White wall tile variations

[AAW]

Just like to point out first that this shade variation can happen very easily and unfortunately occurs far too frequently.

Sounds to me that you’ve been given answers that whilst in part are true, air on the side of the tile companies favour. A slightly distorted truth.
This is a subject that caused one of the most heated discussions on the forum several years ago.

When the room was tiled, were the finished lights in and working?
British standards states that this must be the case before tile fixing commences.

Most tile manufacturers to my knowledge have a disclaimer on the box about shade variation and it being the tilers responsibility to empty several boxes at once and take some from each, not to take one box at a time.
That said I don’t really see why with a plain white tile there should be shade variation unless there were different batches.
You would think the retailer would show due diligence and only supply boxes from the same batch, it seems they don’t really care in the main, and will only address the issue if someone complains.
But here’s the catch, only BEFORE they are fixed. Typically, the fact that they’re fixed, means it’s between you and your tiler and Builder to resolve. Unless the supplier wants to help sort it.

Or.....

It could be moisture absorption in to the tile, however if they are porcelain, that’s less likely.

Do you not have any of the old boxes available?
Or have they been conveniently discarded.

Sometimes you can’t actually tell tiles are of a different shade until they are fixed and grouted, I’ve seen that myself. You just can’t tell until it’s finished.
Which places more emphasis on checking materials maticilously before work commences.

It looks like there may have to be a case of shared responsibility between everyone, yourself included unfortunately, so that an acceptable outcome can be reached quickly.
I’m suggesting that you share the cost to show that you’re willing to compromise in the hope that all concerned will follow suit.

Ultimately, if A compromise can’t be reached, the tiler will have to shoulder the responsibility. As a professional, it’s part of his responsibility to make sure this doesn’t happen.
Situations like this can get seriously out of hand very quickly if everyone is digging their heels in and not being cooperative.


Perhaps @Paul C. can give a different approach, he deals with this kind of situation on occasion.

The lights were in place before the tiles were finished. We have four left over boxes of tiles and they all have the same batch code, unfortunately we do not have the boxes from the used tiles.

 

[AAW]

The consistency of the shading of the tiles suggest that the boxes have been opened and fixed rather than selecting from 3 separate boxes. As 3_Fall as well, you just cannot tell until grouted and the lights turned on in the room. For me white is the most difficult colour to have consistency through anyway.

So should the tiler of chosen from several different boxes?

 

[Dumbo]

Even if selected from different boxes its going to look like a chess board .

 

[AAW]

Even if selected from different boxes its going to look like a chess board .

Why is this? Are these poor quality tiles? The company i purchased them from said that Johnsons are very well made and have high quality control checks.

 

[On one]

One day's production has a different batch number from another day's production.(different day,slightly different colour glaze) Although I have seen different batch numbers with the same date of production.
And plain white tiles are the worst for this, allied with Johnson's well known quality issues(at least in the trade it is well known) ,over the last good few years

 

[John Benton]

Why is this? Are these poor quality tiles? The company i purchased them from said that Johnsons are very well made and have high quality control checks.

Trade descriptions act coming into force there

 

[acaciaguy]

I’ve fitted. Cheap white tiles before. Quite often, for landlords etc. I’ve not seen variation that bad. Matched batch codes and I shuffle the boxes. That seems very unlucky.

Having said that. They appear a different colour side to a shade

 

[AAW]

Thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge.

Do you know if it mentions in British Standards that tiles need to be picked from several different boxes? This is something the supplier said to me on the phone but wondered if anyone can confirm this is the case?

 

[Dumbo]

Thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge.

Do you know if it mentions in British Standards that tiles need to be picked from several different boxes? This is something the supplier said to me on the phone but wondered if anyone can confirm this is the case?

Don't know where you want to go with this as I said before it would still look like a chess board and would be unsatisfactory .

 

[Time's Ran Out]

It is usually on the boxes that they should be mixed!
However as stated by others, even mixing these would never be acceptable .