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How to Prep, Lay, and Install a Herringbone Tile Floor

Published: Jan 30, 2014 · Modified: Aug 10, 2023 by Ashley Phipps · 2145 words. · About 11 minutes to read this article. · 103 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads and sponsored posts · This blog uses cookies · See our privacy policy for more info Filed Under: DIY

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it?

I have anxiously been awaiting this day!!  

The project I am showing you today was a little bit labor-intensive and it took a bit of time.  

But in the end, this project was 100% completely worth it!  Today I am thrilled to show off our bathroom's herringbone tile floor!

 
Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!
 

This might just be one of my favorite projects to date!  

And I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with The Tile Shop to help us complete this project.  

You see, when we installed laminate wood flooring throughout our home we did not install it in our bathrooms.  

I was worried that with two small children if we ever had an "overflow situation" in the bathroom, it could ruin our floors.  

It's happened to friends of ours, and I just didn't want to chance it.  

So for several months our bathroom floor remained linoleum and looked like this:

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!

Now, I'm not complaining.  It was decent linoleum.  

But next to our pretty wood floors, it didn't look that great!  So we were thrilled to be able to do a little tile work and spruce up our downstairs half bath!

We had a blast shopping and looking for tile at The Tile Shop.  

Their store was filled with bathroom and kitchen displays that were a wonderful inspiration!  

There were many options that I really liked, but in the end, I decided that I wanted a custom design.  I wanted a Herringbone Tile Floor!

We found the perfect rectangular travertine and were thrilled to get working!

Supplies you'll need to install a herringbone tile floor

  • Tile:  Bucak Lt Walnut H/F 5x20cm, 657571 (see how to find your quantity below)
  • Grout:  Desert Sand, Unsanded
  • Flexible Grout Admixture
  • Epoxy Film Grout Remover
  • Proflex Thinset (aka mortar)
  • Travertine Sealer
  • Trowel
  • Notched Trowel
  • Grout Float Tool
  • Mortar Mixing Paddle (for use with a power drill)
  • Large Sponge
  • Sealer Sponge
  • Bristle Brush
  • 1/16" Spacers
  • Tile Saw
  • Eye Protection
  • Ear Protection
  • Multi-Tool
  • 3+ Buckets (one for mortar, grout and water)
  • Ryobi AirStrike Nail Gun
  • Caulk
  • Touch-Up Paint and Foam Brush
  • Items to re-install toilet and sink if necessary
  • If you are laying on a wood subfloor, you will need to purchase and install concrete backer board prior to installation

How to install a herringbone tile floor - demo, prep and installation instructions.


1. How to calculate how many tiles you'll need to install a herringbone tile floor?

To figure out the correct tile amount, you will take the square footage of your room (length by width) and add 10%.  

Then round up to the next full box size and order that many boxes.

You need to account for a bit of breakage as well as cuts, and mistakes and this formula does just that.

2. Demo and Prepping to install a tile floor

First, you will need to un-install any fixtures you have in the room.  

We removed our pedestal sink and our toilet from the bathroom.

Next, you will need to demo your existing flooring.  

We had linoleum so it pulled right up.  

Make sure your concrete is in good condition prior to continuing.  

You may need to do repairs if it is really damaged.

Then use a multi-tool to trim your door frames.  

We set a piece of tile on the ground and added a piece of thin cardboard underneath it.  

This gave us an approximate height of the tile plus the thinset.  

We placed the multi-tool on top of it, and trimmed our door frames to the right height.

You can remove your molding, or leave your molding and plan to attach quarter-round after.

We also marked the middle of the room so that we would know about where to begin tiling.

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!
 
 

3. How to cut tile to install a herringbone tile floor

 
There are many types of tile saws.  
 
There are ones that work like a table saw, where the blade is underneath the table and you move the tile.  And there are tile saws where the tile stays stationary on the table and you move the saw blade.  
 
The first type of tile saw is generally cheaper.  
 
The second type offers the ability to easily make more complex cuts.
 
Because we hope to tile several rooms in our home, we opted for a nicer tile saw.  
 
We didn't pay a ton though (love Harbor Freight) and our saw has many options!  
 
It also did a really good job cutting our tile,  especially our angled tiles.
 
Now ladies (and gents), DON'T.  BE.  AFRAID.  OF.  THE.  TILE.  SAW.
 
I will admit, I was a little worried about it, I truly was.  There are many saws and power tools I use and have no issues with, but this one scared me just a little bit.  
 
But honestly, this was no harder to use than a miter saw is.  It is really easy.
 
And just to prove how easy it is...look at me...cutting away!!  I was even cutting a 45 degree cut here!
 
Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!
 

Me in my Duluth Jacket, the tile saw, my eye protection and ear protection spent a lot of time in the garage during the bitterly cold weather cutting tile.  (And my husband helped too because he is amazing like that!)

But my point is, don't let the worry of using a tile saw scare you away from tiling.  

It is really easy to use!  

Just use precautions and follow all safety guidelines!

Generally, you will want to measure and cut each piece individually.  So take your time, measure twice and cut once.

4. How to install thinset when installing a tile floor

You will mix your thinset (mortar) mixture with water until it is a toothpaste-like consistency.  

We used a mortar mixing paddle that attaches to a drill and it mixed it right up!

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!
 
 

5. How to lay and install a herringbone tile floor

 
There are two ways you can lay tile.  
 
One option is to spread the thinset directly onto the concrete using a notched trowel and then place the tile directly into the thinset.  
 
When spreading the thinset, hold the notched trowel at a 45-degree angle to the floor to create grooves in the thinset.  
 
The grooves allow room for the tile to be put in place without the thinset expanding too much.
 
Another option is to individually back-butter the tiles with thinset using a trowel.  
 
After the tile is back-buttered, use a notched trowel at a 45-degree angle to create grooves in the thinset and place the tiles on your subfloor.
 
We chose to lay our tile in this manner because we needed/wanted to lay the tile while our children were in bed, so it ended up taking us a few days to lay all of our tile since this pattern was a bit more complex.  (Typically you could lay a standard simple bathroom tile quickly, but our design took a bit more time.)  
 
Because we knew it would take us several days to lay the tile, we did not want excess thinset left on our subfloor.  
 
Back-buttering our tiles individually allowed us to lay our tile in sessions, without the mess of dried mortar to deal with.
 
We began laying our border around the entire room.  
 
Then we started in the middle and lined up our herringbone pattern very carefully.  
 
We laid all full tiles first and left the edges and complicated-to-cut tiles to do after.

 

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!


6. Using Spacers when installing a herringbone tile floor

As you lay your tile, you will want to use spacers in between every edge of your tile.  

We chose to use 1/16" spacers for this project.

You can also use spacers to scrape out any extra thin set that may ooze out in between your tiles as you are laying them.  (I don't think this is an "official" use, but it works really well!)

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!


7. How to cut and finish the edges when laying tile.

After the majority of the herringbone patterned tiles were in place, we made a million tiny 45-degree cuts to fill in all of the edges.  

With two of us working it went fairly fast.  

One of us measured and marked the tile, and installed the tile while the other one cut the tile.  

We had our system down to an art by the end!

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!


8. How to grout a tile floor.

You need to let your tile set completely before grouting.  (Always read the thinset and grout instructions for time frames.)

You will mix your grout and grout admixture together until it is a toothpaste consistency.

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!

Use a grout float at a 45-degree angle to spread and work the grout into your grout lines.  

Be sure that every grout line is filled well with grout.  

Work one small area at a time.  

And about every 15 minutes, take a break to wipe your surface clean using a large wet sponge.  

Then continue until the entire floor is grouted.

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!
 


9. How to de-haze and seal a herringbone patterned floor

After your grout has dried, use a film remover (aka de-hazer) and a bristle brush to clean your tile.  

Then wipe it up with paper towels.

Wait 48 to 72 hours and then you can seal your floors!  

You will use a sealer sponge and a sealer for natural stone and/or travertine.  

Follow the instructions on the back of the bottle.  

But basically you will wipe on a coat of sealer with your sealer sponge, let it soak into the stone for about 10 minutes.  

And then wipe off any excess with a clean, dry cloth.  

Wait about 30 minutes and repeat for a second coat if needed.  

You will know if you have enough sealer on your floor by doing a drip test.  

Drip a few drops of water onto your stone and if the water beads up, you do not need another coat of sealer.  

If the water absorbs into the stone, you will want to apply another coat of sealer to your stone.

Be sure to follow all manufacturer instructions and let your sealer dry completely prior to use.

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!

The Tile Shop holds tiling classes every Saturday morning at 9:30 am!  

This can be a great way to get a little hands-on experience prior to attempting to tile yourself!  Plus, the staff is so knowledgeable and helpful too!

And now it's time to be inundated with way too many "after" photos!

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!
 

After your floor is fully installed, you will want to re-attach your baseboard (we used our super cool Ryobi AirStrike).

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!

Then re-install your toilet and sink!  Be sure to caulk around the toilet and sink for a finished look.

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!

This tiling project has inspired another bathroom project that I will be showing off soon 🙂  Eek!  I can't wait!

Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!

A few tips to remember when you are installing a herringbone tile floor:

  • Be sure to have all the right tools prior to beginning a project like this
  • Be careful to lay your tile evenly so that tiles aren't higher than the next one.  Some like to use a level to help with this, others run a plastic cup (upside down) around the tile to be sure nothing catches, and some like to just use "feel" to get the tile level and smooth.  Either way, you don't want any stubbed toes, so just be sure your tile edges are level with the tile next to it.
  • Measure twice and cut once.
  • When in doubt, ask a professional!  The Tile Shop has many professionals that love to help answer your DIY questions.
Isn't this floor just amazingly gorgeous!?!?!?!  I am truly in love!
 
Sometimes I walk into my bathroom just to look at my pretty floor!  
Yes, I am totally serious.  hahaha
 
Always wanted a herringbone tile floor but thought it might be too difficult to do yourself or too expensive to get someone else to do it? Step by Step instructions with photos for prep, laying and installing them!

 

You Might Also Like these DIY flooring and bathroom tutorials:
 
How to Install Laminate Floors
How to Refinish Stairs
DIY Mirror Frames
 
As always, I am no professional.  I am just sharing how we installed our Herringbone Tile Floors!  Be sure to read and follow ALL manufacture instructions prior to completing any project like this.  Be sure to take all necessary safety precautions.  And if you get stuck, you may need to hire a professional.  
 

I would love for you to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and via email.

This post appeared first on Simply Designing.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Colleen

    January 30, 2014 at 10:27 am

    Love the looks of your new tiled floor. You done a wonderful job

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      January 30, 2014 at 6:55 pm

      Thank you so much Colleen!

      Reply
  2. Kim Wilson

    January 30, 2014 at 10:55 am

    This is absolutely gorgeous! You all did such an amazing job with the tile. Pinned it and sharing later today on my FB page! BRAVO girl!!!

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      January 30, 2014 at 6:56 pm

      Kim!! Thank you so so much for pinning and sharing on FB! You are so sweet to do that! <br /><br />And thank you!! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Julia from It's Always Ruetten

    January 30, 2014 at 12:06 pm

    Gorgeous! You all did a fabulous job!

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      January 30, 2014 at 6:57 pm

      Thanks so much Julia! And thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  4. Cynthia Banessa

    January 30, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    Love the work!!! Fantabulous!!!

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      January 30, 2014 at 6:58 pm

      Thank you Cynthia!

      Reply
  5. thetileninja

    January 30, 2014 at 5:12 pm

    Smart to start on a small room for this level of intricacy. Tile guy for 20 years and even we get challenged by such a layout. You could take your time and do it right. Nice job! The border is also a nice touch.

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      January 30, 2014 at 6:58 pm

      Thank you so much! And thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  6. Ashley Phipps

    January 30, 2014 at 6:56 pm

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    Reply
  7. Kimber Matherne

    January 30, 2014 at 7:22 pm

    This is absolutely stunning! I would love to do a floor like this in our master bath. It really makes it look so high end!

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      January 30, 2014 at 9:43 pm

      Thank you so much! This would be so pretty in a master bathroom!!

      Reply
  8. Stacy Risenmay

    January 30, 2014 at 9:31 pm

    Girl! That is gorgeous!!! I love it 🙂

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      January 30, 2014 at 9:45 pm

      Thanks so much Stacy!!! 🙂 And thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  9. Amy Anderson

    January 30, 2014 at 9:45 pm

    I can&#39;t believe you did that yourself - it looks amazing!

    Reply
  10. Ashley Phipps

    January 30, 2014 at 9:46 pm

    Oh thank you so much Amy!! You are so sweet!

    Reply
  11. Kaysi @ Keeping it Simple

    January 30, 2014 at 11:23 pm

    This is seriously amazing!!!! You have been doing so much on your house and it all looks awesome! I wish that I had your energy

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      January 30, 2014 at 11:36 pm

      Oh thank you so much Kaysi!! 🙂 And thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  12. Melanie @ bear rabbit bear

    January 30, 2014 at 11:28 pm

    This looks awesome! Great job!

    Reply
  13. Ashley Phipps

    January 30, 2014 at 11:36 pm

    Oh thank you Melanie!! And thanks for stopping by!

    Reply
  14. Kimberly Marie

    January 31, 2014 at 12:39 am

    Your floor came about fabulous! I can&#39;t believe you did that yourself!

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      January 31, 2014 at 10:37 am

      Thank you so much Kimberly!!! Oh and thank you, you are so sweet!!

      Reply
  15. Kara

    January 31, 2014 at 9:49 am

    I&#39;ve been wanting to do this for years! Your floor is gorgeous!!

    Reply
  16. Ashley Phipps

    January 31, 2014 at 10:38 am

    Thank you Kara!! And you should totally do it! 🙂

    Reply
  17. Kristin @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

    January 31, 2014 at 1:43 pm

    WOW Ashley, this floor is amazing, it looks beautiful in your bathroom, love it!

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      January 31, 2014 at 4:42 pm

      Thank you so very much Kristin!!

      Reply
  18. Katie

    January 31, 2014 at 3:43 pm

    WOW this is amazing! I would never think to do a herringbone pattern for a bathroom tile floor! LOVE IT!

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      January 31, 2014 at 4:49 pm

      Oh thank you so much Katie!! You are so sweet 🙂

      Reply
  19. Carrie @ lovely etc.

    February 01, 2014 at 12:41 pm

    This looks gorgeous - love herringbone! Great job.

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      February 03, 2014 at 3:59 pm

      Thank you so much Carrie!! 🙂

      Reply
  20. Britni Vigil

    February 01, 2014 at 4:15 pm

    Ashley this turned out gorgeous. Want to come do mine?

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      February 03, 2014 at 4:00 pm

      Thank you Britni!! That would be way too much fun 🙂

      Reply
  21. Carol-living in Mid-Missouri

    February 02, 2014 at 8:54 pm

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    Reply
  22. Carol-living in Mid-Missouri

    February 02, 2014 at 8:55 pm

    It is beautiful! Great job. Thank you for posting the pics and DETAILED tutorial!

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      February 03, 2014 at 4:01 pm

      Thank you so much Carol! And you are welcome! I am glad that the detailed tutorial and photos are helpful!

      Reply
  23. Leanne

    February 03, 2014 at 4:32 am

    The floor turned out beautiful. You did such a great job and I love how it looks against the wood floor.

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      February 03, 2014 at 4:02 pm

      Thank you so much Leanne!! 🙂 And thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  24. Angelina- JoJo & Eloise

    February 04, 2014 at 12:32 pm

    This looks GORGEOUS!!!!! You guys dis an AWESOME job. Pinning :)<br />xoxo

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      February 05, 2014 at 10:20 am

      Oh thank you so much! And thanks for pinning!

      Reply
  25. House in the Heights

    February 09, 2014 at 11:57 pm

    Gorgeous! I have dreams of laying herringbone tile in our kitchen....thanks for a great tutorial!

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      February 10, 2014 at 5:47 pm

      Thank you so much! And that would be beautiful!!

      Reply
  26. delightinginthemoment.blogspot.com

    February 16, 2014 at 12:39 am

    Thanks for your tutorial! Could you do this with a 3 x 6 sized tile?

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      February 17, 2014 at 12:26 am

      You are welcome! And yes, you can do this with a 3x6 tile. The portions will look a little different then mine, but you can in theory do this pattern with any rectangle tile! The dimensions just determine the exact look! Good luck!

      Reply
  27. Corinna Bennett

    February 17, 2014 at 6:51 pm

    I love this floor! You did an excellent job! Thanks for the tutorial too. How inspiring. 🙂

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      February 21, 2014 at 12:24 pm

      Corinna, thank you so much! And thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  28. Natalie V

    February 18, 2014 at 11:38 pm

    I think dealing with all of those angles might drive me a little batty, but it would be worth it to have a floor this gorgeous. I love seeing other DIY-ers and the amazing things they come up with! 🙂

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      February 21, 2014 at 12:26 pm

      hahaha! It was definitely tricky in a few areas :/ But it was TOTALLY worth it! Thanks for stopping by Natalie!

      Reply
  29. K Quinn

    February 19, 2014 at 3:20 am

    That is beautifu!. I would love to know how to use all those tools you&#39;re using. I can no longer look at my icky tile bathroom floors the same again.

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      February 21, 2014 at 12:27 pm

      Thank you so much! I truly believe that anyone can learn to use tools! 🙂 Good luck replacing your bathroom floors!

      Reply
  30. Rebecca Scaglione

    February 19, 2014 at 11:55 am

    That looks AMAZING! So great that you were able to do it!!!!

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      February 21, 2014 at 12:29 pm

      Thank you so much Rebecca! And thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  31. vw bug

    February 19, 2014 at 5:21 pm

    Love the look of your tiled bathroom floor. I wasn&#39;t that brave. I just did the square tiles. You did a much better job and it looks beautiful.

    Reply
  32. Angie Young

    February 19, 2014 at 5:55 pm

    That is such a pretty floor. I&#39;ve never seen one laid like that. I have to say, I&#39;m really liking that pattern. And thank you so much for posting a detailed list of everything that is needed for the project along with detailed instructions. That really helps someone like me who&#39;s never done this, but would love to with some help.

    Reply
  33. Shirley Wood

    February 19, 2014 at 7:17 pm

    Great DIY job! Love the Herringbone pattern too. It turned out beautiful. We took a floor tile class at Home Depot&#39;s Do It Herself class. They made it seem so easy. We want to do our bathroom floors also.

    Reply
  34. Marcia Shaw Wyatt

    February 19, 2014 at 10:19 pm

    Your floor turned out gorgeous! And this post is absolutely wonderful - so informative and helpful! Thank you! 😀

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      February 21, 2014 at 12:30 pm

      Thank you so much Marcia!! You are so sweet! And thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  35. Hil'Lesha O'Nan

    February 19, 2014 at 10:33 pm

    It looks like it takes a lot of the work, but the end result makes it all worth it. So beautiful!

    Reply
  36. Val

    February 19, 2014 at 10:52 pm

    Wow. You did a fabulous job! Want to come do my bathroom?

    Reply
  37. Laura P.

    February 19, 2014 at 11:52 pm

    I am so impressed! Not only do you know the names of all these tools &amp; materials, you used them yourself to tile a beautiful floor! Not to mention creating a wonderful post about the wonderful job...

    Reply
  38. Laura P.

    February 19, 2014 at 11:53 pm

    I am so impressed!

    Reply
  39. Jeanette Foss

    February 20, 2014 at 7:14 am

    It looks awesome. Much better:)

    Reply
  40. phoward336

    February 20, 2014 at 9:46 am

    I&#39;m impressed! I&#39;ve done several tile jobs with my husband, and since I HATE the grouting process, we elected for 18&quot; tiles for our screened in porch - it looks gorgeous and meant fewer grout lines - yours would be a TON - like I said, impressive!

    Reply
  41. Meeghan Mousaw

    February 20, 2014 at 10:10 am

    So pretty and such useful information! Great work! Thanks!

    Reply
  42. Sarah Barker

    February 20, 2014 at 11:38 am

    Ashley, it really is gorgeous, I&#39;m SO impressed! I&#39;ve always been intimidated by tile and especially how to make it level/the tops even, so I especially appreciate your tips about that. <br /><br />Sarah&#39;s Fare recently posted → &lt;a href=&quot;http://sarahsfare.com/eggs-in-a-nest/”&gt;Eggs in a Nest&lt;/a&gt;

    Reply
  43. Tink Bell

    February 20, 2014 at 3:18 pm

    Wow. What a great job. Makes me want to run out and redo my own bathrooms. Which hopefully I will be doing sometime this year. And I will be referring to this post when I do. Thanks for the excellent instructions.

    Reply
  44. Lalia Frolick

    February 20, 2014 at 7:44 pm

    My husband is a tile setter, and it&#39;s definitely best to ALWAYS backbutter all the tiles. One step that I would highly recommend which I didn&#39;t see mentioned was leveling a floor before installing tile. It&#39;s crazy how crooked and wavy floors can be, and you don&#39;t really notice until you&#39;re trying to put furniture on a surface you think is flat, but isn&#39;t! I used to help my

    Reply
  45. Jaclyn

    February 20, 2014 at 10:58 pm

    Love all the step by step photos. Great work!!

    Reply
  46. Johnnalynn

    February 21, 2014 at 10:52 am

    This is absolutely gorgeous! I am sooo not good at things like this but it actually sounds like a fun challenge. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  47. Johnnalynn

    February 21, 2014 at 10:55 am

    This looks fabulous! I am sooo bad when it comes to doing things like this on my own, but it sounds like a great challenge! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  48. Liz Lewis

    February 21, 2014 at 1:41 pm

    OK, YOU are awesome! I love that you tackled this project. The detailed photos were amazing, but I especially appreciated that you put in a list of all the supplies needed. Some people don&#39;t do this and it can be soooooo frustrating!! You rock, did I mention that? Wow!

    Reply
  49. Stacey Gibbon

    February 21, 2014 at 5:10 pm

    Beautiful work! I can&#39;t wait till we own a house and I can do projects like this. We are military so we have only lived in rentals. I hate the restrictions {especially since I&#39;m a crafty and DIY gal} I really love what you did!<br />-Stacey<br />GluedToMyCraftsBlog.com

    Reply
  50. Lisa {Amateur Nester}

    February 21, 2014 at 6:01 pm

    Wow, this is gorgeous! I wish I was handy! Stopping by from Blogelina Commentathon.

    Reply
  51. Lisa {Amateur Nester}

    February 21, 2014 at 6:02 pm

    Wow, this is gorgeous! I wish I was handy! Stopping by from Blogelina Commentathon.

    Reply
  52. Jen Bradley

    February 21, 2014 at 9:29 pm

    Wow! That looks great, and actually like a lot of fun. We&#39;ve stopped making improvements since we now have an offer on our condo, but if we move into my grandma&#39;s house in a few years, a lot of these projects will be happening again. I&#39;m glad to know there&#39;s a resource which walks right through the steps. Nice blog!

    Reply
  53. Jennifer at Purposeful Nutrition

    February 22, 2014 at 12:18 am

    That looks so sharp and professional. I wouldn&#39;t attempt a project like that but my hubby would. Enjoy. Great post.

    Reply
  54. Katherine Petrunia

    February 22, 2014 at 7:28 pm

    Absolutely stunning! You guys did an amazing job! And A+ for teamwork! I bet the feeling of accomplishment after you finished this project made all the hard work worth it- plus being able to go in and admire your handiwork! Great instructions, info, tips, and photos. All- round, a very user- friendly how to! Thank you for the project idea!

    Reply
  55. Annette Browning

    February 22, 2014 at 8:35 pm

    Great job! It&#39;s beautiful. I need to re-tile our entry way (pinky, icky and slippery tiles!). I like the herringbone design.

    Reply
  56. Jessi

    February 23, 2014 at 10:05 am

    Love love love it!!! So beautiful and now I want to redo our teeny tiny master bathroom! And you are awesome for doing this yourself, I normally leave this kind of work to my hubs. 🙂

    Reply
  57. Nicole K/GothamGal

    February 23, 2014 at 11:03 pm

    As new homeowners, we can be overwhelmed by some of the DIY projects out there, but I love this one and will be adding it to my honey please do this wishlist.<br />I love the look of herringbone, and you took the &#39;scary&#39; out of this.

    Reply
  58. Jennifer Hughes

    February 24, 2014 at 11:19 am

    Your floor turned out beautifully!!! I think the small triangles to fit in the sides are what would get me. But I&#39;d be willing to try to get the outcome you did. Thanks for the tutorial :-)<br /><br />Jennifer @ The Jenny Evolution

    Reply
  59. Kyisha Long

    February 24, 2014 at 6:39 pm

    These tiles don&#39;t look bad at all.

    Reply
  60. Tanya

    February 25, 2014 at 9:15 am

    That is so pretty! It really adds a punch to the bathroom. I wish I was handy like that!

    Reply
  61. Tonia L

    February 25, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    Wow! You guys did a beautiful job! Love the herringbone look - you&#39;ve inspired me for our entryway!

    Reply
  62. Virginia Megin Gallagher

    February 25, 2014 at 3:55 pm

    Super project! I&#39;ve flipped three houses and learned to install tile myself. I know that the herringbone can be quite a job. But it turned out beautiful!

    Reply
  63. Marisa Slusarcyk

    February 26, 2014 at 12:56 am

    wow that looks incredible! Great job!

    Reply
  64. Still Reviewing

    February 26, 2014 at 2:46 am

    Great tutorial and great job on the tile floor.

    Reply
  65. Tamara Brower

    February 26, 2014 at 9:24 pm

    Nice documentation. Beautiful job too. It is definitely an improvement.

    Reply
  66. Nikki Harvey

    February 27, 2014 at 12:09 am

    Wow! That looks beautiful! Love the tile!

    Reply
  67. A. Reiding

    February 27, 2014 at 12:48 am

    It&#39;s dangerous you make this looks so easy--now I want to do this!

    Reply
  68. Michelle Moms Are Frugal

    February 27, 2014 at 10:00 am

    I think it is great that you are not afraid to use a saw or tools! That is on my bucket list...closer to the end though because power tools scare me!

    Reply
  69. Ashley Phipps

    February 27, 2014 at 9:03 pm

    Thank you everyone for all your sweet kind comments!!

    Reply
  70. Laura

    December 05, 2015 at 12:07 pm

    Great results! What were the dimensions did you cut the main tiles to?

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      December 10, 2015 at 10:06 pm

      We only cut the corners of the tile for this floor, the tile came in a small rectangle shape already.

      Reply
  71. Carol

    January 18, 2016 at 8:47 am

    What is the paint color? It looks lovely with the tile.

    Reply
  72. Robert

    October 03, 2019 at 6:00 am

    Great job on the floor...love the herringbone!

    I realize this is years old but any chance you know what color you used on the bathroom walls?

    Thanks.

    All the best 🙂

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      October 03, 2019 at 6:37 pm

      Hi! It is actually a discontinued paint color from Porter Paint...gosh I don't recall the color...but they stopped making it a few years ago and their match just wasn't quite the same. It was definitely a warm yellow-y tan though.

      Reply
  73. Jennifer

    February 24, 2020 at 7:42 am

    What size tiles did you use? Looks great!

    Reply
    • Ashley Phipps

      February 24, 2020 at 2:40 pm

      Thank you. They are approximately 2" x 8".

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that can guide the use of the Herringbone Tiles Pattern - Home Star Tiles and Bath says:
    March 12, 2022 at 3:29 am

    […] But note that when you take this route, you may still eventually have to cut some tiles at the ending part to complete the herringbone pattern. You can enjoy the control from the starting side of the tiling space, whether wall or floor, to the far end when you round off. Learn more about installation of herringbone tiles on [Link deleted][…]

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  2. DIY Floating Shelves - How to Measure, Cut, and Install says:
    December 14, 2022 at 9:45 am

    […] I shared how we installed a herringbone tile floor in our half-bathroom with you (see it here)!  What I didn't tell you was that we loved them so […]

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  3. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that can guide the use of the Herringbone Tiles Pattern – Home Star Tiles and Bath says:
    December 22, 2022 at 6:28 pm

    […] But note that when you take this route, you may still eventually have to cut some tiles at the ending part to complete the herringbone pattern. You can enjoy the control from the starting side of the tiling space, whether wall or floor, to the far end when you round off. Learn more about installation of herringbone tiles on [Link deleted][…]

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  4. Different types of floor tiles and their strengths and prices – Residential & Commercial Tiles says:
    December 23, 2022 at 7:08 pm

    […] the risk of sounding like a broken record, it is essential to consider movement when installing new floor tiles on an existing timber floor or a new concrete slab. Even apparently solid substrates may contract […]

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