Ceramic and porcelain tiles: how to buy at a good price
Ceramic tile or porcelain
Ceramic tile suits bathroom and kitchen walls and backsplashes. Porcelain (vitrified) tile is denser and stronger, and is used on floors, in hallways, under heavy use and on terraces, and the frost-resistant kind outdoors as well. Mosaic, clinker and facade tile are separate items with their own requirements. First decide where the tile will go, because the wear class and the type of surface depend on that.
How much to take
Work out the area and add a margin for cutting. For more complex layouts (diagonal, herringbone, large format) you need a bigger margin. Take tile from one batch at once: different batches can differ in shade and even in calibre, that is, the actual size. Ask the seller for the batch number and the calibre.
What to look at in the specifications
- Format — 300×600, 600×600, 600×1200 mm; a large format needs a flat base.
- Grade — first grade has fewer defects.
- Wear class — important for floors.
- Frost resistance — needed for outdoors and terraces.
- Slip resistance — for the bathroom, the shower and outside steps.
- Surface — matt shows water less, glossy is slippery.
What to put in your request
- What you need — wall tile, floor tile, porcelain, mosaic, clinker; where you will lay it.
- Area — for example, 500 sq ft.
- Format — the size in millimetres.
- Design — marble, wood or concrete look, colour, matt or glossy.
- Manufacturer or country — if you have a preference, such as Italy or Spain.
- Grade and class — first grade, frost-resistant.
- Delivery — with unloading or carrying up to a floor.
- Address and budget — something like “up to $1.43 per sq ft”.
Example: “I need 600×600 mm porcelain tile with a marble look, matt, first grade, for the floor of a living room and hallway, 500 sq ft including the margin. Delivery to Sydney with unloading. Budget up to $1.43 per sq ft.”
How it works on BlaBlaPrice
The same tile in different showrooms often costs different amounts, and discounts for a batch and the delivery terms differ too. So you don't have to go round the shops, write a request: tile sellers reply in the chat, offering a collection, a price per sq ft or per box, the timing and delivery. Each one sees where its offer ranks, so it tries to improve its terms. BlaBlaPrice shows the best-value offer first, and reviews of the seller are visible alongside. Contacts are not sent out: only the one you choose receives them. More in how it works.
How to compare and where people go wrong
Compare collections, not just prices: a “similar” tile can have a different class or calibre. Ask whether the whole quantity from one batch is in stock, and whether unloading is included in the price. Tile is heavy, and carrying it up to a floor without a lift is often charged separately. For laying you will need adhesive, grout and spacers, and it is worth checking these in the same request or in the finishing materials category. For a bathroom, look also at plumbing.
