Domakihub How to Tile Around a Toilet Base Without Gaps
Master the scribing and curved-cutting technique that most tiling guides leave out.
Reviewed by Domakihub home & decor pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
Tiling a bathroom floor looks straightforward until you reach the toilet base — a curved, irregular shape that demands precise scribing and careful cuts. The video above shows the technique in action, and this article walks through each stage in detail so you can achieve a clean, professional finish. Whether you are renovating a family bathroom, a holiday rental, or a hotel room in Greece, getting this cut right prevents water ingress and makes the floor look properly finished.
Why the Toilet Base Is the Hardest Tile Cut on the Floor
Unlike straight cuts along a wall or around a door frame, the toilet base presents a compound curve that changes direction as it meets the floor. The pedestal narrows at the bottom and often has a slight undercut, meaning a tile laid flush against it will rock unless you follow the exact profile.
Skipping this step — or filling the gap with excessive grout — leads to cracked grout lines, trapped moisture, and an unfinished look that is especially visible in the clean aesthetic expected in Greek rental properties and hotel rooms.
Tools and Materials to Prepare Before You Start
You will need a pencil or felt-tip marker, a pair of compasses or a purpose-made scribing tool, a contour gauge (also called a profile gauge), a tile saw or angle grinder with a diamond blade, and a tile nipper for fine trimming. A spirit level and tile spacers keep everything aligned as you work up to the base.
Have a spare tile or two set aside for practice cuts. Porcelain and large-format tiles are less forgiving than ceramic, so a test run on an offcut will save an expensive mistake on the finished floor.
How to Scribe and Cut Tiles Around a Toilet Base
- 1
Dry-lay the floor and find the last row before the toilet
Before mixing any adhesive, lay the full floor dry, working from the centre of the room outward. When you reach the toilet, identify which tiles will need to be cut to fit around the base. Mark these tiles with a pencil so you know their orientation relative to the pedestal. Remove the toilet if possible — even a partial disconnection and lift gives far better access and produces a neater result.
- 2
Press a contour gauge against the base to capture the profile
Hold the contour gauge firmly against the curved base of the toilet at floor level and press the pins flush to capture the exact profile. Transfer this shape immediately onto the tile surface using a pencil — trace around the gauge while it is still in position. If the curve is tighter than the gauge can capture in one pass, work in short overlapping sections and join the traced lines freehand to create a smooth, continuous curve.
- 3
Refine the line using a pair of compasses for compound curves
For the section where the base curves back toward the wall (the rear of the pedestal), a contour gauge alone may not be accurate enough. Use a pair of compasses set to a consistent gap — typically 5 to 10 mm — and run one point along the base while the other scribes a parallel line on the tile. This technique, shown clearly in the video above, accounts for any slight unevenness in the floor and keeps the cut line at a constant distance from the actual profile.
- 4
Cut the curve with a diamond blade or tile nipper
For sweeping curves, use an angle grinder with a thin diamond blade and make a series of straight relief cuts up to — but not past — the scribed line, then snap out the waste in small sections. Finish with a tile nipper, removing 2 to 3 mm at a time, working toward the line. Smooth any jagged edges with a rubbing stone or the edge of a spare diamond blade. Test the cut tile against the base dry before applying any adhesive — it should sit within 2 to 3 mm of the pedestal, with the gap later sealed by silicone rather than grout.
- 5
Bed the cut tile, grout the field, and silicone the joint at the base
Apply tile adhesive to the floor (back-buttering large-format tiles as well) and press the cut tile firmly into position, checking it is level with the surrounding tiles. Once the adhesive has fully cured — typically 24 hours — grout the joints between tiles as normal. Do not grout the joint between the tile and the toilet base: instead apply a sanitary silicone in a matching colour. Silicone is flexible and waterproof, preventing the cracking that grout inevitably develops at a movement joint like the base of a toilet.
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FAQ
- Do I need to remove the toilet to tile around it properly?
- Removing the toilet is strongly recommended and will produce a much cleaner result. With the toilet lifted out, you can tile the full floor continuously and then re-set the toilet on top of the finished tiles. If removal is not possible — for example in an occupied rental — work in sections, cutting tiles to fit around the existing base, but expect the result to require more careful scribing and silicone finishing.
- Should I use grout or silicone between the tile and the toilet base?
- Always use silicone, not grout, in the joint between a tile and the toilet base. The base is a movement joint — the toilet flexes slightly under load and thermal expansion will crack rigid grout within months. A sanitary silicone in a colour matched to your grout is flexible, waterproof, and easy to replace if it discolours over time.
- What tile saw blade is best for cutting curves in porcelain?
- A thin-rim continuous diamond blade on an angle grinder gives the most control for curved cuts in porcelain. The thin kerf produces less vibration and reduces the risk of chipping. For tighter curves, follow the relief-cut and nipper method: make multiple straight cuts into the waste area, snap out the segments, and refine the edge with nippers. A blade marketed as 'turbo rim' is a reasonable alternative for ceramic but tends to chip the glaze on dense porcelain.