45° chevron: the laying tutorial

Herringbone and chevron · 7 min read · updated 5 November 2026 · Written by Tilelico

Factory-mitred pieces meet along straight lines, forming right-angled points. Unlike herringbone, the point joint is one continuous line.

Real example · calculated by Tilelico

Lounge of 5.60 × 4.80 m, 12 × 60 cm, 2 mm joint

WholeCutCut under 100 mmFixed unit

Whole pieces dominate and read as very regular columns. The walls do cut the points into small pieces, though: these are the narrow cuts flagged on the plan. They are normal here, but need careful preparation as they break easily.

Calculated result

Room area: 26.88 m²
Area covered: 23.46 m²
Whole pieces: 328
Cut pieces: 202
Actual need: 530
To order (+15%): 610
Waste with no offcut reuse: 23.1 %
Narrow cuts: 42

Most frequent cuts

204 cuts in 20 different sizes.

C01 · 120 × 217 mm× 27
C02 · 120 × 214 mm× 27
C03 · 120 × 534 mm× 16
C04 · 120 × 528 mm× 16

Setting out and products

Starting point 69 mm from the west wall and 71 mm from the north wall, then a 683 × 173 mm repeat. Estimated products: 82 kg of adhesive and 6.8 kg of grout.

Reproduce it in Tilelico

1Draw a 5.60 × 4.80 m rectangle, then add in the centre: Fixed unit.
2Choose the covering: 12 × 60 cm, 2 mm joint.
3Select the “45° chevron” pattern.
4Set the distribution to “Centring” and the margin to 15%.

Open this example in the editor

When to choose it

It is a refined lay, suited to good-sized rooms where you want a crisp, very legible pattern.

Best forLounges, wide hallways and rooms where the lines of points can follow a strong axis.
Avoid ifThe room is very small: cut points take over from the pattern.

Continue with: 30° chevron: a flatter, calmer pattern →

Preparing the job

Read the size carefully: in Tilelico it is measured tip to tip, so a piece covers less than its bounding rectangle.

A parallelogram cannot be flipped: check with your supplier that you will receive left and right pieces, in roughly equal numbers.

Continue with: 45° herringbone: the classic French presentation →

Step by step

Step 1 — Mark the point lineSnap the line on the main axis: it marks where the points of two columns line up.
Step 2 — Mark the column pitchTransfer the next lines using the horizontal pitch from your project’s setting out.
Step 3 — Lay one columnAlign the mitres with the line and check the vertical pitch shown on the plan.
Step 4 — Lay the mirror columnUse pieces of the other hand: points must meet exactly.
Step 5 — Cut the edgesRecut each edge piece, keeping its factory edges visible on the joint side.

Continue with: Herringbone tile laying: the complete tutorial →

Mistakes to avoid

Mixing left and right piecesA piece of the wrong hand will not fit the column, and without sorting this is often found too late.
Misreading the sizeTo compare two products, check how each states its length: tip to tip or long side.

These pointers describe common practice, not imposed rules. The data sheet for your covering and for your installation products always takes precedence, and measurements taken on site are the reference.

Frequently asked questions

Why so many narrow cuts?

Points meet the walls at regular intervals. Moving the grid can reduce them, but the pattern will always produce some.

Can a square make a chevron?

No: the piece would have no long side left at 45°. Tilelico keeps this pattern for elongated sizes.

Technical references

This guide describes common installation practices. It does not replace applicable technical documents, manufacturer instructions or measurements taken on site.