British Ceramic Tiles - They actually want our feedback

[Bill]

I'll drive there, you can drive back?

Let the train take your strain

 

[One Day]

Let the train take your strain

Every train I take causes me a strain!
Cancellations, Bus replacements, Leaves on the line...

 

[Flintstone]

I’ll come!

 

[Ttt1601]

As has been mentioned many times now, the sizing issues are appalling, lots of issues in glaze as well, all made on very poor quality soft biscuits. Their "floor" tiles are unfit for purpose as floor tiles due to how soft they are, I also refuse to fit them as is it almost impossible to make a truly professional job with them and make sure if any of my customers are considering them that know exactly what kind of quality tiles they are. Also i have found in the past raising these issues has been like banging your head against a brick wall so I truly hope they are actually now sitting up and taking notice. But worst of it all is the use of popular brand names, which give a false impression of quality which means customers trust the brand name blindly.

 

[spooner68]

Wow! It seems the power of social media has had some effect!

I try to keep the forum Twitter account ticking over and recently the issue of how bad BCT (British Ceramic Tiles) are for us tilers.

BCT have openly put it out there wanting feedback from us.....

View attachment 96666

So please either respond to this thread with as much detail as possible and I'm happy to take this forward on your behalf, or respond to the BCT tweet directly.

I have fixed Devonstone grey and Ditto grey and cream in the past year and they were dreadful. The devonstone discoloured very quickly, the glaze is actually absorbent and is a bugger to keep clean.
The ditto tiles I now refuse to fix as the glaze chips badly with a dry cut and absolutely disintegrated with a wet cut no matter which blade I used. Very very poor. Like I said, I will no longer fix BCT tiles.

 

[Julian 'Farmer' Bonsall]

I have beige mix tumbled marble mosaics purchased from Wall and Floors in a downstairs toilet which are a BCT tile. Aside from I wish I was more able to fit them (even with a mosaic backer) I didn't spot any major issues.

Do these tiles appear in high street shops ?

 

[LauraCTW]

As has been mentioned many times now, the sizing issues are appalling, lots of issues in glaze as well, all made on very poor quality soft biscuits. Their "floor" tiles are unfit for purpose as floor tiles due to how soft they are, I also refuse to fit them as is it almost impossible to make a truly professional job with them and make sure if any of my customers are considering them that know exactly what kind of quality tiles they are. Also i have found in the past raising these issues has been like banging your head against a brick wall so I truly hope they are actually now sitting up and taking notice. But worst of it all is the use of popular brand names, which give a false impression of quality which means customers trust the brand name blindly.

Funny how after I told my rep about this thread they suddenly responded! They are fit for purpose in the right situation, just for salespeople we have to think of the customer the tiler and what everyone wants! Tough life!

 

[WetSaw]

It's a promising start that a manufacturer is listening to the concerns of installers. Hopefully there will be improvements in the areas of concern.

 

[Andrew Anaxagoras]

All of the above and a footnote.. even if you try to disguise them as Laura Ashley it's obviously BCT with the same poor quality we've come to expect!

 

[Flintstone]

Ted baker also, that’s another one of there’s

 

[tommyzooom]

I dont think I've laid a BCT tile , but I have laid Laura Ashley ones from Homebase, which I think are the same?
All the problems mentioned were evident, sizey, very soft and poorly glazed etc. There's no way I'd recommend them to anyone.

 

[GoneGuy]

I do hope they change there manufacturing process and start producing decent quality tiles.
Bit until then we have to deal with the tiles and I should imaging there are a fair few thousand in stock around the country so until all that is used up and and there new better products start hitting the shelves we will just have to suffer

 

[GoneGuy]

Ted baker also, that’s another one of there’s

The ted bakers I laid last year were pretty good.
they are manufactured in Spain and re boxes in the uk from what I’ve been told

 

[Ttt1601]

Whilst I can kind of understand that from a retailers point of veiw that if customers want them they have to stock them, those soft ceramics are unfit for use on a floor and no one will convince me otherwise, that is of course unless you happen to have room full of nothing more damaging and heavy that a teddy bear, on a solid concrete base that is.

 

[Porcelainwood]

Is this thread " Gerald Ratner Inspired"