How to tell if you're buying decent tiles online?

[Bill]

Yes have read that but didn't quite understand why more moisture absorption was bad - I thought i had missed something. So maybe making the structure walls wet as a route out of the tile? I was thinking something broke down,tile or adhesive over time but maybe just the adhesive strength when wet. Our floors seem fine but maybe different on concrete. CTD for example just say " We would only recommend using porcelain on a wetroom floor. Any tile would be suitable for the walls. " but not why. House of tiles recommend ceramics ?

What happens to water trapped in a tile, after time?

Would you want dirty water lurking in your house?

 

[Julian 'Farmer' Bonsall]

So the concern is related to stagnant water not any failures ?ĺ

I assume the water that is in the tile (in the case of my concrete floors) joins up with the water thats in that and the tile adhesive? Where does the water in the adhesive go? What does happen to it ?

Our house (very old) has no modern type foundations (key stones under corners and load bearing walls), no DPC layer and because of the location and the bricks were made on site lots of salt in the walls (animals love the brick walls).

 

[dottigirl]

There is no thing as Free Delivery as the delivery price is added to the price of the tiles
Postage and packing is expensive as tiles are heavy and generally not insured by courier parcel companies
So if the tiles arrived damaged the sender cannot claim compensation
The companies who offer Tiles at price and then postage on top are selling 2 services
1. For the tiles which they make a profit
2. For the post and packing which they pass the cost to the customer with no profit

True. It took a while for me to realise that brick-and-mortar shopping for tiles could be preferable to online. It's the opposite of what I'm used to when buying cycling gear - the LBS (Local Bike Shop) rarely has anything I need and if they do, it works out twice as expensive. (I taught myself to build and service my bikes as I couldn't afford £50-£150 every time one needed attention).

Back to tiles, there's a massive variation between postage for sites - some start at £10, some at £45.
Whereas my LTS doesn't charge for delivery, so they may initially be more expensive, but it works out cheaper.

 

[Julian 'Farmer' Bonsall]

My online deliveries have been £20. Tracked and insured. They were delivered using an electric pallet truck into the property which saved quite a lot of time and effort ( and a free pallet).

Don't have a negative from my online attempts except the delay between choosing,samples, getting the tiles. For my do it yourself that was fine however.

I didn't by adhesive or grout from them but the prices were impressive.

Getting to stores isn't practical for a lot people (location, time responsibilities) so that market had an opening.

 

[dottigirl]

Anyone have a view on the Core Effect range at Walls and Floors please?

 

[Porcelainwood]

Anyone have a view on the Core Effect range at Walls and Floors please?

I suppose it would depend on which particular tile you chose from the collection and what stone effect you wish to achieve as it look like the core effect range is made up of more than one particular tile

 

[Lee@emctiles]

My online deliveries have been £20. Tracked and insured. They were delivered using an electric pallet truck into the property which saved quite a lot of time and effort ( and a free pallet).

Hi @Julian 'Farmer' Bonsall could i ask what delivery company is delivering to you using an electric pallet truck and tracked service? Always keen to offer a better service, this might be useful.

 

[Bathfix Bob]

Do not buy tiles from BCT, they are non fit for purpose.

 

[dottigirl]

Do not buy tiles from BCT, they are non fit for purpose.

I've read here similar comments about BCT and Homebase tiles. Didn't realise until today that they were one and the same - was looking at some spares that my sister dropped off in Homebase packaging - flipped them over to see 'British Ceramic Tiles' on the underneath.
(No, I won't be using them unless I'm desperate.)

 

[clairedivas727]

Sorry to hear these issues... I bought Calacatta Gold and granite tiles from an online shop and I am lucky enough as I never disappointed purchasing tiles online.