How to Lay Rectified Tile Diagonally in a Hallway

Find the hallway’s center point and snap a line down the entire length. To find the center, measure the hallway’s width and divide that number by two. Mark the center point at opposite ends of the hallway. Snapping a chalk line between the two marks establishes the center point. Do the same for the hallway’s length.

Create floor grids for the diagonal pattern. Place a piece of tile on top of the two intersecting centerlines so that the lines on the floor intersect through the tile like an X crossing from point to point. Mark the outline of the piece with the pencil. Snap another chalk line of a different color across one of these marks, giving you a diagonal line bisecting the centerline running down the hallway’s length.

Measure the distance of two rows of tile or whatever is close to 2 feet in width depending on the size of your tile, and make another diagonal mark perpendicular to the first diagonal mark. This is the reference point for where to smear the thinset and what lines to follow to keep your grout joints straight. Repeat this measurement for each additional box.

Install your rectified tile as you would any other type of tile. Since rectified tile is nearly identical in size, use tile spacers for the grout joints. Spread the thinset within the boxes you have chalk-outlined on the floor using the notched trowel. Install the tile by pressing it into the thinset mortar.

Work your way down the length of the hallway moving box to box within the grid. Use the centerline down the hallway as a reference point for straight. Install the center tiles on point so that the corners of each tile that intersects your centerline match up corner-to-corner with the center mark down the hallway.