National Tiles Blog

By Lauren Fernando-Bird – Marketing Coordinator National Tiles

The Greenwood Series certainly has stepped away from the traditional look and feel of a glazed porcelain tile. Inspired by the colour pallet of natural wood, this Italian made range is well received by the Australian design industry and from a sneak peek at our sales data the renovators market is also picking it up very quickly.

I grew up in a house with wooded floor boards; there is just something about them that makes you feel more connected with nature. They are like Levi’s which never really go out of fashion. However, there are plenty of issues in maintaining their beauty and strength. I remember the flooring always had to be oiled and sealed or times when one of us kids would get a splinter, Ouch! The Greenwood range allows the space to capture the look and (believe or not) the texture of wood without the ongoing maintenance. 

The 4 colours in this range truly captures the essence of the natural world with each providing a unique environment. As its name gives away, ‘Snow’ is the lightest colour in the range. It creates a very modern, clean feel to the space without being harsh or cold. Using soft furnishings such as pillows and warm or cold lighting to create the vibrant look of the current season and as Mark O’Halloran explains…

“It is the perfect base of a monochromatic colour scheme. ‘Sandybrown’ is both sophisticated and casual, it evokes that warm and comforting feeling you get when you’re in a well loved home or a beach house. ‘Taupe’ is brown and yellow in colour and with such detail it can be used as a feature in any space with minimal furniture required. ‘Limegreen’ has a pale soft green tone which sets the scene of a tranquil serene space, an environment where one can get lost from the busy hustle and bustle of every day life. This pallet is well suited to a casual interior of relaxed furnishings and easy lifestyle”….

Amy Millar, one of very talented colour consultants, also explains “there is a lot of shade variation between tiles which also creates the look of natural timber flooring”.  

These glazed porcelain tiles come in 330x664mm in size, are rated an R-10 and are suitable for indoor and outdoor living, they are non porous and require no sealing or on going maintenance other than a general clean.

Check out the Greenwood lifestyle shots:  

SNOW    SANDYBROWN TAUPE   LIMEGREEN

Hello Everyone,

Merry Christmas to all of our thousands of loyal clients that visit our stores or website.

It truly has been a great year at National Tiles.  Record sales and profits, new store openings, launching our exclusive lifetime guarantee are all part of the success story for 2011, but the real reason behind everything we have done this year is our wonderful staff.

My friends get sick of me raving about how good our people at National Tiles are, but there is no getting away from the facts.

Since I started National Tiles over 32 years ago as a single store in Geelong West, Victoria, I have never had a better team of dedicated, loyal and passionate staff as we have now.

And it’s just the beginning.  The plans we have for National Tiles for the next five years are simply amazing.

I smile to myself when I hear and read about the big retailers complaining about poor business conditions.

The only thing that I know is that the more we at National Tiles focus on serving our customers better and better every day, the more successful we are.  And the better we do it, the more customers we attract and the more potential employees line up to work for our great company.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous new year.

I thank each and every one of you – both staff and customers alike.

Kind Regards,

Frank Walker,

C.E.O.

By Lauren Fernando-Bird – Marketing Coordinator National Tiles

I have some exciting news for the Greenies and even better news for those who sought after an exclusive look without the high price tag!

As a fellow lover of this earth, I took a great interest in the ‘Eternity Mirror White Polished’ as it’s a progressive product that has all the beauty of Natural Stone, yet not taken from the earth. The high gloss rectified polished porcelain has a natural aesthetic appearance. With a white base and mirror finish the beautiful grey veins that vary throughout, from large to small, the veins ever so slightly change to a gold tone.  

Feeling “a little bit smart” I said to the colour consultants, “so this is Natural Stone”. Store Manager, Helen Blackwell very politely replied, “No it’s actually Polished Porcelain”. A little taken back, she explained that the Eternity Mirror White is a truly remarkable product that emulates natural stone, and the advanced technology used in the production of the tile means that this product has many attributes.

Delving further into the particular benefits and attributes of this product, the more I began to find out about the over-all history of floor and wall tiles, and how far technology in design and production the industry has come. For centuries, humankind has sought after beautiful stones for the purposes of construction, design and the highest quality finishes. Using the most advanced in Ink Jet technology the Eternity Mirror White is a faithful reproduction of the splendour and depth of natural stone.

Mark O’Halloran (Product Training Manager) explains “The Eternity White Mirror, is second to none in it’s representation of this natural material. This high gloss rectified polished porcelain has, as the name would suggest, a mirror like finish. This is only ever seen in the highest quality polished products. Suitable for both floor and wall application this tile needs no assistance as it looks best when laid floor to ceiling with out interruption.

The large square format lends itself well to either a diamond lay (for a more formal and traditional feeling), or a straight lay within a modernist or minimal interior. White grout is recommended so as not to compete with the pattern in the tile. And a minimal grout line of 1.5mm as per Australian standards. 

The Eternity White is a pressed powder porcelain tile and has a very low porosity level of 0.03%, this means that it is stain and abrasion resistant as well as being frost resistant for those areas with extreme temperature change. The factory pre-sealing means that this tile needs no treatment after installation.”

‘Eternity Mirror White Polished’ is beautifully mastered in it’s design and production and backed by our ‘National Tiles Lifetime Guarantee’!

Order your free sample today http://www.nationaltiles.com.au/tile-design-gallery_dynamic.php?category=premium

This week, as promised, I bring you a review on our Moravia range.  A range of four outstanding designs and manufactured in Spain, this product is set to be a favorite.My first stop was to see Mark O’Halloran our product Training Manager who shared with me his insight in this fabulous new product. 

“The Moravia range has been developed to be used as both a feature and a main body tile, this range is suitable for floor and wall application.

The digitally printed pattern is both modern and retro, on one hand it is reminiscent of the thinly sliced stacked slate walls of the 1970’s and on the other it resembles modern bamboo flooring.  The three dimensional texture adds to the natural appearance and feels very organic under foot when used as a floor tile.

This range can be laid in any pattern but is most effective in either a bond stack or staggered brick pattern”.

 On this venture to seek out more information from a colour consultants perspective I spoke to Lenka Kroyherr one of our very specialised Design Consultants from the Major Domestic Builder division. When asked her thoughts on the range, she said “Moravia range is quite unique. On a vertical plane you can really see the texture stand out as the light casts shadows and highlights over the high and low points of the tile, creating an almost stack stone effect”.

I then quizzed her on which tile in the range was her favourite and what other tiles compliment this range and why? “Because of the various tones it complements many different fixtures and finishes. My favourite would have to be the Moravia sand, it goes really well with anything from NT Stratos Bianco to Mocca, and most colours in between”.

Next week I will review Eternity White!

Product Info:

1. The surface requires no sealing or special maintenance other than a general cleaning.
2. Glazed Porcelain
3. Suitable for wall and floor
4. Pressed edge
5. Designed using ink jet technology

National Tiles Premium Range Review

By Lauren Fernando-Bird – Marketing Coordinator National Tiles

Over the next 25 weeks I am going to report on our top Premium Range products in store, for you to review weekly online.   Who am I? I am not a designer, builder or a Tiler.  However, what I do have that benefits you, the researcher, is access to many years of experience from around the world..

I will cover key product information regarding our top tile ranges which our creative and procurement crew have selected for the Australian market. Our team have travelled the globe searching for the best in the business to meet your needs, (whatever they might be).  

I’m going to catch up with Cam Whittaker, the 6 –foot- 4 “Tile Genius” who knows everything there is to know about tiles.  Then onto our creative team who includes, Mark O’Halloran (our Training Manager) which I’m sure you can see from his previous blogs his passion and knowledge.  There will certainly be many others I will introduce through out each review that have amazing talent in colour, design and product information.

Not only are all our Premium Tiles unique to the range and of the highest quality, they are also backed by Australia’s first Lifetime Guarantee so you can be assured we support our product!

See you next week when we talk Moravia, Premium Range! 

If you feel this blog assists you then please let us know. Email through your questions and we will provide the answers you need for choosing one of the most important assets for your home!

Hello,

I have just received another glowing email from a customer about one of our sales staff saying what outstanding service they received.

I’m so proud to say this is a regular occurrence for me.  All 170 of our staff are the primary reason for our great success.

Well presented showrooms, great product range, big warehouses full of stock and very effective (albeit annoying) advertising amount to nothing without great staff.

I’m so fortunate to have the privilege of leading such a wonderful team of people who collectively make the culture of our company what it is.

The thing about cultures in companies good, bad or mediocre, is that they recreate themselves continuously. 

Our people just keep making the National Tiles culture better and better every day they come to work.

At National Tiles we hardly ever lose staff because it’s such a great place to work.

How lucky am I!

I know at the end of my first blog I had said that next I would discuss how to achieve certain style classics using different materials. However I have decided that we should first discuss the different materials available so as to have a better understanding of future discussions.

What types of tiles are there to choose from?

There are quite literally hundreds of different types of materials available in the design/ building industries that come under the material description of tiles. These materials range from vinyl to porcelain and even carpet, and then each of these materials has a sub group that is derived from the way in which the material is produced and its finished appearance.

 For this article I will be discussing, what most of us would consider to be a tile when thinking of product used to renovate a bathroom. I will be speaking about these materials in open loose terms, so that you have enough information to help you decide what materials suite your needs without being overwhelmed by information.

Ceramic

Ceramic is the most common term used to describe a tile.

• A ceramic tile is a clay based product (typically red or white in colour)
• The clay is quarried, purified and then dried to create a powder (body slip)
• The clay is injected into a mold as dry powder then pressed at a moderate pressure rate and fired at a moderate temperature to create a bisque.
• The fired bisque (raw tile) is then screen printed with a pigment or pattern and a clear glaze (silica glass) is applied over the top.
• The tile is then re-fired causing the silica to melt and form a durable non-porous layer over the top of the pigment or pattern. The glaze can be either gloss, matt or textured.

Ceramic tiles are typically used as feature and wall tiles; however there are some ranges available that can be used on the floor in a domestic application. These tiles are softer and easier to cut and are generally cheaper to install. The higher porosity rate (more then 0.5%) of the bisque can make them less frost resistant and their PEI (The Porcelain Enamel Institute hardness scale, which ranges from softest 0 to hardest 5) rating is usually between 0 and 3 making them unsuitable for commercial flooring applications. Glazed ceramic tiles do not require any sealing or special maintenance.

Porcelain

There are two main types of porcelain tile, glazed and full-bodied (some times referred to as vitrified).

The first type of porcelain tile we will discuss is glazed. The process for manufacturing glazed porcelain tiles is similar to that of glazed ceramic tiles. The main difference is the raw clay materials, these materials are of a higher quality and are processed more thoroughly. This means that the dry powder (body slip) is more pure and of a higher quality than that of a ceramic tile.

The other point of difference in the manufacturing process is the press rate and the firing temperature. These are both much higher in the production of porcelain tiles than what they are in ceramic tiles. The result is a denser less porous tile (less than 0.5%) that is more robust and durable. As the porcelain bisque can be fired at a higher temperature, the finished glazed tile will usually have a higher PEI rating than that of a ceramic tile. This allows all glazed porcelains to be used for both floor and wall applications in domestic spaces as well as light commercial environments. Glazed porcelains are available in gloss, matt or external finish. Glazed porcelain tiles do not require any sealing or special maintenance.

Full-bodied porcelains are manufactured primarily the same as the glazed porcelain counter part; the difference is on the surface. As mentioned with a glazed product the colour or pattern is printed on to the surface of the tile and then covered with a glaze and fired.

In the production of full-bodied tiles, the colour and or pattern runs through the tile from front to back. This is achieved by mixing the required pigments in to the powdered clay (body slip) prior to the powder being injected into the mold. If there are multiple colours needed to generate the pattern then there will be an injection head dedicated to the that particular colour. Once the mold has been filled the powdered clay is pressed and then fired.

More common today are double charged or double pressed porcelains. This is a manufacturing process designed to lower production costs and has no impact on the quality of the porcelain. The process is the same only that instead of the mold being filled with the pigmented clay it is only half filled, and then the balance of the mold is filled with un-pigmented clay. These two layers are then pressed and fired. This process reduces the amount of pigment required and lowers the cost of raw materials.

Full-bodied and double charged porcelains come in three main finishes; the first is natural, as the name suggest this is the natural finish of the tile after firing and is best described as a matt finish. The natural finish can be mechanically polished creating a high gloss finish. Or there may have been a pattern in the mold that creates a texture suitable for external use.

Natural and external full-bodied or double charged porcelains do not require sealing or any special maintenance other than being cleaned after grouting with Lithofin Cement Residue Remover.

Some polished full-bodied or double charged porcelains may need to be sealed after installation, the sealant will usually last 7 to 10 years, dependant on use.

Composite Stone

There are two main types of composite stone currently in the market place. The first is called Terrazzo and originated from Italy. It is a cement and natural stone blend, the most common stones used are quartz and marble. This product comes in three finishes polished, honed (matt) or external. The external texture can be created a number ways either by the application of an acid wash or through a mechanical process that removes the softer particles from the surface of the tile leaving behind the denser particles to create an uneven non slip surface. These tiles need sealing and ongoing care to maintain their appearance.

The second is reconstituted stone, this material is similar to Terrazzo in that it is a blend and available in multiple finishes. However the additional material used to create this product is a man made polymer. To my knowledge there is no external finish available in this product as the polymers can be damaged and degraded by prolonged UV exposure. Some suppliers will void their warranty on their product if used externally. This material generally does not require sealing or on going maintenance.

Natural Stone

Natural stone as the name would suggest is a range or products that are created by nature. These materials are quite literally quarried as large blocks, the blocks are cut into slabs, the slabs are finished in the desired finish, polished, honed (matt) or external (acid washed or mechanical application), the slabs are then cut into the selected sizes.

One thing that most people don’t understand about stone is that its colour texture and pattern is completely random, this is the point of natural stone and is a characteristic that tile manufacturers spend a lot of time and money on trying to copy. In addition to its randomness natural stone will generally always have some sign of a filler that has been used to correct or strengthen the natural faults and defects in the stone. When done correctly this fill is finished in such a way that it blends with the texture of the stone and becomes part of the pattern, but it will never be invisible.

I acknowledge that there are many, many different types of stone in the world. However I believe that when considering natural stone tiles, it is easier to group them into four main types of stone.

Sedimentary stones are made up of two sub-groups of stone due to the basic way they are formed. The first is sedimentary stone from hot springs. This type of stone is more commonly know as Travertine. It is created when sediment settles on the bottom of a hot spring; this sediment has a very high lime content and over time turns to stone. Travertine characteristically has holes in it from where the hot air and water was forced up though the earths crust. This type of stone is usually sold filled and honed or filled and polished for internal use, but can be left unfilled for external application to create a more rustic appearance. The stone may also be cut in two different directions to create to very distinct pattern. Cross Cut Travertine is when the tiles are cute across the holes in the block and creates a blotchy pattern similar to blue cheese. Straight Cut travertine is when the tiles have been cut along the grain of the block this creates a lineal pattern as the holes are exposed down their length and create valleys and trenches.

The second is sedimentary stone (from what I refer to as still waters); this type of stone is more commonly known as Lime Stone and forms on the bottom of lakes, rivers and oceans. This stone is easy to identify as it typically has no direction to its pattern and has a homogenise appearance. On closer inspection it is not uncommon to see fossilised organic matter such as sea life and leaves etc.

Igneous rock is volcanic rock, known as lava when in its molten state. These types of stone include Basalt (known as Bluestone in Australia) and Granites. These stones are easy to recognise as they generally have no directional pattern. Basalt may have what is referred to as Cats Paw or Laval Flow where a section of the stone cooled quickly and trapped small air bubbles. This is not a defect but a natural characteristic of the stone.

Metamorphic / compression stones are stones that were once something else, usually a lime stone of some description. Through compression / pressure from the earth’s tectonic plates and exposure to heat from the earths core these lime stones change and re-minerlise to become marble. There are many marbles such as Emperador where it is visible to see elements of its Lime Stone past. There are also lime stones like Grey Tundra were it is visible that it has been exposed to some heat and pressure as veins have began to form and quartz deposits are starting to crystallise.

As a rule National Tiles recommends that all stone should be sealed and maintained using the Lithofin stone care product range. Natural stone is not a product conducive to a low maintenance lifestyle and does require on going maintenance.

Glass Mosaics

Glass started out as a feature product used sparingly in bathrooms and as bands in splash backs. But has now become a true product in its own right, it is being used more and more for full walls in showers and as the sole product for kitchen splash backs.

Typically glass was manufactured in the shape and size desired and then painted on the back so that the colour showed through once glued to the wall. Today National Tiles has an exciting new range of glass mosaics that have been laid onto a porcelain base and back by our lifetime guarantee. The benefit of this is that the product is easier to lay particularly for DIY. This product was launched recently by National Tiles with an in store design kiosk that allows you to view over 3000 design options for both kitchen splash backs and bathroom features. The glass mosaics require no sealing or special maintenance, however it is recommended that the grout be sealed to maintain their appearance.

Regards

 Once you have decided to build, extend or renovate you will be faced with what may seem an insurmountable array of decisions. Decisions ranging from where to place things what colours to use, what materials will best suit your needs and most importantly how much do I want to spend?

 I have been in the design industry for nearly 10 years. After finishing my design qualifications; I began my career as a kitchen and bathroom designer. I moved into the tile industry working for National Tiles as a colour specifier before progressing to my current role. In the years I have worked as a colour specifier I learnt many things. The most important decisions to make when selecting tiles are not what colour, size or shape to use, but how do you want to live in that space? What is a realistic budget for the product? Who is doing the installation? And finally what type of material meets these needs?

 While colour, shape, size and all the other aesthetic and emotionally driven decisions are very important to the final result they are secondary to the ones mentioned above and will be discussed in my next blog.

Lifestyle

This in my opinion is one of the most important questions you should ask yourself. What type of lifestyle do I want from this space? And it is a question that you should have an answer to before you even set foot into a tile showroom. The way in which you want to live in your home will very much dictate the type of product that will suit your needs. I use these examples to illustrate my point.

If you are a young family with 2 or 3 children and an indoor family pet, there are bound to be accidents and spills on the floor. Perhaps natural stone that requires sealing and can be affected by acid etching is not right for you. Maybe a more robust and easy to clean natural porcelain or non gloss glazed porcelain is a better option.

If you like to live a lifestyle where everything has its place and you don’t mind a product that you need to maintain, or you can afford to have it maintained for you then natural stone may be an ideal option. Using these examples, consider the lifestyle you want to lead. You don’t need to have the knowledge to select the suitable tile product, you just need to know what you want from it.

Budget

Budget is the next decision to be made. I have often asked my clients what their budget is and they have often said they do not have one. I assure you we all have a budget, none of us like them, but they are there. A good rule to make things easier is the 20% rule. This rule is to have a budget set, for example $40.00 per square metre but to let the consultant know that you want to see the product that is 20% below and 20% above this price point. This means you will be given the best possible options to choose from, without wasting time looking at product that is outside your price range.

Installation

Who is doing the installation for your project? Is it a professional tradesman, a tiler, a handyman, a family friend or you? Knowing this will assist us in guiding you to product that will be best suited to the appropriate installer. A professional tradesman may know how to lay tiles but may not be familiar with the needs of natural stone. A handyman could be experienced with mosaics but may not have worked with our range of glass and stone mosaics and will need some advice. You may have done tiling before, but may require advice and guidance relevant to the product you have selected.

Material

Once you have answered these questions you may find the product range left to select from transformed from 600 options down to 20 or 30. Of course you can re-assess and modify your answers to increase or further decrease your selection options. But by answering these few simple questions, an insurmountable Everest of product has now become a very manageable decision process. From this point on you can enjoy the emotional part of the process.

In my next blog I will discuss how to achieve certain style classics using different materials that suite the needs of the questions we have answered today.

Hello,

In what we believe a world first for the wall and floor tile industry, National Tiles is introducing a Lifetime Guarantee on all our Premium Range products.  Our main  premium ranges are designed and produced in Europe with a few exceptions for very high quality products made in Asia.

This exclusive National Tiles Lifetime Guarantee is absolutely free and subject to our terms and conditions, is yours by simply sending your completed guarantee form to us either by mail or online.

 In all, we have hundreds of premium range tiles covered by our National Tiles Lifetime Guarantee, with the balance of our range covered by our comprehensive 10 year guarantee.

As a general guide, our premium products, which are without doubt equal to the very best wall and floor tiles in the world, start at around $40 per square metre and range up to $100 per square metre and above.  All these premium ranges are covered by our exclusive Lifetime Guarantee. However, some of our premium ranges when on special can be as low as $29.95 per square metre.

Our very good quality standard range of products which are covered by our 10 year guarantee, range in price from under $10 per square metre up to $40 per square metre. 

All our regular customers are well aware of the excellent quality of all our tiles however almost daily, first time visitors to our stores comment on how surprised they are to see such excellent quality wall and floor tiles at National Tiles considering how exceptionally low our prices are both on everyday products and our weekly specials that I consistently advertise on radio.

If you haven’t been into National Tiles may I assure you you’re in for a very pleasant surprise.

Frank Walker.

So you have decided which style, design, and color to buy, but do you know how many tiles your job requires?
DIY tiling can be a great money saver, and using this simple guide will help you to avoid any (potentially costly) errors.

Measuring The Area To Tile

First you’ll need to look at the area that you are tiling, both floor and wall sections.
There is a formula that determines the number of tiles you need. First, you have to determine the total area. The formula for that is:
[Length of Floor] X [Width of Floor] = Total Area
You also need to determine if there are any areas within the total area that do not require tiling, for example, underneath kitchen cabinets or appliances. Measuring the length and width of these areas, multiplying them for the total area and subtracting this from the total area is a great way to reduce waste.

Calculating How Many Tiles You Need

Next you’ll need to know the size of tiles you are ordering, National Tiles offers a range of different sizes and this will obviously determine how many tiles you’ll need to cover the area. Each size has its own accompanying equation that determines how many tiles your job requires.
You’ll need to divide the total area by the size of your tiles to determine the amount of tiles. We recommend adding 10% to this value as a margin for error.
[Total Area] % [tile size] X 1.1 = Number Of Tiles Required.

Things To Consider

Speak to a National Tiles consultant about your job before you purchase. Each of our friendly staff members will be able to run you through some important other considerations about the ideal amount of tiles, and other supplies and tools, that you’ll need for your job.