How to Buy Tile
Tile and marble are extremely popular materials for floors and countertops. With thousands of styles in all price ranges, you'll need to shop around to find the right material at an attractive price. You will probably want to purchase your own tile even when you are using a professional installer. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Measure the area to be tiled so you know approximately how much material you require.
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Consider what type of tile you want to use and check with the supplier (or with your installer if you have hired one) to confirm that the material is suitable for the use. Most marbles, for example, absorb liquids and discolor, making them poor countertop choices, while many expensive tiles can be easily scratched and are not good for floors in high-traffic areas.
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Make a list of tile suppliers in your area. Consider both specialty tile suppliers and large home centers such as Home Depot.
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Shop around and get a good idea of the material costs for your desired type of tile. If you are mixing in special tiles - such as hand-painted tiles intermixed with solids on a backsplash - be sure to price these as well as the main tile. Hand-painted and other specialty tiles can be very expensive.
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Get several price quotes from competing suppliers for the tile or marble (material only) that you have selected.
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If using an installer, confirm that your contractor has experience with the type of tile you are purchasing. Also confirm the square footage with the installer before ordering.
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Order your tile from the chosen supplier.
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Tips & Warnings
Check out home design magazines for examples of innovative ways to use tile.
Tile is priced either by the square foot or by the tile. Keep in mind that the size of the tile determines the square footage that it covers - a 12-by-12-inch tile would have the same per-unit and per-square-foot price, while you would require nine 4-by-4-inch tiles to cover 1 square foot.
Expect to spend about $2 per square foot for basic inexpensive tiles, and $8 to $20 for upscale ceramics and most marbles and granites. Hand-painted and other very high-end tiles can cost $50 or more per square foot.
For added savings, look for materials on sale at the supplier. Overstocks and cancellations sometimes result in excellent values.
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Comments
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waskadakid
Apr 16, 2009
A few of the tile in the corner of my lanai havecracked and I am having problems finding replacementtile. I was told that the same size is no longermade. Would you have any suggestions? Thanks. -
waskadakid
Apr 16, 2009
A few of the tile in the corner of my lanai havecracked and I am having problems finding replacementtile. I was told that the same size is no longermade. Would you have any suggestions? Thanks.
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waskadakid
Apr 16, 2009
A few tile in the corner of my lanai have cracked and I am having a problem finding replacement tile. I wastold that the same size is no longer made.Do you have any suggestions?Thanks
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waskadakid
Apr 16, 2009
A few tile in the corner of my lanai have cracked and I am having a problem finding replacement tile. I wastold that the same size is no longer made.Do you have any suggestions?Thanks
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Jan 25, 2006
When buying field tile for your project, be sure to over-buy by about 15% to allow for cutting, cutting errors, and breakage. Like many items, it is best to buy all at the same time as there can be subtle differences in finish. If you are looking for handpainted tiles, you will find that the $20-$50 price mentioned in the original article is unrealistic. $20-$50 per tile is more in line with current pricing. You may find decaled tile at $20 - $50/sq ft, but you won't find many artists selling for much less than $150.00/sq ft.
