Quarter-Turn Truchet Cut-Out Wall Tile Set

A set of twelve flat, cut-through square tiles whose arcs join across the seams, so every turn of a tile redraws the pattern on the wall.

Date: 2026-11-11 Category: Art and Decor Modeling difficulty: Beginner Estimated print: ~10 h total · ~180 g PLA (estimate) Suggested price: $48–$85 printed · $7 digital file (estimate) Status: Concept

Description

Each tile is a 100 mm square frame with a 6 mm rim and two 8 mm wide quarter-circle arcs. One arc is centred on the front-left corner and the other on the back-right corner, so each arc meets the rim at the midpoint of an edge. Every tile is the same shape. Twist one a quarter turn and the arcs hit the neighbour's arcs at different spots.

The tiles are flat and single colour, and everything between the arcs is cut through, so the wall shows through. Twelve hang in a 4 × 3 block about 403 × 302 mm. The pattern is the owner's to change whenever they like, which is what makes it a decor piece and not a one-off print.

Truchet tiling dates to the early 1700s, from Sébastien Truchet. Print in one colour and paint nothing, or print three plates in three colours for a gradient.

Why it sells

There is no sales ranking behind this one; it is chosen on taste. What exists: a commercial 3D-printed wall tile set built on Truchet tiling, where three tiles rotate into different patterns (3DPrinting.com, Design Milk), and a free parametric printed tile system on MakerWorld (TESSERA). The research literature also covers printed Truchet tiles (PMC). The gap: the commercial set is a limited edition with plexiglass and steel parts, and the free one is a complex joint system. This is one tile, one print setting, twelve copies.

Who buys it

A renter or home owner who wants a graphic wall piece without drilling, a gift buyer for housewarmings, and someone who already hangs hex panels and wants a square set. They shop on Etsy and MakerWorld. The pitch for the owner's own wall: the same file hangs as a cluster of 12 or 6.

Design overview

• Square 100 mm tile, 4 mm thick, 6 mm rim, two 8 mm quarter-ring arcs.
• Arcs end at edge midpoints, so any of the four rotations joins cleanly to any neighbour.
• Cut-through design: everything not rim or arc is open, so wall colour is the second colour.
• Four tiles fit one 205 × 205 mm plate; the full set is three plates.
• Hang on removable strips, no nails.
• Standout feature: one tile shape, four rotations, so the wall pattern can be changed without printing anything new.

Dimensions

Parts list

Hardware and non-printed parts

Removable adhesive picture-hanging strips, medium size, 2 per tile (24 for the set), each cut to 6 mm wide to sit on the rim. Optional: flat white or black paint pen to touch up edges.

Fits and tolerances

No mating parts. Tiles hang with a 1 mm gap so the strips and print tolerance do not make neighbours touch. Because each arc ends at the edge midpoint, a 0.1 mm plate error does not show.

Modeling guide

Origin: front-left bottom corner of the tile; +X right, +Y back, +Z up.

1. Sketch a 100 × 100 square on XY from (0,0). Extrude 4 in +Z.
2. On the top face, sketch an 88 × 88 square at (6,6). Cut through all.
3. Sketch ring A: circle centre (0,0) radius 46 and radius 54, trim to the square. Extrude 4 in +Z from Z=0.
4. Sketch ring B: circle centre (100,100) radii 46 and 54, trim to the square. Extrude 4 in +Z.
5. Chamfer the top outer edge 0.4.
6. Check the result is one solid body with no islands: the arcs must touch the rim at (0,50), (50,0), (100,50) and (50,100).
7. Pattern into a 2 × 2 plate at 105 mm pitch, 3 plates.

Print settings

Assembly

1. Lay tiles in a 4 × 3 block with a 1 mm gap.
2. Rotate each tile in quarter turns until the pattern pleases.
3. Fit two strips per tile on the back top corners.
4. Press each tile to the wall for 30 seconds, top row first.

Variants and upsells

• Six-tile and nine-tile starter packs.
• 150 mm tiles (two per plate) for a bolder look.
• Three-colour fade set: print the plates in light, medium and dark of one hue.
• Series idea, piece by piece: Set 02 adds a diagonal-line tile and a half-arc tile that mix with the arc tile.

Selling and distribution

Sell the printed set on Etsy and the file on MakerWorld or Cults3D. Price from material (about 180 g PLA) plus roughly 10 h of machine time plus margin; the range is an estimate. Keep the file under a commercial licence for sale of prints and a personal-use tier for the file. Keywords: truchet wall art, modular wall tiles, geometric wall decor, 3D printed wall art, quarter circle tile, modern wall panels, rotate wall tiles, minimalist wall decor, apartment wall art, cut out wall tiles.

Risks and IP notes

• Sagging or curling on 100% infill thin parts: use a textured plate and 60 °C bed; thickness 4 is safe.
• Crowded market of geometric wall tiles: sell the rotate-it-yourself idea.
• Strips fail on textured paint: tell buyers to test one tile and use two strips per tile.
• Truchet tiling is a public mathematical idea, not protected; no brand names in listings.

Resource links

• Duffy London Abyss wall tiles (3DPrinting.com) — A commercial 3D-printed wall tile set built on Truchet tiling, three tiles that rotate into different patterns.
• Abyss interchangeable wall tiles (Design Milk) — Second write-up of the same set, shows the arrange-it-yourself idea in photos.
• TESSERA parametric wall tiles (MakerWorld) — Free parametric printed wall tile system; its listed print settings are 0.2 mm layers, 2 walls, 10% infill.
• Truchet tilings and 3D printing (PMC article) — Research background on Truchet tilings, including printed reconfigurable tiles.
• Hexagon tiles wall art arranged any way (Yanko Design) — Shows the wall-cluster format the owner already uses for hex panels.