Home DIY

I would listen to @andos, you are better off cutting a small amount of of the edge tiles than trying to use a wall as a square edge. The method for cutting tiles at the edges of a floor is pretty simple. Lay the tile you want to cut directly over the top of the tile adjacent to the wall. Put the edge of a spare tile against the wall and on top of the tile to be cut, mark and cut. It's much easier than trying to measure them all.

Only thing I would do is make sure you're not starting at a point where you will need a 15mm sliver of cork tile all along one edge.

You've got a box cutter and metal ruler with a bunch of spare blades right? You might even have a green cutting mat?

Here's a video example of the technique with tiles, same story with cork but easier to cut.

https://todayshomeowner.com/flooring/video/how-to-cut-border-tile-without-measuring/

Normally it's handling the glue without getting it all over your trousers/socks/shoes and tile faces that keeps you busy.

I'd try to work out from a centre line as well. I'd mock this up in illustrator first. The section around the door has potential to cause you real grief as it's almostbutreallynotevenclose to 2 tiles and the last thing you want is to start at the back wall and end up with a bunch of tiny slivers at the threshold - which is arguably the bit you'll actually look at the most.

Yeah that’s what I feared. I’ve seen people doing it both ways.
Just had a bit of a dry build, and walls are a tiny bit off.
Yep have the tools. Argh, am I going to have to do a proper job? (Or at least try?).

Argh. Peer pressured.

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Ok, thanks all. From the centre is going to be the way. Not sure how the hell that works glowing wise but I’ll prob lay over two days.

You can thank us all later. In fairness once you get going it should start to feel pretty easy. The glue really is the worst bit.

Hopefully you got 10% extra sq. meters.🤞🏼

You see the bit around the door is easy when you use the overlay method.

It would have taken me longer to knock that up in illustrator than it would to cut the tiles.

Ha, I love how what’s easy varies so much between people. The tile cutting technique feels like black magic to me, but I believe in it.
Due to pack size I have about 50% extra, hoping to have 1.5 m square spare at the end for another room.

Testing glue out on a sample now to understand how it works.

Have you thought about laying it in a brick pattern? I remember the fitter who did ours saying it was better to not have all four corners of tiles meeting together. Also if you do use the grid pattern and one row goes slightly off you might really notice it and the end of a row whereas that wouldn't be an issue with a brick pattern.

Also great input. I will have a play…

Also worth considering playing with your 'centre' point being the middle of a doorway, can look nice if you have sight lines etc.

I spent ages laying my lvt to be as best as possible aligned with kitchen cabinets and having a line through the centre of a doorway the two were perpendicular to each other.

Don't use too strong an adhesive with cork tiles.

That way it will be easier for the people who buy your house next to remove them all.

Pipe down frenchie!

All going ok so far. Doing what was recommended here. Centre point and brick pattern. Tried the tile cut trick and got it 2mm wrong, also walls are not square which doesn’t help.

Also worth mentioning the skirting is already on, I know, I know, so what’s the best way to hide sub par edges? Some sort of coloured caulk? Don’t fancy additional strips but could do if edges end up horror.

Coloured caulk probably easiest, tiny wooden beading is another option.

Cheers! Caulk it is, so far it’s only a mm here and there.

Tape the floor and skirting .

Or install a double part verbose skirting over the top - but I'd leave the filling decision to much later

When I put my floor down in the kitchen. I aligned the cupboards to the floor tiles as they were straight and parallel. Unlike the walls.

Multi tool the bottom of the skirting off and lay the cork under it. Anything else will nag at you for years and every time to go in the room you’ll hate yourself a little bit more. I was that soldier after the first floor a laid.

I used brown exterior frame sealant on the edge gaps in our bathroom cork floor. More hardwearing than caulk and matte unlike silicone

Solid advice all.
Can’t face multi tooling although it prob makes sense.

Just take the skirting off and put it back over the top. It's pretty easy, and will give the best result.

Run a stanley knife along the top to break any seal so it doesn't bring bits of wall with it.

It'll either be nailed to the studs of glued to the wall with gripfill. You can run a magnet along it to find the nails. Sometime they let the workie do it and he'll have used screws, but that is rare.
Lever it off against a board so you don't wreck the walls. I bet there are YouTube videos showing how.

Surely you've got to be pretty skilled and experienced to multi tool a perfectly straight and consistent cut the whole way round a room?

I'd say pop the skirting off. However, brown silicone/similar is quite discreet - shit pic, but for one side of our flooring they had to butt up to the stair case so used brown silicone.

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I need to clean the floor.

And finish decorating the stair case.

The light brown that matches the floor? I can live with that. I’m not popping the skirting board off. Maybe.