and grout must be removed and the tile left until the mortar and fugue are completely dry.

Pros and cons of laying diagonally

Before starting installation work, you need to consider the pros and cons.

The advantages are:

  1. Originality. Installation in a diagonal way is used extremely rarely, because the room will look unusual. The method allows you to perform various patterns and use several colors.
  2. Saving. With the right work, you can save a lot on materials. It is worth adding that this is possible if the work is performed by an experienced master.
  3. Space expansion. The diagonal layout visually expands the space.

The cons include:

  • this is a rather time-consuming and painstaking process and can take a lot of time for an inexperienced person;
  • it is difficult for a beginner to achieve perfect execution the first time, so spending on building materials can increase.

Although this is a rather difficult process, even a beginner can perform it. Following the recommendations and using high-quality materials, you can get an original and unusual floor.

The method of laying floor tiles diagonally allows you to create an original interior. We will understand the intricacies of this laying method and tell you how to calculate the number of tiles.

There are two ways to lay tiles on the floor: orienting the rows along one of the walls or turning them 45 °. Laying tiles diagonally is considered a difficult task that only an experienced master can handle. However, despite the high complexity of the work, many would like to lay tiles in this way, because diagonal laying provides noticeable advantages. We will understand the intricacies of the process, as well as calculate the consumption of tiles.

Why lay tiles diagonally

The traditional way of laying tiles on the floor involves orientation to one of the walls. This is a relatively simple to implement, and therefore - a widespread technology. Despite its merits, the result of such a calculation looks rather inexpressive. Therefore, a method was invented in which the tiles face the walls and the doorway not on one of the sides, but at an angle. It was called "Diagonal Laying".

The method of laying tiles with a diagonal orientation has a number of advantages:

  • Tiles laid in this way visually increase the area of ​​​​the room. This solution will be especially relevant for small rooms, as well as for highly elongated floor areas - corridors, passages, technical rooms, etc. To enhance the effect, select a pattern consisting of tiles of two or more colors.
  • Effective look. Unlike the traditional method, diagonal laying is not perceived as a template solution.
  • If the room has uneven walls, the traditional way of laying will only emphasize this flaw by creating parallel lines in the room. The diagonal way of placing tiles, on the contrary, will mask these shortcomings.
  • Cropped elements placed along the edges of the room will look neater when placed diagonally.

All the advantages of the diagonal method of installing tiles will appear only with the correct marking. Do not start work without a clear project and do not rush to draw reference lines.

The diagonal layout method also has some disadvantages. First of all, this is an increased consumption of tiles. If it takes 100 tiles to completely cover the floor in the traditional way, it will take 120-130 tiles to install the same tile diagonally in the same room. The increased consumption is associated with a large number of elements that need trimming.

The operating time is also increased. It is required to check the correctness of the markup more often, cut tiles more often, make elements of a more complex shape if it is necessary to bypass pipes and other obstacles. The risk of error also increases.

All this makes the diagonal laying method more difficult, so it is usually not recommended for beginner tilers. But with due diligence and understanding of technology, you can cope with it, even for the first time taking up laying tiles. To learn how to lay tiles on the wall, read this article.

Preparatory work

Work should begin with design. It is best to make a drawing of the room on a scale of 1 to 10, marking on this drawing the position of the reference diagonal and the rows of tiles extending from it. This will allow you to understand how many tiles will be needed to lay out the floor as a whole, and how many - in the cropped one. In addition, following the drawing, it is easier to deal with the markings on the floor.

When drawing up a drawing, mark every obstacle on it: wall niches and ledges, the position of heating risers and other communications, furniture and equipment that cannot be removed from the room (toilet, bath, etc.).

Calculating the number of tiles is an important task. It is solved in one of two ways:

  • Drawing up a detailed drawing indicating each tile. Such a project requires accuracy, precision and high labor costs. But if you plan to lay out a panel of several types of elements (tiles of different shapes or colors), you cannot do without a detailed diagram.
  • Mathematical calculation. It is done like this: the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room is divided by the area of ​​\u200b\u200bone tile, the result is rounded up to the nearest integer. Then the result is increased by another 20%

It is necessary to purchase tiles with a margin in order to compensate for losses from marriage, damage during transportation, etc. To ensure that the tiles are enough for sure, buy 10% more than what came out according to the calculations.

When purchasing a tile, pay attention to whether the boxes belong to a particular batch. It is best to buy all the tiles from one batch. Otherwise, there is a risk that elements from different batches will differ in size. Before laying, you need to sort through the tiles and make sure that all elements have the same color and size. Otherwise, the finished floor will look messy.

The final stage of the preparatory work is the leveling of the base. It is necessary to remove all debris from the floor, the old coating, baseboards. If there are cracks, potholes, height differences in the screed of more than 2 mm, you should think about repairing the screed. Remember that in many ways the beauty and durability of a tiled floor depends on how even and strong the base is. The last step is to treat the floor with a primer for tiles.

Necessary materials and tools


A master tiler, like another specialist, needs a certain set of tools to work. These are marking aids, a tool for stirring and applying tile adhesive, tile trimmers, protective clothing, etc. Here is a short list of tiler tools in these categories:

  • For marking, you will need a tape measure, a bubble-type building level, a coil of masking cord. For the convenience of work, we select the tape measure so that its length is enough to get it from the corner of the room to the corner located diagonally. The desired length of the level is 1 m (if it is less, it is difficult to guarantee the accuracy of the measurement, and the excess length will interfere in corners, narrow places, etc.).
  • To knead the glue, you need a container with a volume of about 10 liters. To mix the required volume quickly, you need a construction mixer or a special attachment for an electric drill.
  • To prime the surface, you need a roller and a bath for the solution. To apply glue, you will need a set of plastering tools: a trowel with a serrated edge, serrated and flat spatulas with a wide blade.
  • The tiles are cut using a tile cutter. If this specialized tool is not available, a small grinder will do.
  • To knock the tiles to the desired level, you need a rubber mallet.
  • To grout the seams, you will need a spatula with a rubber blade.

Each master supplements the described set, based on personal preferences and needs, as well as financial capabilities. For example, operations related to marking will significantly speed up and facilitate the laser level. But if this tool is not on the farm, it is quite possible to do without it.

Having picked up the tools, purchased tiles and glue, also take care of some protective equipment. For work, you will need gloves and rubber knee pads. To protect your eyes and respiratory organs from the dust that is inevitable when cutting tiles, purchase goggles and a respirator.

How to lay tiles diagonally with your own hands. Step-by-step instruction

So, the materials have been purchased, the tools are ready, the base has been cleaned of the old coating, leveled and primed. Work on laying tiles begins with markings. It can be done in two ways:


  • From the center. This option is chosen if the room has the shape of a square (or close to it). In this case, mark the middle along the walls and beat off two perpendicular lines with a cord. A diagonal is drawn from their intersection in the center of the room. You should not try to ensure that the diagonal comes exactly into the corner (this is only possible in a perfectly square room). It is much more important that the diagonal divides the right angle between the lines exactly in half.
  • From the corner. This option is best used in rectangular rooms with a small area. In addition, it is more suitable for stacking the same elements. In this case, the most right corner in the room is taken and a triangle is laid in it (either from one cast, cut diagonally, or from two).

After marking, the tiles are laid out along the lines without glue, setting the width of the seams with calibration crosses. Such a "fitting" will make sure that the marking lines are drawn correctly. Also at this stage, elements for laying along the walls are cut.

After making sure that the markings are done correctly and the starting row fits perfectly, proceed to gluing. Glue is applied to the floor and carefully leveled with a notched trowel. After laying the tile, using the level, check its horizontalness. If necessary, the tiles are knocked out with a rubber mallet. First, whole elements are glued, then cropped ones.

When the first row is ready, the next rows are mounted. The width of the seams is set with crosses. Excess glue is immediately removed from the tiles with rags. At the end of the installation of the coating, the glue is allowed to dry for the time set according to the instructions. Then the crosses are taken out, and the seams are filled with grout.

Wipe off any excess grout immediately before it sets!

WE offer several videos so that you can see how the floor markings are made for diagonal laying. In addition, the proposed video contains useful tips from experienced tilers that will help you cope with laying tiles diagonally:

Although diagonal styling is considered difficult to master, it is quite possible to learn it. Follow all steps meticulously, take your time and take the time to check and double-check how evenly each tile lay. And then the finished floor will delight your eyes for many years.

Laying tiles diagonally on the floor is a rather difficult operation even for experienced tilers. Moreover, with a certain degree of caution, such a decision should be made if this is supposed to be done for the first time. However, the desire to decorate the interior of one of the rooms in an original way leads to bold attempts to try your hand.

By choosing this method of laying the flooring, it is worthwhile to prepare yourself in advance for painstaking, patient work. In addition, it will be useful to practice cutting tiles. For a beginner, this process can be the most difficult. Especially in the absence of accumulated experience and in the absence of the special tools necessary for its implementation.

If you entrust the flooring with diagonal tiles to professionals, then it will cost much more. Therefore, by doing this work yourself, you can save a decent amount. So there is a reason to try!

Laying floor tiles diagonally - advantages and disadvantages

The diagonal way of laying ceramic tiles on the floor is somewhat different from the standard approach to cladding. The process of performing work is not only more difficult, but also requires more material. This is explained by the fact that the tiles will have to be cut diagonally to complete the row of masonry along the walls. And trimmings will very often no longer be suitable for use on other parts of the floor.


It will be even more difficult to cut a fragment of a complex configuration from a tile. And this is sometimes necessary to do if the walls of the room are not straight along the entire length - there are protrusions or, conversely, niches.

This method of masonry, as, indeed, any other, has its positive and negative sides. They should certainly be taken into account if the choice stops precisely at such a cladding technology.

To virtues Diagonal laying tiles include the following points:

  • The oblique lines of the seams between the elements of the floor cladding visually expand the space. And this is important for tight spaces. This is especially noticeable when using two, and sometimes even three colors of the material in the composition.
  • Laying diagonally looks much more impressive than standard tiled flooring.
  • Very valuable is the ability of such a variant of the placement of ceramic tiles to “mask” the uneven location of the walls of the room, by attracting attention to itself. This is facilitated by the absence of lines parallel (or should be parallel) to the walls.
  • Lateral diagonally cut elements look more neat and effective in the overall composition than with traditional straight masonry.

disadvantages This method of floor cladding can be called the following:

  • Installation work will take much longer. The master will have to very accurately mark and cut a considerable number of tiles.
  • The consumption of facing material is increasing - the reasons are obvious.
  • For beginners, the likelihood of incorrect marking and cutting tiles is much higher. This, of course, also leads to an increase in material consumption.

Calculation of the required number of tiles

When choosing a facing material, it is recommended to compare the sizes of tiles very carefully, especially from different packs. If there is a discrepancy in length or width, even one or two millimeters, the masonry will turn out to be sloppy. All its decorative advantages will simply come to naught! So you should use tiles of the highest grade, with the most accurate calibration.


At the same time, of course, the tile should be designed exclusively for flooring. This is indicated by the pictogram on the package with a footprint. No matter how the buyer likes outwardly (and at a price, perhaps) a model designed for wall cladding, such a coating will not “live” for a long time on the floor. In addition, tiles are usually used for cladding in rooms where water can get on the floor. That is, the tile must also have anti-slip properties. Just for personal safety reasons.


Before you purchase a facing material, you should decide on its quantity. To do this, of course, you should clarify the dimensional parameters of the selected tile.

After that, it will be reasonable to make a drawing of the floor of the room in which the installation will be carried out. In this case, everything must be taken into account - protrusions, niches, the location of heating radiators, communication risers, fixed pieces of furniture or overall plumbing equipment (bath, shower, etc.) Careful execution of the drawing is especially important if you plan to create complex patterns with tiles on the floor different types.

The drawing must be drawn exactly to scale. For example, it could be 1:10.


Tile calculation is done in several ways:

  • If it is not supposed to decorate the surface with a complex pattern, then it is not so difficult to calculate the number of tiles. To do this, you just need to divide the total area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room by the area of ​​​​one tile.
  • If it is planned to lay out a panel on the floor, then the diagram should be more detailed, with the exact dimensions of each of its elements. Such a graphical calculation allows you to determine the number of tiles of different colors and sizes.

When determining the number of tiles, focusing on the drawn up scheme, the following must be considered:

  • Two tiles cut less than half should be counted as one.
  • If a large part of the tile is cut off, it is also considered as one.

It is necessary to add 15÷20% of the total amount of material to the result obtained as a result of calculations. This is a reserve for the remaining unavoidable cuts, in case of unsuccessful cutting, not detected when buying a marriage or accidental independent damage to the tile during the stages of its transportation and work.

If the calculation will be carried out for tiles of the same type, then the reader can use the calculator below.

Calculator for calculating the required amount of ceramic floor tiles

The program is simple - it compares the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room for cladding with the dimensions of one ceramic tile. True, there will be some nuances.

  • First of all, it is necessary to determine the area on which the ceramic cladding will be laid. With rectangular rooms, problems usually do not arise. Difficulties occur if the floor has a more intricate configuration. But even here you can be smart, break it down into several sections of simpler shapes, calculate their areas and sum them up.

The area value is entered in the first data entry field.

Calculation of the area - to help in difficult cases.

Geometric formulas learned at school can be forgotten. No problem, we'll help. A special publication of our portal is devoted precisely, with an analysis of complex cases and with built-in convenient online calculators.

Further, in the appropriate fields, the length and width of the selected tile model are entered. Since most manufacturers practice indicating the size in centimeters, the same unit of measurement is also left in the calculator.

Do not forget about the thickness of the tile seam. When laying on the floor, it can be quite solid, and over large areas this parameter makes quite significant adjustments to the calculation result. The thickness of the seam is indicated in millimeters.

Finally, you should choose the method of laying the tiles. It directly affects the size of the stock pledged when purchasing the material. If for direct laying 10% is enough, then for diagonal it is better to lay a reserve and all 20%.

The result will be shown in piece expression - the number of tiles.

A person has been using tiles as a finishing material for so long that he has already managed to develop a lot of different schemes for laying it - among all of them, laying tiles diagonally stands out to a large extent, which will be discussed in this article.

It should be said right away that the diagonal layout of tiles (both floor and wall) is technically very different from the standard straight-line layout - moreover, it also has differences in such moments as design effects. Laying tiles diagonally is a very complicated process, and without work experience it is necessary to approach it with all responsibility. At a minimum, you should study all the subtleties and nuances of this process and thoroughly familiarize yourself with its features. What we will do in this article on the pages of our website Dream House.

Tile consumption when laying diagonally photo

Diagonal tile laying: what you need to know about this decoration method

If you leave alone all the technical aspects of the technology of laying tiles diagonally and focus only on the results, so to speak, on the features of the finished surface, then laying tiles diagonally can please a person with the following things.


In addition, the person who chooses this option should also be aware of the increased consumption of material - more tiles go into pruning here. At least that's what many masters say. In fact, the consumption of tiles when laying diagonally is almost the same as with the standard method of its installation (5% from above) and it can increase solely for several reasons. Firstly, this is a composite pattern applied not to one tile, but to several pieces at once. Secondly, the standard tile consumption is relevant if the battle is completely absent in the purchased batch of tiles. Thirdly, the absence of marriage - if tiles from different batches are collected in the package, then it will not work to lay it with minimal waste. In addition, a small margin should be taken into account, which is necessary for unforeseen damage to the surface. A tile - after all, it is like that - today it is produced, but tomorrow you will not find it with fire, and if it becomes necessary to replace one or two fragments, then, consequently, problems begin with their acquisition. In general, if half a square of tiles remains after laying the tiles, then this is quite normal. To summarize, the standard 5% trim increases to 7-10%.

Diagonal tile laying options: three options and their features

Strange as it may sound, you can lay tiles diagonally in three different options, each of which has its own individual characteristics.


Alternatively, you can also select a combined method of laying tiles - this is when the main array of tiles is laid in a linear pattern, and diagonal decorative inserts are made inside it. On small planes, these solutions look obtrusive - this approach to business is acceptable for decorating walls of a relatively large size.

Laying tiles diagonally with photo inserts

Laying tiles diagonally with your own hands: the subtleties of doing the work yourself

As mentioned above, laying tiles on walls diagonally or on the floor is fraught with some difficulties - or rather, with features, since there is no significant difference between this method of laying tiles and the technology of rectilinear finishing of tile surfaces. Everything is almost the same - leveling the surface and tiles under the comb, observing the size of the seam and level. The difference here is in some details.


Naturally, one should not forget about the large amount of cutting. If, with the usual straight-line tile laying technology, it is formed only on two sides of the plane, then here it will have to be done along all four edges of the surface. That is why laying tiles diagonally is somewhat more expensive.

Laying floor tiles diagonally photo

And in conclusion of the topic on how diagonal tiles are laid, I will say a few words about ways to diversify the surface. Agree, a monotonous tile, no matter how it is laid, looks boring - that is why there are special decorative inserts, friezes and other products that can diversify the tiled surface. The problem with using them for diagonal tiling comes down to one thing - all factory decors are not designed for this. You have to come up with something - as an option, use tiles of different colors and create decor yourself, or use stencils and apply a decorative pattern using a special one.

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