Herringbone walls ! The definitive answer? - Tile Advice

[macten]

Putting tray in and overboarding the floor tomorrow.
But this is first look at my herringbone challenge and although the 2nd pic looks a bit bendy the walls are bang on flat and plumb. Just a shame it's a sloped ceiling and someone wants an alcove
The tiles are small 2''x 8'' or less but the inside of the alcove will be a solid white gloss tile of some sort so at least it doesn't need wrapping into that.
I did suggest normal tiling with a herringbone feature in the alcove but they were having none of it

 

[macten]

Back off my hols and on to this
Thought I'd post my (slow progress) as a help to others who are wary of the 45 herringbone wall and share the triumphs and potential pit falls as I go.
So this morning I worked from home (that's a first) and dry set out on some scraps of Hardi and cut some jigs to help me out. Also using Leemacs' advice I set out for the 1400mm tray by striking the centre line on one of my jigs. Got there after dinner and got a bit done. Going great at the moment but not sure what's going to happen when I hit the alcove, sloping ceiling and the wrap arounds as it makes my head hurt, but all good so far!

 

[macten]

One question - I've been lucky that I get full tiles at each end on this main wall (apart from the 45 corner cut off obviously) So to do a true wrap around I would use the little corner pieces but I'm thinking it would look much better to just mirror it? I know that's not the correct way and with smaller cuts it looks naff, but to the eye would you really notice? Got to look better than tiny triangles - what would you do?

 

[Blunt Tool]

Better to get @RayTheTiler to answer this

 

[John Benton]

Just stick a kettle in front of the little cuts

 

[Albert]

Mirror it, it looks ok

 

[macten]

Just stick a kettle in front of the little cuts

It’s a shower so hanging 2 body length loofahs might do the trick!

 

[Stustunz]

If you mirror the points may look a bit odd but like you said no little bits.The thing that I would check is where does each pattern finish on the tray edge If square it should look pretty much the same as the back wall you have already done.So visually mirror may look better in this instance.

 

[macten]

Re-clad the sill and side reveal of alcove to give me nicer cuts.
Toyed with the idea of building out the right-hand side reveal to totally equalise it all, but I've already shrunk it down and that would have meant losing a really big chunk of it.
Success with the most worrying part - going either side of alcove and meeting up again above it.

 

[Albert]

Re-clad the sill and side reveal of alcove to give me nicer cuts.
Toyed with the idea of building out the right-hand side reveal to totally equalise it all, but I've already shrunk it down and that would have meant losing a really big chunk of it.
Success with the most worrying part - going either side of alcove and meeting up again above it.

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Looking good

 

[macten]

Really wanted to finish the main wall today as it was my first proper full day at it but didn't quite manage it. 5pm and I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Sick of it now to be honest
Grey grout so no place for cheeky cheats

 

[Waluigi]

Great work, @macten

 

[Bond]

Pure dead brilliant.

 

[Waluigi]

Has anyone done a giant herringbone job? On a wall I mean.

 

[LM]

Has anyone done a giant herringbone job? On a wall I mean.

Giant tile or area?