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Clearance Sales On Now
Clearance Sales On Now

FAQs

GENERAL

How can I contact you?

You have plenty of options to contact us. Simply choose your preferred method and we will respond as quickly as possible.  

What payment options do I have when placing an order?

For your convenience we have offer a variety of payment options as per below. Payment is required in full at the time of placing your order. Commercial accounts are available by application and subject to a credit check process. sales@tilecompany.com.au

  • American Express
  • MasterCard
  • Visa
  • AfterPay
  • ShopPay
  • GooglePay 

Can I order samples before buying?

Yes, you sure can! The samples are 100x100mm in size and generally take a couple of days to arrive if it's a stocked item.

Important Note:

Except for pure or flat-coloured tiles (like white wall tiles), all tiles have different designs printed onto their surface. These designs are referred to as “faces” of the tile. Each box of tiles contains a variety of these faces so that when your tiler installs the tiles, they can lay them out to achieve a more natural look, as opposed to having one tile face repeated all over the surface. For this reason, when you view a 100x100mm sample, keep in mind it is indicative of the variety of faces the tile will have. Even if you ordered a full-size sample, it would still only be indicative of one of the faces - the rest that come out of the same box could be different to that.

For this reason, we provide several high-resolution photos of different tile faces for each product online. You can use these in conjunction with a physical sample to decide what you would like to buy. Keep in mind, even if you're standing in front of the tile in a physical retail outlet, what is on display on the shelf is only indicative of what will come out of the box. 

How close will my samples look to the actual full-size tiles I buy?

Except for pure or flat-coloured tiles (like white wall tiles), all tiles have different designs printed onto their surface. These designs are referred to as “faces” of the tile. Each box of tiles contains a variety of these faces so that when your tiler installs the tiles, they can lay them out to achieve a more natural look, as opposed to having one tile face repeated all over the surface. For this reason, when you view a 100x100mm sample, keep in mind it is indicative of the variety of faces the tile will have. Even if you ordered a full-size sample, it would still only be indicative of one of the faces - the rest that come out of the same box could be different to that.

For this reason, we provide several high-resolution photos of different tile faces for each product online. You can use these in conjunction with a physical sample to decide what you would like to buy. Keep in mind, even if you're standing in front of the tile in a physical retail outlet, what is on display on the shelf is only indicative of what will come out of the box. 

How long will it take for my samples to arrive?

We use Australia Post Express bags when shipping our samples, so it should be to you within a couple of business days.

How do I know how many tiles to order?

When measuring how many tiles are required for an installation, this is commonly done using square metres (m2). It is normally best to have a qualified contractor do this measurement for you, just to be sure.

There is also an additional quantity that is required to cover what is called “wastage”. This refers to additional tiles that are required to complete the installation catering for all the angles and cuts, depending on what your area is like and what size the tiles. Wastage factors can range from 10-15% or higher for more complicated installations.

Once you have this final figure in square metres (m2), you input this into the quantity field for your desired product and click “add to order”. Our system automatically rounds this up to a whole box. We only sell in whole boxes, because this is safer for handling and it is always good to have a few left over after the installation for any future maintenance requirements you may have.

Why do you sell tiles only by the box and not by the square metre (m2)?

We sell tiles in whole boxes instead of by the square metre (m2) because it is safer for handling and it is always good to have a few left over after the installation for any future maintenance requirements you may have.

All you need to do is determine what your requirements are in square metres, including wastage. Once you have this quantity in square metres (m2), simply enter this into the quantity field for your desired products and click “add to cart”. Our system automatically rounds this up to a whole box for you to make it easy.

Wastage is an additional quantity that to cover additional tiles that are required to complete the installation catering for all the angles, cuts and breakages. Depending on what your area is like, size of tiles and laying pattern, wastage factors can range from 10-15% or higher for more complicated installations. 

TILE INFO

What is batch, or shade, variation?

Batch, or shade, variation can occur in all types of kiln-fired clay products including tiles. Consequently, each production run of tiles is given a shade number. This number is printed on the outside of the carton and should be recorded in case additional tiles are required later.

It is the tile installers responsibility to check the shade numbers on the boxes before laying commences. If different shade numbers are discovered the tile installer must inform the client. Sometimes the shades look quite similar and other times this is not the case. If there are several areas being covered with the same tile in may be possible to use different batches/shades in separate areas.

Source: Australian Tile Council 

What are the different types of finished on tiles?

There are a variety of tile finishes and each one gives the final product a unique appearance. Let’s explore each of these in turn:

Matte Finish

You get a matte finish when tiles are covered in a non-shiny glaze that’s applied with an inkjet machine or via the waterfall stream glazing method. The result is a tile that has a flat, non-reflective finish that offers a contemporary look.

Satin Finish

Satin finishes are produced with a polishing process that uses a few polishing wheels. These tiles have a softer and less shiny appearance. Satin finish tiles lie between polished and honed tiles in appearance.

Gloss Finish

Gloss finish tiles are finished with a durable glaze coating of liquid glass. This makes them quite reflective, shiny, and easy to clean.

Polished Finish

Polish finished tiles possess a highly polished surface that’s achieved by grinding the surface of each tile with a diamond disk. Sounds expensive and quite luxe, right? Furthermore, there are two types of polished porcelain tiles: unglazed-polish and glazed-polish.

Lappato Finish

Lappato finish is a shiny texture that’s added to the surface of the tile and gives it a semi-gloss look. These Lappato finish tiles are usually used with matt finish tiles where they serve as accents or highlights. For example, they are often placed in an entry way or an elevator's waiting area, as they serve to cleanly delineate spaces.

Grip Finish

Grip finish tiles have a more slip-resistant surface and feel rough to the touch. These are good to use in areas where there may be a higher risk of slip due to water or other liquids being on the tile surface. They may also require a little more effort to clean.

Structure Finish

The surfaces of structured finish tiles are changed during the forming process from flat to a textured look and feel. The interesting thing is that this texture can take many forms, ranging from a rough random texture to protruding geometric shapes. Structured tiles provide a lot of slip resistance, which makes them perfect for aged care homes and hospitals.

What difference does the body of a tile make?

There are different body types for tiles and each have their benefits. The main body types we sell are either coloured body porcelain or white bodied ceramic.

First thing to point out is the basic difference between a porcelain and ceramic tile. Porcelain is made with slightly different ingredients and is baked in the kiln for longer and at higher temperatures. This makes the porcelain tile more dense, heavier and less water absorption. Technically speaking, a tile is classified as porcelain when it's water absorption rate is equal to or less than 0.5%. If it's higher than this then it is considered to be ceramic. 

The term "ceramic tiles" is also often used to refer to all tiles, both ceramic and porcelain.

The benefits of coloured body porcelain tiles are as follows:

  • Lower water absorption
  • Harder and more durable
  • If the surface is chipped, it's harder to see the chip because the body is the same colour as the surface. Therefore you can go longer without needing to replace it.

The benefits of white bodied ceramic tiles are as follows:

  • Lighter
  • Sometimes cheaper, though as a factor on it's own it doesn't determine price

Other body types include double-charged and red-bodied tiles. Double-charged is where half of the body matches the surface colour, and for this reason has the same benefit when it comes to dealing with chips on the surface. A red-bodied tile is very common for tiles manufactured in Spain as it's the colour of the material used. While it's not great when the surface is chipped as it stands out, it doesn't mean the product is cheaper or inferior.

What does nominal size mean?

A tiles nominal size means it's an approximate size.

International and Australian Standards ISO-13006 covers all tolerances associated with the production of first quality tiles manufactured in Australia and overseas. This includes variations in size. 

Most of the tiles consumed in our market are formed by dust pressing of the clay tile body. The tiles are produced using a firing process at temperatures that often exceed 1200 degrees Celsius. As a result, that natural clay body may shrink by as much as 10% during this process. While modern kilns have better control over temperature variation the position of the tile in the kiln can still have an influence on size variation. Consequently tiles do not shrink by exactly the same amount. For this reason the Standard permits a variance in length and width of plus or minus 0.6% of the nominal size.

Therefore a 300x300mm tile can vary from 298.2mm to 301.8mm, resulting in a combined variance of 3mm. A 600x600mm tile could vary from 598mm to 602mm, resulting in a combined variance of 4mm. Tilers use the grout joints to accommodate for such variances when they install the tiles. 

Source: Australian Tile Council 

What's the difference between a floor and wall tile?

A floor tile can be used on both floor and walls, whereas a wall tile can only be used on the wall. This is generally because the floor tiles are thicker and more durable, while wall tiles are thinner. In some cases the finish on the tile may also be an influencing factor. 

What's the difference between pressed and rectified edge?

A pressed edge tile is where the edge of the tile has a slight curve or roll to it rather than being more squared, or right-angled. Pressed edge tiles are also known as cushioned or rolled edge. The benefit of this type of tile is the ability to avoid lipping, or lippage, which is where there is a pronounced lip from one edge of one tile to the adjoining edge of the next tile. Normally wider grout joints are used to assist in avoiding lipping.

A rectified edge tile is where the edge of the tile has been cut after being fired in the kiln, and this results in a very square edge. With the exception of decorative product and hand-made product where the edge is intentionally rough or wavey, rectified edge floor and wall tiles are more popular than pressed edge. The benefit of this type of tile is the ability to use smaller, thinner, grout lines - so you see more tile and less grout. It's important your substrate (the surface that's being tiled) is flat and straight to give your tiler the best opportunity to deliver a great installation for you. Your tiler will also generally use a clip system that sits beneath and above the tile at the grout joints during installation and allows the tiler to effectively tighten them and achieve a flat surface. In doing so, this avoids something lipping or lippage, which is where there is a pronounced lip from one edge of one tile to the adjoining edge of the next tile.

The type of tile edge does not indicate the quality of the tile, however it does influence the final look that will be achieved. For this reason it is a valuable part of your selection process and your design planning. 

Is there a difference in choosing tiles for indoor use versus outdoor use?

Generally speaking most people prefer outdoor tiles to have a greater level of slip resistance since they're commonly used in areas exposed to water or other liquids, such as patios or around pools. Whether it is for residential or commercial applications it is important to ensure the tile selected is fit for purpose, does not create a safety risk and is easy to clean and maintain - oh, and look amazing of course! 

While there are no specific slip-rating requirements when choosing floor tiles for your bathrooms in your home, there are specific requirements when choosing tiles for ramps, stair treads and stair landings. The National Construction Code and Australian Standards stipulate these requirements. They also provide recommendations for floor slip-ratings for commercial applications, such as a restaurant kitchen (a.k.a. back of house), or the bathroom facilities in shopping centres. It's always best to consult an expert to ensure you're given the best and latest advice. 

SHIPPING

How will the tiles be delivered?

The tiles will be delivered by a medium/large flat-tray-back truck with a forklift mounted on the back. The driver uses the forklift to pick-up the wrapped timber pallet/s of tiles and place them onto the ground in your driveway. It is important for everyone involved that you have a safe and secure location organised in advance ready for the driver to use. Equally, tiles are quite heavy so it's worthwhile to have some helping hands available to move the boxes into a secure location. Please use safe lifting techniques and only handle broken tiles with cut-resistant gloves.

View a video clip on safe lifting techniques here 

What if I have narrow or restricted access at my delivery address?

If you have restricted access at your delivery address p​​​​​​lease communicate this directly with our team by emailing sales@tilecompany.com.au and using your order number as a reference. Ideally, if you can include some photos of the location, this would help our team understand what special delivery methods may be required. Additional delivery methods, including hand-unload, may incur additional delivery costs. If you would like this confirmed before placing an order with us, you are more than welcome to email or phone us to discuss further so we can confirm this for you in advance.

07 3518 8453

sales@tilecompany.com.au

When should I book my tiler to start?

Generally speaking, i​​​​​​It is best to book your tiler to arrive for the installation the morning after the delivery is booked to arrive at your project address. Reason being, the delivery can arrive anytime up to 6pm on the day of delivery. 

How long will my order take to be delivered?

​​​​​​Depending on the items you have chosen and your delivery region, it can take on average between 5 and 7 days for your order to be delivered to your nominated address. After placing your order, we liaise with transport providers to establish when it can be delivered and will contact you by phone and email to advise.

If you have any questions please contact us.

07 3581 8453

sales@tilecompany.com.au

RETURNS

What if I want to return part, or all, of my order?

If you have additional tiles left over after the installation we recommend you keep these for future maintenance purposes, as you may not be able to buy the same shade/batch again.

If you are unhappy with your products we offer free returns. The only requirement is that the tiles are wrapped on a pallet and fit for transport. The method of pick-up will be the same as delivery, in that it will be via a medium/large flat-tray-back truck with a forklift mounted on the back. For this reason, ensure you position the pallet in a location that can be accessed by the forklift prior to stacking the boxes of tiles back onto the pallet.