Warranty

Best Practices - Manufacturing
Manufacturing Tolerances
An inherent characteristic of all fired products is that they may bow, wedge and warp, to a certain degree, causing them to potentially vary in size from batch to batch. Even with regulatory controls
in place, these variations in size and color may be inevitable and are due to changes in moisture and thermal loads that alter the product during manufacturing. Batches of tile are identified and
separated into lots by specific shade and caliber. Multiple shades and calibers of a single item are accepted within a certain range. To find out what the acceptable out of square and warping
tolerance limits are, product types can be referenced in ANSI A137 manufacturing standards. For installation guidance, the TCNA Handbook or ANSI A108 should be observed as they are wrien
with manufacturing tolerances in mind.
Face Pattern Repeat
Although advancements in inkjet technology allow for an increased number of faces before a repeat, all boxes are packaged at random. A box of tile may not be comprised of all unique faces. You
may have repeats in your final shipment depending on the square footages that were ordered. Specific face paerns cannot be sorted or requested prior to shipping.
Shade Lot Variation / Trim Coordination
All tiles, whether manufactured or natural stone, are from a particular caliber and shade lot. It is not uncommon for the specific lot your order came from to no longer be available as early as a few
weeks aer making your original purchase. Block availability from a natural stone quarry and/or the shade and caliber lots of manmade tiles from a particular production run at a factory may be
different with each order. On occasion, matching lots may be available. However, it is important to always order appropriate overages for cuts, paern layouts, and future repairs to ensure a proper
match. Trim pieces are intended to coordinate but also may not be made from a matching size and shade caliber. A lot check is recommended when specific requirements must be met. In some
cases, special order options may be available.
Varying Size and Finish Within a Series
Due to the inherent nature of all fired products, size calibers must be observed when ordering multiple tiles, from the same series, for a single application. Field tiles that are used together in a
paern, or ones that must line up with trim, need to be verified against actual dimensions, not nominal dimensions. When specific alignment or coordination of colors and finishes are required,
specific lots need to be checked by request to ensure compatibility between products, even if all components are assembled from a single series.
Country of Origin and Quality
All tiles are intended to be produced according to the guidelines set forth by ANSI and NSI manufacturing tolerances, regardless of the country of origin. Country of origin will not necessarily play
a role in product performance or quality. The quality and performance of a product are observed in the technical characteristics and lab test results of a series.
Markings on Back of Tile
Arrows and other markings on the back of a tile are not related to the installation or direction the tile should be installed in any way unless explicitly noted on the product packaging, marketing
and/or manufacturer’s instructions.
Metals
Many modern mosaics and field tiles are made from actual aluminum, stainless steel, metallic foil backing, or metallic glazes. Oen times these metals can be adversely affected by weathering, heat
and moisture. It is always important to double check usage to ensure your product will not fail in your intended application. Scratching, oxidation, discoloration from heat and chemicals, appearance
of finger prints and water spots are not considered a defect, but a natural reaction expected of metals exposed to certain conditions.
Cast Metal Tiles
Cast metal tiles contain real metal particles that are combined with polymers and cast into molds. Due to the presence of real metal in these tiles, they are not recommended for exterior applications
that are exposed to the elements. Cast metal tile is suitable for interior and covered exterior walls only and is not recommended for floors. The use of a non-sanded grout is recommended as
sanded grout may scratch and dull the finish. These tiles are not suitable for pools, or fountains, but may be used in showers and backsplashes as long as they are not exposed to any harsh chemicals
or abrasive cleaning.