Designs include mock marble, wood and stone tiles. These
are one of the easiest tiles to lay as well as being one
of the least expensive. They are easier to lay in tile form
rather than sheet form. Many tiles can be purchased as self-adhesive.
Solid vinyl tiles
They are also available in various colours and designs and
include mock marble, wood and stone tiles. Solid vinyl tiles
are more expensive, but very hard wearing.
Once you have decided on the tile, note its length and
width and measure the room carefully. Measure its length
and divide it by the length of one tile. Round up the number
of tiles to the next whole number. Now measure the width
of the room and divide that by the width of the tile, round
up the number of tiles to the nearest whole number. Multiply
the two whole numbers together. This will give the number
of tiles required to tile the room.
Try our Floor Tile Calculator
page to give you a rough guide to the number required.
It is always wise to buy a few extra tiles to keep as spares
in case of accidental damage in the future.
Laying the tiles
Use the adhesive recommended by the manufacturer, as some
require flooring adhesive, contact adhesive or self-adhesive
techniques. Follow the instructions carefully and take care
to lay the first tile correctly, as its position will determine
the position of all the other tiles in the room.
Use a batten nailed to the floor to give a straight edge
to guide the positioning of the tiles. Use a spirit level
to check the horizontal level and a straight edge to continually
check the position of the tiles on the floor. Continue across
the room and work towards the door. Then remove the battens
and cut the border tiles and fix in a similar way.
Use an adjustable shape-tracing template to help with fitting
around difficult shapes.
