What's On at National Tiles

How to avoid the same mistake

Did you tune into the first episode of The Block last night? We are fairly excited to see how the contestant’s new bathrooms will look, as they commence the first 48 hour challenge. Two rooms in 48 hours, how will they do it?

Last night Bec purchased too many tiles! Some may argue that too many is better than not purchasing enough. When you are undertaking a tiling project, there are some clever ways to ensure you purchase the right amount of tiles.

• To measure the amount you will need for floor tiles, measure the width by the depth
• For wall tiles measure the length by the height
• Subtract any fixed objects such as bathtubs and vanity’s, measure these in the same way you measure your wall tiles
• We advise ordering 10% extra for any breakages or waste
• 2-3 additional boxes, in case you need to repair a tile or want to undertake a further renovation down the track.

Check out our DIY video on “How to Measure your Space”: http://bit.ly/19gqRK3

Most importantly, take your time! Unless you are a contestant on The Block, there is no prize for finishing first.

Don’t make it hard on yourself! We offer delivery in all states, call any store for a competitive quote.

This week The Block announced that the competition would air this Sunday and at National Tiles we are excited for Sunday night at 6:30pm, to see all the drama unfold. In the latest Block teaser to air yesterday, we were told they will renovate a whopping 30 bathrooms and 5 kitchens during this time. It will be floor versus floor, state versus state in this mammoth apartment challenge, not since the original Bondi Block have we seen this format undertaken.

Bathrooms, laundries and kitchens have become spaces where you can really push the boundaries in terms of unique touches and bold statements. At National Tiles, we are hoping to see the humble old tile, taken to the next level, and as we said in our previous Block blog, the contestants have been at the National Tiles showroom, choosing their tile selections. DIY renovators are demanding so much more than a simple practical space and by adding some amazing features and we are hoping The Block contestants will be able to inspire all us aspiring renovators.

Previous series of The Block, have ran for about 60 episodes (or by our calculations, under three months air time), so how do 5 teams renovate 30 bathrooms in this period of time, let alone a whole apartment. This does not even take into consideration the challenges they have to do along the way and the fact they start with an $80,000 budget. One thing for sure, this is going to be a tough challenge for even the most skilled renovator to complete.

The Block have been slowly releasing videos on the contestants, George and Bec will represent Vic, Alysa and Lysandra SA, Trixie and Johno QLD, Mark & Katrina WA and Jarrod & Maddison NSW.

Yes thats right, this week only, 20% off our entire Australian floor tile range.

WOW! What a difference some modern tiles, a change of fixtures and fittings can make to a bathroom. Recently National Tiles has been a proud sponsor of the re-Bourne Bathrooms competition on Mix 101.1 FM.

The finished bathrooms look amazing, if you are looking at renovating your current bathroom, you do not need to spend thousands of dollars on tiles. Check out these two final bathrooms.

TEAM 1: The Keilor East Project (Team Monty)

           Floor Tiles:

Portofino Basalt (400 x 400mm)

Wall Tiles:

Portofino Fossil (400 x 400mm)

Total Amount spent on tiles, grout, caulking and tile adhesive: $385.47 (inc GST)

Team 2: The Hoppers Crossing Project (Team Jane)

Floor Tiles:

Colorado Grey (450 x 450mm)

Wall Tiles:

Gloss Plain White (300 x 450mm)

Total Amount spent on tiles, grout, caulking and tile adhesive: $275.40 (inc GST)

Check out the before & after shots on: http://www.mix1011.com.au/win/re-bourne-bathrooms-voting

Please note:  The final cost did not include labour. If you are looking at keeping costs at a minimum, we recommend undertaking the project as a DIY project. Check out our DIY video library for all the tricks of the trade.  Pricing was calculated per square meter, prices may differ depending on the size of your project. Pricing is correct, as of 30.4.13.

The Block 2013, Sky High has been announced and is coming soon; National Tiles are excited to reveal that they will once again be a featured supplier on the program.

This year, not only four but five teams will be battling it out, the location, 142 Park Street, South Melbourne. Filming has already commenced, and we are very eager to see the end results as well as all the dramas and challenges along the way, that keep us glued to the television every night.

This series of The Block has been dubbed the biggest Block ever. Josh & Bec from our Port Melbourne showroom said that the contestants have been into the showroom, sourcing various tiles. “There is no doubt these guys have some amazing creativity, and the end results are going to look amazing. The products that they have chosen, will defiantly dictate bathroom, laundry and flooring trends for the next twelve months. “

Throughout the series, we will be taking a close look at the finished rooms, and would love to hear your thoughts on what you think of the contestants finished products. Don’t forget to also follow us on Twitter, as we discuss all things The Block, Sky High over the next couple of months. If you are on Pinterest, will be posting as many inspirational bathroom, kitchen and laundry renovation pictures as possible. Have you seen the TV commercial for the next series of The Block, you can check it out via (http://bit.ly/ZWbnX3). What did you think?

For three days only we’re slashing prices on thousands of metres of National wall and floor tiles.

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday only at National Tiles.*

Save up to 50% and more off both premium and standard ranges.

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday only, save upto 50% off and more at National Tiles.

* Metro stores only.

* Regional Stores Sale runs from Friday through to Saturday this weekend only.

* Mackay National Tiles 3 day sale runs from thursday through to this Saturday.

National Tiles are proud to be a part of Mix101.1’s re-Bourne Bathrooms promotion, where two lucky winners have been selected to have their bathrooms renovated!

Interior Designers from National Tiles have put together six tile concepts for the two competition winners to pick from. The renovations commenced on Saturday (13.4.13) and are to be completed within a week. The wall and floor tiles chosen for the renovations includes tiles from our Glass Mosaic, Portofino, Atlantis, Como, Carrara, Emirates and Colarado ranges.

Visit your local National Tiles store or online gallery to see the latest trends in tiles.

Want to see which tiles will feature in their newly renovated bathrooms? Stay tuned……..

National Tiles Weekly Special- This week only, bathroom tiles from half price.

Quick Q & A on Porcelain Tiles with our latest edition to the National Tiles team Mark Moskwa.

Mark has been in the Tile industry for most of his life, originally from Queensland and the past Vice President of Australian Tile Council – QLD Division.  Mark has returned to National Tiles after 5 years away with the majority of time spent working for RLA Polymers. Now starting a new journey with National Tiles, he is heading up the Franchise Division where his main goal is to drive the franchise program which includes opening new stores in QLD, SA, NSW and NT. For more information on the new National Tiles Franchise program click here.

What is a polished porcelain tile?

A porcelain tile is a stronger and denser product compared to that of a ceramic tile, which embodies visible characteristics that are created when manufactured or during the manufacturing process. Porcelain tiles are generally chosen for their distinct strength, durability and aesthetic appeal in the home.

In a nut shell why would you consider a ‘premium’ porcelain tile?

Without boring you with all the technical benefits, a premium porcelain tile is that which adds tremendous value and character to a finished floor surface whether that be residential    or a commercial space. For example; a car showroom, when you walk into a high-end showroom, the first thing you’ll notice is a crisp clean glossy floor tile that reflects the manner  of the product of which they are selling.   An architecturally designed home or newly renovated home which follows the same principles, whereby the premium porcelain is chosen to reflect the personality of the buyer or to increase the value of the home or space.

This week only, save 30% off Premium polished porcelain floor tiles.

 Lifetime Guarantee on our Premium Range. Our buying team spend a lot of time in Europe, South America and Asia sourcing the best quality tiles for the Australian market. We support and back our product 100%, so much so, that National Tiles is the only Tile Company in Australia to offer an exclusive free lifetime guarantee on all our premium range tiles. Click Here for more details

This week only

Granite pavers from only $46.95m²

1. Reduce overall inspiration time.

Spend some time reviewing the latest home magazines for your favourite new style, trends and colours, which is fantastic to bring to show in store to show your ideas. 

National Tiles offers a fantastic in-store visualiser whereby you can pick and choose the exact tiles, paint colours and fabric colour you want to see and place them into real home settings. This is great to be able to really see what the tiles you have chosen are going to look like and inturn reduces time spent on inspiration and research and more time on other parts of your renovation!

Take advantage of our in-store Colour Consultant service, their vast array of experience in colour and technical knowledge relating to interior design and more specifically to iles is a great advantage.  They can mix and match colours, size and the type of tile finish to suit your budget and requirements very quickly.  This service is complimentary and is very useful if you’re stuck for ideas and are low on budget.

2. Reduce product wastage.

To save time, measure your proposed tiled area (walls and floors) to get the meter square (m²) size you require. Yes its simple and yet many people miss this crucial step before entering an NT store. Add 10% wastage for off cuts and a few spare to place in the garage just case of breakages down the track. Measuring and planning will save you money and stress in the long run. Another way to minimise wastage is to use your off cuts in the small areas where you may only need small tiles, for example the edges of a shower or bath hob.

3. DIY Tiling can save you thousands.

We offer a 16 part DIY series, where you will find everything you need to know about tiling. Information ranging from choosing your tools and tiles, surface preparation, tiling principles, and finally a guide on giving your bathroom a professional finish… Tiling isn’t the easiest thing to do, however with patience you can get it right and save thousands of dollars.

4. Save big on tiles.  

As our famous radio ads say, you can save hundreds of dollars on high quality tiles just by shopping at National Tiles. We stock some of the world’s best brands from Italy, Spain, Portugal and Argentina. We purchase large volumes and therefore we are able to remain very competitive against other up market tile stores, in turn you receive the savings.