Start laying large format tile from the corner of the room nearest your last reference line and work outward, never beginning directly against a wall.

Large format tiles require a stable, flat substrate and a clear layout plan before any adhesive is applied. First, establish two perpendicular reference lines from the center of the room or from a main focal point such as a doorway; snap chalk lines and measure off those lines to confirm squareness so the grid will stay true across the floor. Use a long straightedge or laser and a two millimeter feeler gauge to check for any high or low spots and level the substrate with a modern cementitious patch or self leveling underlayment when deviations exceed the tile manufacturer tolerance. Choose a medium bed or large format tile mortar and apply it with a suitably notched trowel using a back buttering technique for full coverage under each tile; this prevents hollow spots and ensures bond strength. Employ a consistent placement pattern working from your reference corner outward so cuts fall at the perimeter and not in the main sight lines; dry lay a single run first to verify spacing and expansion joint needs. Use nonmetal spacers sized to your grout joint plan and check alignment frequently with a long straightedge; adjust tile position while the mortar is still plastic to maintain tight joints and avoid lippage. Keep a damp sponge and bucket handy to remove excess mortar from joints and faces as you go so the grout will bond cleanly later.

Common mistakes include starting at a wall which forces awkward cut pieces into primary sight lines and creates alignment problems, so instead begin at the corner near your last reference line and work outward. Another issue is insufficient mortar coverage under the tile causing hollow spots and later breakage, and the fix is back buttering each tile and confirming at least ninety percent coverage for interior floors or one hundred percent for exterior installations. A third problem is failing to control substrate flatness, which results in lippage across large tiles, and that is corrected by measuring for deviations, repairing dips with underlayment, and only proceeding when the floor meets the tile manufacturer flatness tolerance.

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