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Tile FAQs

Find below a list of Tile FAQs, commonly asked by our customers.

All our tiles are sourced directly from suppliers in Italy and Spain.

Yes, our tiles can be used in living areas, hallways, kitchens, bathrooms. It is worth considering the finish of tiles for certain areas eg wet rooms or utility rooms where there may be water and/or soap and also outside areas. Our product pages show you the slip rating of each tile where this applies and more information can be found in our Guide to Slip Ratings.

Yes we have a lovely showroom in Kettering, Northamptonshire . We are situated in the lovely Glebe Farm estate at Junction 7 off the A14 NN16 8XF. With ample parking and a lovely little eatery on site full of mouthwatering dishes it’s well worth making a day of it and coming to visit us! We are usually open Tue-Sat 10.30am – 2.30pm or happy to make appointments outside these hours too! 

We will send you up to 6 samples FOC. 

Samples should normally arrive within 2-3 working days. If they haven’t arrived within 5 working days then please do get in touch with us.

We also offer the option to purchase larger samples delivered directly to your door. Read more about our ‘Go the extra mile’ sample service.

We would always suggest you order a sample before committing to purchasing your tiles. It is important to note that typically tiles can vary slightly from batch to batch so the actual tiles you receive may be slightly different to the sample or larger sample.

Our Porcelain and Ceramic tiles do not need sealing.

You can use Porcelain on walls and floors. It may be important for you to think about the tile finish for floors. So consider where are you using the tiles and who is likely to be walking on the tiles. See our guide to Slip Ratings and Tile Finishes.

Porcelain is also denser and heavier than ceramic so it is also imperative to consider the substrate you are adhering to has a suitable weight bearing capability to accommodate your chosen tiles. Check with your tiler or find more information on our Helpful Information page or contact us if you need more information.

Some of our ceramic tiles can be used on both walls and floors and some just on floors. Each product has a technical tab underneath the description, click that tab and you find information on usage. Or if in doubt, please just get in touch with us directly. 

Yes, our collection of outside Porcelains are perfect for outdoor areas because they are frost proof and fade resistant. All our 20mm thick porcelains for outside have a co-ordinating 9mm tile for inside and are perfect for creating that inside outside flow from lounge to lawn. Slip rating is a key consideration. Many of our collections include R11 A+B+C and R12 A+B+C rated tiles for outside. See our guide to slip ratings. Correct installation of Porcelain outside is very important. Visit Inside Outside Porcelains.

Some collections include a tile that is in a matt or soft finish for example for inside with an equivalent antislip tile for outside. The design graphics are the same across both tiles as they are designed to work together and the antislip material has an extra layer of frit applied to the surface to increase the anti-slip properties. Because the tiles undergo different production processes, slight variations in colour may occur batch to batch. 

We recommend you include at least an additional 10% for smaller tiles (600 x 600 and 300 x 600mm and below) and up to 20% for larger format tiles (800 x 800 and 400 x 800mm and larger) to allow for cutting, breakage and a few spare tiles. With large format, for larger areas that are straightforward ie there are not lots of cuts, you may be able to opt for slightly less than 20% waste and your tiler should be able to help advise.

You can confirm you want to go ahead with your order by calling us, email us, what’s app or live chat and we will get in touch to arrange taking payment and confirm approximate delivery times.

Payment can be made either via Debit or Credit Card or BACS transfer.

You can view our prices with and without VAT by switching the VAT toggle key on our product pages. At quotation and order stage all our prices include VAT and delivery also includes VAT.

Yes, all our Porcelain floor tiles are suitable for both electric and wet underfloor heating systems. It is important to employ the services of a professional installer and ensure the correct installation process and products are used when laying Porcelain with underfloor heating and that the correct guidance is adhered to when switching the underfloor heating on. Your underfloor heating supplier and/or tiler should be able to give you specific advice regards this.

With a wet room it is imperative that the background is stable and made watertight ie tanked correctly before any tiling begins. Check with your tiler first. Slip ratings are another consideration for a wet room floor given this will be wet and soapy and therefore slippery with bare feet. Choosing an appropriate slip rated tile is important. See our guide to slip ratings.

Most of the time a mop and fresh water will do the trick to clean your tiles. For more stubborn dirt you can use a specialist tile cleaner with a bit of elbow grease if required.

It is critical that the tiles are cleaned properly during installation as dust and dirt can stick to grout and adhesive residue on tiles. During installation, joints should be kept clean with a specialist tile cleaner to wipe away any excess adhesive off the surface of the tiles. Once grouting is finished, tiles should be cleaned with a specialist cleaner. Your tiler should carry this out during installation. The same applies to any tiles laid outside. See Care and Maintenance

We would not recommend you book your tiler until your tiles have arrived with you on site.

Once you order arrives with us, we will be in touch to arrange delivery. Lots of clients find they have a delay on site, in which case, we can store your order free of charge for up to 8 weeks*. That means you know your tiles are safe with us and won’t go out of stock at the last minute and are ready and waiting for you when you are ready! We try and be as flexible as we can be as we understand that programmes move and things can change on site.

(*For orders over 35sqm. For orders under 35sqm we can store for up to 4 weeks FOC).

Please note, all advice and instructions are provided for informative purposes only.

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Want to keep up to speed with the latest tile trends, new products, fabulous offers and inspiration from The TilePortfolio?

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Hey there!

Want to keep up to speed with the latest tile trends, new products, fabulous offers and inspiration from The TilePortfolio?

It's all in our monthly newsletter!