Recently, I showed how to Create a Cement Tile Floor Plan with Large Patterns & No Border. Today's variation on that theme will show how to create a tile floor plan or layout for common (four-tile patterns) that use a border or double border. This can be more difficult. You want to make sure the field (patterned) tiles have symmetry within the border, the 'rug' or field and border tiles are centered in the room, and you need to avoid cuts to border to maintain the design.
No matter how simple the project may seem, I recommended that you (or your designer) show the tile pattern layout for a room. You'll then know how many tiles to order and it's the best way to show the installer exactly how you want the floor to look. To create a tile floor plan you should follow these steps to achieve the best results. Make sure to use a scaled drawing and include an allowance for the grout joints (usually 1/16").
In this example, we chose the Cuban Heritage Design CH220-3B. We want to create a traditional rug pattern in the center of the room with the border forming the outer edges. This tile comes in an 8"x8" format and will use the distinctive double border. A double border is simply a border that requires two rows of patterned tiles instead of one. To avoid cuts to the pattern, the edges outside the border are filled with a solid color tile, Heritage Turquoise, that will be used around the room's edge.
Here's the steps to create a flooring plan that includes a double border and is based on using a pattern that requires four (4) tiles to make the design (CH220-3B).
- Find the center of the room. Do this either with a chalk line for smaller rooms or more precisely by measuring each side of a rectangular room. When finding the center or a room, ignore closets, niches or alcoves connected to the main part of the room.
- Place the center of the pattern in the center of the room. Notice the cement tile pattern we're using only requires four (4) tiles to complete the pattern; so, four (4) tiles are placed in the room's center.
- Continue the pattern in all directions until their isn't enough room to complete the pattern and border without cutting a tile. Remember, the outer 2 rows of tiles will form the double border.
- Fill the remaining, irregular space around the edge of the patterned field tile with a complimentary solid color cement tile or stone. Connecting closets or small rooms should use the same flooring material as the edges.
- Voilà! The cement tile layout or plan is complete.
Creating symmetry with the pattern inside the borders isn't always as easy as it looks, especially with rectangular rooms. Have patience as you may need a few iterations to get it just right. You'll be glad you discovered any problems on paper rather than during installation.