18" square tile - install stagged or in-line?

[hal1]

I'm installing 18" square tile throughout my kitchen, great room, halls and baths.

Without going in to specifics, my two choices are to have them 1/3 staggered - not 1/3 stepped, just every other tile offset by 1/3 so that every other tile is in the same position. Or standard square layout.

Staggered seems to look fancier, but I'm curious it might make the room look smaller. Also concerned that the staggered make be too busy and not hold up over time.

I know the answer is "get what you want", but I'd like to have some of your thoughts on this?

this is the 1/3 staggered - not 1/3 stepped

 

[djjsr]

Clean, straight lines. No stagger.

 

[Shiftless]

Clean, straight lines. No stagger.

One advantage of stagger is that if the room isn't perfectly rectangular, you won't notice the non parallel walls. If you are lucky enough to have a perfect rectangle, go ahead and install straight.
Another possible pattern is diagonal.
I hope you have a big tile saw and some experience using it.

 

[larry4406]

In the houses my company builds, we run our tiles in-line. Most customers request that we lay the tiles in a diagonal pattern relative to the room. Waste goes up but the diagonal lay hides the out of square room.

 

[duneslider]

This is purely a "what look do you want" situation. It won't look too busy. Some really like the nice clean look of the straight lay, some really like the staggered look, some really like diagonal. I recently just did my kitchen again with a 12x24 1/3 step on a diagonal. We still feel it gives it a nice modern look. I suggest you let your wife pick, it doesn't matter what you do as long as she is happy with it.

 

[C2 Turbo]

Straight clean look for me too

 

[hal1]

Thanks. It's a subdivision builder with limited options. Those being 1/3 staggered or straight lines.

In situations like this I often go with "if I don't like it, which will I regret least" In this case I'll probably play it safe and go with straight. If a couple years from now I'm unhappy with my choice, I know that I could live with the straight easier than the staggered. In other words in each case, if I ended up being unhappy with my choice, I would be less unhappy with the straight.

Thanks all your input was appreciated.

 

[JRC3]

Staggered screams, "homeowner installed." It is the easiest not get your grout joints in trouble.

Square tile should always be installed in a grid layout or that same grid layout can be done diagonally across the room.

Diagonal is my fave, but have gotten lazy over the past few years and don't even mention it to homeowners unless they ask.


Also, use a 1/2" x 1/2" trowel on tile that big.



How big is your area?

 

[James-W]

What other options do you have? I know you said you had limited options, staggered tile or straight, but do you have options other than tile? For example, can you get hardwood floors?

 

[hal1]

How big is your area?

The great room is 24 x 16. The kitchen is separated from the great room by a counter, and then the halls that lead to the bedrooms. My options were limited to what the builder offers. I'd have them leave it out and put in my own floor, but they can't close on a house without a floor. I'll probably have it re-done latter.

Here's a pic of another house they finished with the same tile I'll have. I'll probably go straight grid. I like the simply/understated, then can use area rugs and decorate/paint the house accordingly.

 

[rsanter]

Lay some out on the floor and look at it. See what your eye likes

Bob

 

[JRC3]

So the builder has to install the tile...Or is vinyl being put down, and you want to do ceramic tile afterwards?

 

[hal1]

So the builder has to install the tile...Or is vinyl being put down, and you want to do ceramic tile afterwards?

They're putting the tile down, I chose one of the less expensive options because it's cheaper for me to upgrade whenever I'm ready rather than to pay for the builder's upgrades.

 

[duneslider]

Staggered screams, "homeowner installed." It is the easiest not get your grout joints in trouble.

Square tile should always be installed in a grid layout or that same grid layout can be done diagonally across the room.

Diagonal is my fave, but have gotten lazy over the past few years and don't even mention it to homeowners unless they ask.


Also, use a 1/2" x 1/2" trowel on tile that big.



How big is your area?

Quite possibly the silliest thing I have ever heard! Where is this rule that square tile should always be installed in a grid come from? In over 15 years as a professional licensed tile contractor I have not come across this rule. Please share! The running bond tile pattern has been around as long as there has been square tile.

 

[PT Doc]

Straight can end up looked very dated. It's how it's been done for years. One third staggered will look much better with a larger format tile and not look like some thing that was done on the cheap.

 

[JRC3]

Quite possibly the silliest thing I have ever heard! Where is this rule that square tile should always be installed in a grid come from? In over 15 years as a professional licensed tile contractor I have not come across this rule. Please share! The running bond tile pattern has been around as long as there has been square tile.

Every single tile job I've ever seen installed that way was done by a homeowner. I've been remodeling specializing in tile for over 25 years and I have never ever had a single customer ask for this. As stated it is less expensive...Less expensive because it is easier to install, not because it looks better.

Maybe it's more popular in different areas. IDK, maybe it looks like pinwheel or modular to some people.

 

[Gotcha640]

The straight tiles in my breakfast room catch the chair legs, and irritate me 4 times a day. Diagonal I assume would be better. Ideal would have been a flush mating tile.

Consider the furniture you'll be putting in the room.

 

[duneslider]

The straight tiles in my breakfast room catch the chair legs, and irritate me 4 times a day. Diagonal I assume would be better. Ideal would have been a flush mating tile.

Consider the furniture you'll be putting in the room.

Tighter grout joints and fuller grout joints help with that. I can't say I have ever experienced that with any of the tile I have had in my houses. Its possible your joints are larger than I typically see. I also keep felt pads on my chairs to help mostly with noise but maybe they keep it from grabbing joints too?

 

[ttype976]

My vote would be for diagonal! It definitely took a lot longer for me to install given the amount of cuts, but it surely makes the rooms feel bigger. Well until you add furniture and you forget all about it...ha!

 

[woodduder]

Diagonal for me. Lot of work but everybody compliments the look.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[woodduder]

Sorry here is right side up.

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[racintj]

Re: 18" square tile - install stagged or in-line?

If you're going with square tile, then please don't stagger. Yes, diagonal if you want a little less of a grid look, but labor will be more and more waste.

As for furniture legs getting caught in the joints: make sure the guys grouting are not skimping with the grout by mixing too thin, and make sure they're not washing out too much grout with the sponge.

The grout should be near level and when it dries,after shrinkage should have a slight concave. You should definitely not see the edge of the tile in the grout lines.

Before they start, make sure they layout the tile first, so they can see their drops for every area. This will eliminate any slivers that run along walls. It makes me sick to walk in brand new homes to see that a "professional" installed a tile floor, starting with a full time on one wall and a 2 inch drop all the way down the opposite wall or in a doorway.

Voice your thoughts to the contractor and tile sub. Don't be a jerk, but inform them that you are aware of certain idiotic tendencies. Do this BEFORE they start.

 

[hal1]

One last shot at your opinions, and to help visualize.

This is one of my real estate agents houses. She REALLY likes the 1/3rd staggered. In the end, it's my house, but is this really that terrible?

 

[racintj]

One last shot at your opinions, and to help visualize.

This is one of my real estate agents houses. She REALLY likes the 1/3rd staggered. In the end, it's my house, but is this really that terrible?

Aside from my OCD tendencies driving me nuts just looking at that pattern; my common sense side thinks someone came up with a bad idea then pitched it to others so they didn't feel so stupid.

I'm sorry, that was pretty ugly and opinionated, but this is coming from a 20+ year construction/tile-layer-downer.

 

[hal1]

That's okay. A lot of people are looking for the answer they're hoping for, and I'm one of them. When making my initial choices with the builder my agent talked me on to this, and now I'm having a b--ch of a time getting them to change it even though it's still several weeks out.

 

[James-W]

I don't think the staggered tiles look terrible, but personally, I don't particularly care for the staggered look. To me the in-line tiles just look better, and more to the point, the diagonal tiles look best of all. But in the final analysis what I think is of no consequence. It's what YOU think that matters. After all, I don't have to look at the floors every day, you do. So get what you like.

If it were me I would want the flooring I liked right from the start. If you have the builder put down tile you don't like and you pay for it, then later on you rip the tile out, clean the sub-floor of all the glue and other crud, then buy new flooring and have it installed, won't that cost more than to have the flooring you want right from the start?

 

[hal1]

If you have the builder put down tile you don't like and you pay for it, then later on you rip the tile out, clean the sub-floor of all the glue and other crud, then buy new flooring and have it installed, won't that cost more than to have the flooring you want right from the start?

Of course, but my problem is that I made a poor decision 4 months ago (my fault). The tile is still about 4 weeks before it's layed but the salesman for the builder, Taylor-Morrison, not a custom, says that no changes can be made. I asked him to ask his bosses. He said he did but I'm not sure.

I have a call in to the VP of sales. We'll see

 

[racintj]

Of course, but my problem is that I made a poor decision 4 months ago (my fault). The tile is still about 4 weeks before it's layed but the salesman for the builder, Taylor-Morrison, not a custom, says that no changes can be made. I asked him to ask his bosses. He said he did but I'm not sure.

I have a call in to the VP of sales. We'll see

That is absurd. If we're talking about you changing from staggered to square, then any tile guy I know wouldn't mind making that change. Even the day of starting. This is the builder just trying to get a change order out of you. Which state are you in?

 

[hal1]

That is absurd. If we're talking about you changing from staggered to square, then any tile guy I know wouldn't mind making that change. Even the day of starting. This is the builder just trying to get a change order out of you. Which state are you in?

Arizona.

I wish that were true, but the salesman isn't allowing any change not even with paying a fee. I'm trying to reach someone over him and was told that would be the VP of sales. I'm going to try to find someone else in management too.

 

[JRC3]

That is absurd. If we're talking about you changing from staggered to square, then any tile guy I know wouldn't mind making that change. Even the day of starting. This is the builder just trying to get a change order out of you. Which state are you in?

The tile install probably cost more to do it straight, because...The staggered tile lays are being installed by someone on the builders crew and doing a straight lay may be beyond his ability. More money in the builders pocket if someone on his payroll can do it and not a sub.


One thing I don't understand is why the tile is laid 1/3 then 2/3, why not continue the 1/3 or do it 1/2?

 

[duneslider]

The 1/3 stagger has to do with tile flatness and large format tile. If you do half's then it can be impossible to get a flat floor without lippage.

Running bond is fairly common in my area, not always my favorite pick but it is widely used. I don't care for the running bond in large wide open areas.

In the end, this is purely an aesthetics thing. If you like it then who cares what others say.

Installing straight or running bond is no different. Straight just requires a little more thought on layout (which can be tough for some). But, any good tile guy will put the same thought into any layout, I know the general size of every cut in every area before I lay a single tile.

 

[duneslider]

Just noticed those pics again, they did NOT do the 1/3 running bond correct. Not sure what I would call that but I am not a fan of it.

 

[hal1]

Just noticed those pics again, they did NOT do the 1/3 running bond correct. Not sure what I would call that but I am not a fan of it.

It's staggered 1/3rd, not a 1/3rd step.

Issue resolved. It took a politely letter to the VP of sales and marketing to get them to make the change.


Mods can close thread if needed

 

[JRC3]

Glad you got what you wanted. Enjoy the new house.

 

[woodzy]

It is all a personal preference. I just did three different areas in my basement - one in front of the bar, behind the bar, and the bathroom. All a little different

These are just after grouting - with the haze on the tile yet.





Below was a combination of 13 x 13 and 6.5 x 6.5 tiles



Bathroom

 

[buds450r]

Yep. I think it's just personal preference. I personally like the brick lay/staggered pattern better --- in fact, it was a more expensive option in our house --- maybe it has more waste, don't know.

 

[chops101]

For a house, I only go with diamond-diagonal.
It takes more time and material, but personal preference it looks the classiest.

For a shop/garage, staggered, grid whatever.