Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 27, 2000 05:44pm | #1

   *
   Mack

   Unless you are designing your bathroom to line up with a specific
   sized tile, forget the software. If you want to layout you tile
   project, get a tape measure, straight edge, right angle, and pencil.
   Lay the tile on the floor in a row with the desired grout joints. Then
   go to it seeing how the tile will fit, and where your cuts will be. If
   you go about it with a calm head, and no rush, you can design the
   layout in the some time you would need to find the software, install
   it, learn the program, and figure out you project.

   I f you are designing the bath to fit the joints, then I am sorry to
   not be able to help you with finding software. I could however design
   your bathroom.

   Scott

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 27, 2000 06:17pm | #2

   *No software that I know of.The best tools are accurate measurements, a Construction Master IV calculator (for adding up all those grount lines), and a story stick. The story stick is my personal favorite.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 28, 2000 01:30am | #3

   *As Scott already pointed out, it would be good to just lay the tile dry and with the desired grout lines. If you have the time, and not the money, cut the desired tiles from a sheet of cardboard. That way you can also cut the 'tiles' to different sizes until you get one that works the way you want it.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 28, 2000 07:26am | #4

   *I do tile layouts all the time with a crosshatch technique in a CAD program that allows me to move the origin around, shifting the pattern to check for balancing layouts, cut tiles, etc. You have to get the tile size plus joint exactly right, but it's so much easier to look at 'what if' scenarios (6x6, 12x12, complex patterns, etc.) ahead of time that it's worth it. It gives the installers a good starting point and for the full-size field layouts noted above on installation (although it's tough to dry-lay, say, diagonal wall tile!) and they seem to appreciate it. I frequently use it in advance of finalizing room sizes to make sure that the tile repeat works out exactly, if that is important.While the architectural software is expensive, there is a new, relatively inexpensive version called Builder's Cad (see http://www.arriscad.com) that i maydo the same thing. You can check it out on the website or find out if the crosshatch routine can handle this.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 28, 2000 03:03pm | #6

   *We put in a lot of rather large ceramic tile floors and my favorite method of layout and marking is to figure the tile size and desired grout line spacing and then use your computer spread sheet program to kick out the measurements. Mark them on the floor and snap chalk lines every four or five tiles so you divide your floor into compartments. Lay the tiles to the lines and evenly space the tiles within the compartments. You will find that it makes for a very neat job and also compensates for tiles that aren't all the same size. You can use the same method on walls.

2. 
   Mack | Apr 28, 2000 03:03pm | #5

   *
   LOOKING FOR SOFTWARE FOR USE IN TILE LAYOUT FOR CERAMIC WALL & FLOOR TILE.