You’ve decided to start your home project and now you’re ready to buy your tiles. But where should you go? With so many tile selections, stores and price points, it can be confusing shopping for ties. Here’s a guide to help you.

1. For the largest selection, go to a tile specialty store. There are a few tile specialty stores in the area that sell to the public, and they often carry a large selection of tiles from around the world. Often, tile specialty stores will need to order your tile, so factor in delivery time. One of the benefits of working with a specialty store is that you’ll often deal with one person to help you with selection and delivery details.
2. Tile wholesalers and distributors only sell to the trade, which means you can’t just walk in off the street and expect to be able to purchase. Contractors, like me, often work with a handful of wholesalers and distributors, so we send our clients to the 2 to 3 companies we’ve chosen to work with. We know our tile wholesalers are competitive in pricing and offer top customer service. By working with your contractor’s wholesaler or distributor, the company has direct contact with your contractor and is often in touch about questions, measurements and any ordering or delivery issues. Either the contractor or the wholesaler can arrange for delivery of your product, so you don’t have to worry about picking up heavy tiles yourself. While there may be a charge for this, it is worth the small expense because it ensures the tiles will be handled and delivered safely. If you’re unsure about what tile to go with, ask your contractor or the wholesaler for a sample or two so you can see how the tile you’re considering will look in your home–before you purchase.
3. Big-box home stores have a fair selection of tile in a wide range of styles, and you can easily walk into any Lowe’s or Home Depot and pick up a few boxes of tile on the spot. While we’ve done many projects with tiles purchased from big-box chains, the quality of the tile does differ from those available at wholesalers or tile specialty shops. We always recommend extra overage when purchasing from these stores, because the tiles are sometimes more prone to breakage. Also, check the tiles when you bring them home. Recently, although all the tiles in a client’s order were the same style, one box had a slightly different shade. That’s because the tiles may be made in different factories or in different batches, and color matching might not always be 100%. Check the tiles before you start the project or issues like these will delay completion.

Need help selecting the right tile and grout for your project? Mr. Tile is at your service! We work with local wholesalers and tile distributors, as well as a select few tile specialty stores and would be happy to help  you design and select tiles for your home. Just give me a call at 980-616-0914 or drop us an email at MrTileNC@@gmail.com or message us on facebook.com/mrtileandhome.