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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How come some of the products you sell do not list any price?

More and more of our suppliers are mandating that if we show any price it has to be the MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price).  Since we sell at wholesale pricing we have decided to list no price and allow our customer's to call for the discounted price.

 

Can I pick-up my order at your showroom in Rockledge, PA?

Even though the majority of our orders ship directly to your home or business in the continental United States, in most instances you can avoid the delivery cost and pick the order up at our showroom. The restrictions and fees for doing this are as follows; 1. There is a $200.00 showroom pick-up fee. 2. A maximum order of 400 square feet due to stoarge space available & local fire codes. 3. All showroom pick-up orders will include 6% PA sales tax. 4. Limited pick-up days & hours. 5. Not all products can be delivered to our showroom so call 215-837-1544 to inquire about a specific product prior to placing your order.

How come the name of some tile that I see in local stores does not correspond to the tile that I see on your website?

Most brick and mortar stores do not want you to purchase tile online for a fraction of the cost so some  are "private" labeling their products. In this case we recommend that you purchase one carton of tile from your local store and read the manufacturer's name and model of the tile off of the carton and then search for it online. You will find that the brick & mortar stores are charging 2-3 times for what you will find on our website making this more than worth the effort.

How are the shipping costs calculated?

Shipping costs are calculated by how much the order weighs and how far it has to shipped from the warehouse to you. Please note that most tiles weigh between 4-7 pounds per square foot.

Can I find out how much the shipping cost will be prior to placing an order?

The shipping module on our website will do this for you before you commit to an order. Simply add the item(s) to your cart and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and in bold red lettering click on "ESTIMATE SHIPPING COST".  Then enter your shipping state and zip code and the shipping module will calculate it for you.

How can you sell your products for so much less than retail tile stores?

We sell the same products that you will find in reputable retail tile stores but offer them to you at wholesale prices. We rely on sales volume and minimal overhead and pass any savings on to you, the consumer.

Can I order samples of decorative tile and trim pieces?

Yes on most all of the 15,000 items that we carry. To order a sample click on the item you are interested in. The price includes shipping and handling.

How long does it take to receive and order?

This depends on a number of variables from availability in inventory, shipping method (UPS/Fed Ex vs. LTL carrier) and how far away you live from the warehouse.  You can expect most orders delivered within one week but to obtain a more definitive time estimate please call or email us.

What do I do if the material is damaged or missing?

If your order is being delivered by an LTL carrier and you notice visible damage or missing tile please note it on the trucker's paperwork/manifest and contact us as to the extent of the damage.

If your order was delivered via Fed Ex or UPS contact Tile Time within 24 hours. Please package the broken tile in the original packaging so that Tile Time can issue a call tag for Fed Ex or UPS to pick-up and leave the package on your front porch.

Does the items you sell have to be purchased in full cartons?

All field tile (non-decorative and trim tile) must be purchased in full cartons -- we will round-up when you place an order. All decorative, trim and mosaic tile can be purchased by the piece or sheet.

All hardwood, engineered hardwood & laminate flooring have to purchased in full cartons.

How do I find out how much it costs to ship my order prior to placing an order?

After you put item(s) in your cart scroll down to the bottom left corner and click on "estimate shipping cost". The shipping module will then calculate the shipping cost for you. You can also find out how much it costs to ship by going through the order process - although you don't actually have to place an order to do this. After entering the quantity of tile you'd like and your shipping address, it will show you eligible shipping options (for example, FedEx Ground or common carrier such as Pitt-Ohio) and the cost associated with each. This screen is just before where you would enter your credit card information to complete the purchase, so you don't need to finalize the purchase to see how much your shipping charges would be.

What is terrazzo tile made of?

Terrazzo is a tiling material which is made by pouring a cement binder with chips of several materials like marbe, quartz, granite, glass and others.

 

What are your business hours?

You can order online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our sales representatives are available from 7:00 am - 8:00 pm EST.

Tile Glossary

Wear ratings: The durability of tile glaze is given with each item for "normal" usage. In order to avoid incorrect usage for materials, please check our recommendations for area usage based on the P.E.I. (Porcelain Enamel Institute) system.

P.E.I Ratings:

#0 Walls only

#1 Walls and residential bathroom floors (very low foot traffic, bare or stocking feet)

#2 Some residential floors (slippers or soft-soled shoes, second level bathrooms and bedrooms)

#3 All residential floors (with the exception of entries and kitchens if extremely heavy or abrasive foot traffic is anticipated)

#4 All residential floors and light commercial use

#5 All residential and commercial use

 

Frost ratings:
Tiles that are classified as frost-proof if they absorb less 1% water, however many manufacturers will not classify tile as frost-proof unless it achieves 0.5% water absorption. Under any scenario, proper installation and drainage (sloping tile to avoid puddles) is essential to prevent cracking from freezing and thawing.

 

Special tile shapes:

Bullnose: Beveled-edge tile designed to finish the exposed edge of wall or floor tiles, or to use as a replacement for wood base moulding on top of floor tile.

Corner tile: Also referred to as double bullnose or outcorner. This is a square tile that has beveled finished edges on two adjacent sides. This tile is used on the top corners of wall tiles to transition between two bullnose tiles that are at a 90 degree angle to each other. Not all tile lines include corner tiles -- in these cases the installer will miter two bullnose tiles as a substitute.

V-cap or chair rail: These are decorative tiles that can be used as a feature strip tile sandwiched between flat wall tile, or as a cap when wall tile is installed only to wainscot height. These tiles can also be used as a "picture frame" on a bathroom wall or kitchen backsplash.

Listello, liner, border or pencil: These are decorative tiles that are installed between wall and floor tiles, although most are used only in wall applications due to wear-rating limitations.

Mosaic tile: Mesh-mounted tile assembled into sheets to faciliate handling and installation. In most cases mosaic tiles are no larger than 3 or 4 inches, and are mounted on either 12" x 12" or 13" x 13" sheets.

 

What is the difference between marble & dolomite?

     Dolomite ranks higher than marble on the durability scale, largely due to it's dense mineral composition.  Dolomite is harder than most marbles and tend to resist scratches and heat more readily.  However, dolomite is not quite on par with the density and durability of granite and quartzite.