Tile And Stone Tips

How-To-Tile Floors, Walls & Other Areas

How-To-Tile Floors, Walls & Other Areas

The best installation tip that we can give you in learning how to tile is to learn tile layout. Tile layout helps to:

  • Avoid permanent mistakes.
  • Find the starting point.
  • Center the tiles.
  • Avoid small cuts.
  • Work with patterns.
  • Design the project.

Tile is a permanent surface that you will have to live with for many years. You will want to get it right the first time. Many problems arise simply from not knowing how to measure and lay out the area, and proper tile layout of the job is the single most important factor that separates an amateur from a professional.

Tile Layout eBook — the four chapters

Square-set floor grid diagram with the centre control lines marked

Floor Layout

12 step-by-step instructions
Digital download

Running-bond wall course diagram showing staggered vertical joints

Wall Layout

Running-bond and stacked wall courses
Digital download

Countertop plan diagram with a front edge course and a backsplash band

Countertop Layout

7 step-by-step instructions
Digital download

Fireplace surround diagram with a hearth band around a firebox opening

Fireplace Layout

Hearth, surround and mantel courses
Digital download

How-To-Tile Articles

Tile Design Guidelines

What size tile should I use? What glaze? What color?

Porcelain or Ceramic?

What's the difference?

Surface Preparation

How do I prepare my old floor for new tile?

Grout: Problems & Solutions

How do I prevent the grout from crumbling or staining?

Applying Grout

Learn the tricks.

Transitions

How to transition your new tile to other surfaces.

Cutting Tools for Ceramic & Stone

Cutting tools are very specific for different tiles.

Granite Tiles

How to install granite tiles on a kitchen countertop.

Caring for Stone

Sealing granite, marble, travertine, limestone.

Featured Products

Tile Layout eBook
by Tile And Stone Tips

Installing tile is easy with our Tile Layout eBook.

Precision Tile
Tile layout software

An easy to use, yet powerful, software application designed to make planning tile layouts a snap. Use it to plan ceramic, porcelain, stone, marble, even vinyl, floors or walls.

Bullnose World
GLAZEIT® process

Learn Bullnose World's GLAZEIT® process and start a low-investment, high-profit, small business in your area.

Ordering information

The Tile Layout eBook is in electronic digital form only. There is no print version. The Patterns for Ceramic & Stone mini-guide was included with it.

Tile Layout — catalogue record
TitleTile Layout
ChaptersFloor, Wall, Countertop, Fireplace
IncludedPatterns for Ceramic & Stone
FormatDigital download
Listed at$19.00 for both books

Full details of what each chapter covers are on the Tile Layout eBook page and the ordering page.

About Tile And Stone Tips

Tile And Stone Tips was built by two people: Greg Feese, whose background came from laying out and setting numerous tile jobs, first as a journeyman for a commercial tile company on department stores, restaurants and fitness centres, and later through his own tile setting business renovating kitchens and bathrooms for residential customers in Denver, Colorado; and Dennis Miller, who owned and managed the web development firm that produced this site.

The longer biographies are on the About Us page, and the complete route index is on the site map.