For the Good of the Job, Guidelines for Your Tile
& Stone Purchase From Roma Tile
Order early, then pick-up early and verify all materials well before the job start.
This allows time to address/correct the inevitable issues that arise during most remodeling/new construction projects. Such as confirming that all colors and sizes are correct. Confirming with your installer that the necessary quantities of tile as well as specialty pieces i.e. bullnose, decorative pieces, etc. are on hand to tile the area(s) you discussed.
Order enough tile from one lot to do the whole job.
Tile shade lots and caliber (size) can change frequently, and sometimes considerably. Be sure to have enough material on hand from one batch to complete the job and keep some extras in case they are ever needed for a repair.
Inspect all material once you get it home, before it is installed.
As stated above, shade lots of tile can vary from batch to batch and from the sample you may have seen. The shades can be different and you should verify its suitability before it is installed. Always blend tiles from several boxes at one time when installing. No claims of any type will be considered after installation!
Get help from a professional when needed.
Some items that we sell are very different than typical ceramic tile. Some examples are glass tile, metal tile and moisture sensitive stones. Look into the proper installation methods before starting the job. Let your professional tile installer know that you need glass or metal tile installed. This will enable the installer to give you a realistic installation estimate. Typically glass tile, metal borders and moisture sensitive marbles require specific adhesives and may require special cutting tools.
Limestone/Marble/Granite
Most limestones have medium to high absorbency rates and are subject to staining. Miracle Sealant #511 Porous Plus should be applied to all limestone to reduce its absorbency and help prevent stains. Polish marble can scratch if it is repeatedly exposed to sandy/gritty foot traffic. Polished granite is generally denser and harder that polished marble and therefore less likely to scratch and absorb stains. All marble and granite should be sealed with Miracle Sealant #511 Impregnator or #511 Porous Plus.
Hand-Made/Hand-Crafted Tile
These tiles will vary more than machine made tile in size, thickness and color variation. These tiles will typically require a wider grout joint, and perceive imperfections, such as crazing, pitting and color/glaze pooling, in the tile are inherent characteristics and cannot be avoided. These “imperfections” are usually what make these tiles desirable and unique.
Suitability/Fitness of Use
Tile is not completely wear resistant! Under no circumstance will Roma Tile or the manufacturer be held responsible for tile wearing excessively or breakage occurring before, during or after installation. No tile is guaranteed against crazing, wearing or scratching. Some tile can be slippery when wet.
Grout
The size of the grout joint can vary depending on the type of tile and the desired effects. It is important that you discuss the width of your grout joints with your installer before installation. As a rule of thumb, narrow grout joints (1/8” or less) will require an unsanded grout and wider grout joints (3/16” or more) will require a sanded grout. Keep in mind when selecting grout that it is essentially a fine mixture of sand, cement and pigment. The color/appearance of a finished grout job can vary somewhat from the sample for many reasons i.e. type of liquid additive (water or latex), application and clean-up methods, job-site conditions (relative heat/humidity), natural variations associated with a cement based product. Some darker grouts may stain certain tile. Please keep these factors in mind when selecting a grout color and if possible do a small test area to confirm that the finished product is satisfactory to you.
Order Pick-Up
Call 24 hours before picking-up your order. Note: Wall tile weighs about 2-3 lbs/square-foot and floor tile about 4-5 lbs/square foot. Use this as an approximate guide to See if your vehicle is suitable. Check with your salesperson for pick-up hours, as they are different from our showroom hours. If your order remains in our warehouse for more that 30 days you may be charged a storage fee.
We hope these guidelines help you in choosing the product that best fits your requirements for both form and function, that you are well informed and that your experience with us is a satisfactory one. The above represents general information, please refer to our “Conditions of Sale” and “Return Policy” for complete details that will regulate your purchase from us. A well thought out tile selection, when properly installed, should give you many years of enjoyable use.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you,
Roma Tile Co. Inc.
