Information and advice

Outdoor Paving

Improving Your Garden with Natural Stone Paving

In this article, we take a look at how natural stone paving is being used to improve and add value to the home, explore what options are available, and what you need to consider before embarking on a natural stone paving project.

Improving Your Garden with Porcelain Paving

In this article, we take a look at how porcelain paving is being used to improve and add value to the home, explore what is available, and what you need to consider before embarking on your porcelain paving project.

How to Install Porcelain Paving

Here we go through the best ways to install outdoor porcelain paving. We go step-by-step through the different methods available giving the pros and cons of each and giving handy tips along the way.

How To Lay Natural Stone Paving

Choosing natural stone paving for your project is both a practical and aesthetically pleasing solution. In this article, we take a look at pre-planning and fixing your slabs, taking into consideration the substrate, what lies below your paving, and guidance to make your installation successful.

Choosing your Natural Stone or Porcelain Tiles

Can I get hold of samples of your tiles? Are they free?

In a word, yes. We offer 2 tile samples absolutely free of charge and for each subsequent tile sample we only charge for delivery at £2.50 per samples. All products listed on the website have free samples available. Standard cut tile samples are dispatched by Royal Mail. You can also get a larger 300x300mm tile sample free of charge by calling the office but we do charge delivery with FedEx at £10 which is refundable upon order.

Will my samples really look like the actual tiles?

We cut samples from our current stock of tiles. Natural stone tile samples are 100x100mm and porcelain tile samples are 150x200mm. A good representation of the overall style and finish can be seen from the samples and we rarely get anyone saying the tiles they have received don’t look like the samples. Looking at the samples at the same time as the images on the website is also a good way of gauging if they are what you want.

Take The Travertine Challenge

Travertine tiles come in shades of cream and beige through to brown and even silver. It also comes in many different qualities and as a “filled” material, some cheaper tiles know as “commercial grade” often get miss-advertised as premium grade. The challenge is to get the best quality at the best price, which you can right here at Stonestore!

The Truth About Travertine

The truth is not all travertine is the same. As a generic type of stone, it’s available from many different quarries in a number of different qualities. Unfortunately, lots of companies advertising travertine, online and offline, have miss-sold this lovely beige stone for decades. If you want to know what to look for and what you should really be buying if you want travertine, read on for the “truth about travertine”.

Carrara Marble Tiles

When somebody talks about marble, the first type to come to mind tends to be Carrara Marble. This beautiful white marble with grey veining in all its variations originates from the region around the city of Carrara located in Tuscany, Italy. Carrara Marble has been mined for centuries and used throughout palaces and homes ever since. Its enduring beauty keeps it a firm favorite today.

How To Choose Bathroom Tiles

Choosing bathroom tiles is very much a personal matter. When you choose natural stone tiles such as limestone, marble or travertine tiles, there will also be a choice of finishes and usually a choice of sizes. In this article we go through the options and give tips to help you create the bathroom of your dreams.

All About Dijon Limestone

Dijon Limestone is a soft beige colour limestone with grey fossil-like detailing, a tumbled surface and worn edges. Dijon has the appearance of having been aged and worn over many years and is perfect for kitchen floors and open plan living areas. This article tells you more about our Dijon Limestone tiles, how they are made, physical characteristics and uses.

How Do I Decide Which Size Tiles I Need?

How Do I Decide Which Size Tiles I Need? The design trend for large format tiles continues, but which size is best suited to your tiling project? There are a number of factors to consider.

How To Recognise Cracked Tiles

Natural stone tiles sometimes have lines in them that resemble cracks. These lines are in fact not cracks but are usually what is known as “calcite veins”. They are not defects, but a natural characteristic of the stone and they will not cause any problems. Calcite lines are usually found in Limestone and Marble tiles and often resemble lines drawn in pencil. Read on for more information on this perfectly natural characteristic.

Porcelain Tile Surface And Finishes Explained

These days Porcelain tiles are a popular choice for the home. In this article we take you through the different types of surface finish available for porcelain tiles. Broadly speaking, there are three types of finish; Matt, Semi-Polished and Polished. We describe each finish, explain the differences and show examples to help you make your choice.

What Is Jaipur Limestone?

Jaipur Limestone tiles are part of our Flagstone natural tile range and are predominantly olive and sage in colour with a metallic beige undertone. These Jaipur tiles are large in size and have tumbled edges and brushed surfaces to give an aged appearance. This article gives more detail about these best-selling and best value floor tiles.

What Is Jura Limestone?

Jura Limestone is characterised by its encapsulated fossils and intricate detailing. Jura Limestones are over 145 million years old and are considered to be the king of European Limestone. This article tells the story of this amazing stone in more detail.

What Are Honed And Filled Tiles?

If you are looking to buy natural stone tiles then you might well have come across the terms, "honed" and "filled". If you are not sure what these mean, this article explains these stone finishes and how they are achieved.

What Are Honed Stone Tiles?

If you are looking to buy natural stone tiles, there are a number of finishes to choose from. One of the most popular stone tile finished is called "honed". In this article we explain what a honed finish is and how it is created.

What Are Chipped Edge Tiles?

Natural stone tiles come in a range of finishes and if you are looking at tumbled or antiqued tiles you may come across the terms tumbled edges and chipped (or chiselled) edges. In this article we explain these terms and the differences between the two.

The general facts about Natural Stone Tiles

Natural stone has seen a significant shift in popularity over recent years. Travertine was the forerunner about 8 years ago but tumbled limestone and marble is the material of choice these days. New production methods and lower prices have brought what was once for the select few to a whole new market.

What is Travertine?

Travertine tiles were the number one choice in natural stone about 10 years ago when interior designers took this lovely cloudy beige stone to their hearts and customers soon followed suit. While it’s not as popular as it was, travertine is still a lovely stone and sits at the more affordable end of the market. Developers and the likes still fit a lot of travertine in new houses as it gives an instant wow factor, without breaking the bank!

What Is Limestone?

Limestone deposits can be found all over the world but most limestone produced in tiles comes from the near east. Turkey and Egypt lead the way in manufacture of limestone tiles but India & Portugal also produce a lot of limestone. Limestone in general is quite a dense stone and as a rule of thumb, the darker it is the harder it usually is. If you want to know exactly what limestone is and if it’s suitable for your home, it’s all here.

What Is Quartz?

Quartz is a manmade material composed of ground quartz stone, sand and colour pigments all held together with a hard resin binder. The most popular varieties of quartz tiles have crushed mirror pieces in and are often called “starlight” or “Sparkle tiles”. Quartz sparkle tiles have been popular for a long time and we don’t see any slowdown in the market. Popular colors are black quartz, white quartz and grey quartz tiles. Beware though as cheap quartz tiles have high resin content and will not wear as well as our high-quality quartz.

Your tiles are much cheaper than anywhere else. Why?

Stonestore has been at the forefront of online stone retailing since 2008. While we started out selling only travertine, our stone range now includes luxurious marble and antique flagstones. Alongside our stone range sits a fine Italian porcelain tile range made up of products from the best design-led factories in the world. We import and stock all our own tiles and work on a tight profit margins so you can get the best tiles at the best possible price. Nobody can beat us on quality or price, guaranteed!

Which tiles are suitable for which applications?

Natural Stone Tiles can be used anywhere in the house from kitchen tiles to bathroom wall tiles and everywhere in-between. Generally, you can use all the stone tiles we sell in any room. Limitations come on thickness and what can be used on walls. Most of the 2cm thick heritage stone we sell is only suitable for floor use but 10mm Jura Limestone tiles or Carrara Marble tiles are suitable for both floors and walls. This article tells you all you need to know about what you can use and where.

Tile Ordering & Delivery

Using your tile sample as a reference point not a guarantee

We like our customers to have a sample tile before they place an order. We supply cut samples of our stone and porcelain tiles free of charge and these give a good guide to how the tiles you will be ordering will look and feel. However, these small samples can only show a small surface area and as patterns vary across tiles, such samples can only be seen as a reference point. We explain more in this article.

What is the best way to order from StoneSuperstore?

You can order tiles from us either directly on the internet from our website or you can order by telephone, whichever you prefer. If you would like some advice before you order, our sales team will be happy to talk with you about your requirements. You can also order samples directly from our website or by telephone so that you can see and feel a sample of the tiles you are interested in.

How long will delivery take after I've placed my order?

As Stonestore carries stock of all our products in our Manchester warehouse, we are able to offer a Next (Working) Day delivery service to most UK addresses for orders placed before 12:30pm. A lot of our customers prefer to opt for our slightly cheaper Nominated Day service, which typically takes two to three days, but the customer can choose a day convenient for them. This article gives more information on delivery options.

Getting your tile measurements right. A general guide

We generally advise that you get a professional tiler to measure up your job and work out how many tiles you will need. If you want to measure up the job yourself or are considering DIY, there are several things you need to consider including the surface area to be tiled and allowances for cuts and waste. We explain more in this article.

Can I choose a specific delivery date?

Full information about our delivery service can be found on the Deliveries page of the website.

I have a gravel driveway is this a problem?

All our orders are delivered on large wooden pallets on what is known as a kerbside service. The pallets are offloaded from the delivery lorry using a lorry’s rear “tail lift” platform and a pump truck is used to manoeuvre the pallets. The pallet is then left next to the pavement outside the property. In certain situations, the driver may AT THEIR DISCRETION and only if it is safe for them to do so, move the pallets onto your driveway. If you have a gravel driveway this makes things more difficult.

Can my order be left with a neighbour if I’m not in?

Customers often ask if their order can be left with a neighbour if they are not in and the answer to this is almost always no. It is very important that the customer or someone representing them (their tiler, builder etc) is available to check and sign for the goods on delivery. We explain why in this article.

I live down a narrow lane; can you deliver to me?

All Stonestore deliveries are made on standard pallets delivered on and taken off large lorries. If you live down a narrow lane then this standard type of delivery may not be possible as the vehicle might not be able to get to the property. In such cases if you let us know you have a property that is difficult to access we can make alternative arrangements with the hauliers.

Do you have you own warehouse where we can see stock?

One of the questions we are often asked is whether we have a warehouse that customers can visit and see the stock. Stonestore does have its own warehouse and showroom. Read on to find the answer.

Do You Import Your Own Stock Or Buy It From Wholesalers?

At Stonestore we import all our Stone and Porcelain tiles directly with no middlemen. We buy Natural Stone tiles direct from the quarries and Porcelain tiles direct from the manufacturers. We buy in bulk and run strict independent quality checks that ensures we can offer the best quality tiles at the lowest prices.

Tile Installation

Tile Haze, What To Do?

If you see a “haze” over the surface of your tiles, this is generally due to one of three installation circumstances. In this article we go through the three main situations that cause tile haze and explain how you can remove it.

I can see what look like cracks in my tiles – what are the these and are they acceptable?

If you think you can see cracks in your tiles, they may not be cracks. Read on to find out more about what they actually might be and if your installation is OK.

What space should I leave between tiles?

The space left between tiles is known as the grout line or “joint” and the size of this space will depend on the tile type, the surface the tiles are being installed on and also to an extent on personal preference. As a general guide, spacing is usually 2-3mm for wall tiles and 2-5mm on floor tiles. This article explains how different factors can affect the gap you should leave.

Tiling over electric under floor heating

Whether you're fixing natural stone Cappuchino marble tiles, or classic polished porcelain tiles and electric under floor heating has been installed, you need to assess your substrate and consider a number of other factors before you begin fixing floor tiles.

Tiling onto uneven floors

Whether you're fixing Dijon limestone tiles or architectural porcelain tiles and the floor is uneven, you need to assess if the floor is suitable to tile onto and what action is required to ensure your tiling project is a success. Failure to assess and prepare your substrate correctly may result in the floor tiles cracking, coming loose, or the tile adhesive de-bonding from the substrate.

Do I need to use trims for the edge of my tiles?

Each tile installation is different, and so the need for tile trims is different too. The practicalities of the room, coupled with aesthetics and design trend, tend to dictate whether tile trims are utilised for any particular project, whether it be fixing natural stone tiles in a kitchen, or rectified porcelain tiles on bathroom walls and floors.

Tiling On a Concrete Substrate

Prior to fixing floor tiles on a concrete substrate there are several things that need to be taken into account to ensure that the job is a success. Failure to check and act on these can lead to problems. In this article we list the five main considerations and advise how to best prepare your substrate accordingly.

How to seal natural stone tiles before grouting

All natural stone tiles are porous, so no matter what the type of finish, they need to be sealed before grouting. In this article we explain why this is the case and what can happen if you don’t seal natural stone tiles before grouting.

How can I find a professional installer?

In this article we list the six golden rules of hiring a tiler and what should be discussed with them before hiring. Finding a tiler can be tricky – how can you tell the real professionals from the cowboys? In this guide, we’ll try and help you.

How Much Should A Tiler Cost?

In this article we explore what you should consider when hiring a tiler. The price a tiler will charge can depend on a number of factors including the type of tile to be installed, the room type, the surface preparation and other elements including the tiler’s skills and experience and if materials such as adhesives or grout are included.

What Is A Reasonable Amount Of Tile Wastage?

When purchasing your tiles, it is normal to allow for a certain amount of tile wastage in any installation. Some tiles will need to be cut to fit, while a few may be damaged during the installation process. A general rule of thumb is to include an extra 10% over the area to be tiled, but this can vary according to the room type and complexity. It is always best to avoid the inconvenience and expense of needing to order extra tiles once the job has started.

How To Clean Tiles Before Grouting

It is important to clean tiles before grouting if you want to the finished appearance to be perfect. This applies to both natural stone tiles and porcelain tiles, no matter what the finish type; polished, honed or tumbled. Tiles should be cleaned once fixed and before grouting in order to remove surface residues and impurities. We explain further in this article.

Laying Natural Stone Floor Tile ‘Patterns Sets’

Natural Stone pattern sets offer an alternative style to the more standard looks available by laying fixed length or even random length, square or rectangular tiles. Pattern sets are made up from sets of square and rectangular tiles of different sizes that should be laid in a pre-determined design. This article outlines how to lay pattern sets successfully.

How to seal Honed & Tumbled Natural Stone Tiles step by step

Both Honed and Tumbled Finish Natural Stone tiles should be sealed on installation to ensure that they keep their showroom finish. All natural stone is porous so it is essential to seal stone tiles in order to prevent liquids penetrating the pores of the stone. In this article we explain what you need to do to makes sure your tiles remain in the condition you bought them.

What To Do Before Tiling Over Vinyl Or Linoleum

If you currently have a vinyl or linoleum floor and wish to replace with either natural stone or porcelain tiles, you may want to know if it is safe to lay tiles over these surfaces. The quick and short answer is that it is safe, but only if the existing flooring and substrate are sound and stable. In this article we explain the conditions necessary to ensure the success of your project.

What To Consider For DIY Tile Installation - Do's And Don’ts

If you are considering doing the tiling on your project yourself then there are a number of things you should carefully consider before starting. Many DIY tiling attempts end up with professional tilers being called in half way through to rescue projects that have proved too difficult or challenging for DIY. In this article we go through what should be considered.

Are All Your Tiles Suitable For Walls And Floors?

In general, all our natural stone and porcelain tiles are suitable for use on both walls and as flooring. They are also generally suitable for all rooms and areas around the house. However, there are exceptions and situations where certain tiles may not be suitable for a project. This article covers most aspects, but you can also speak with one of our expert advisers before buying your tiles.

Bedding Adhesives For Stone Tiles

It is important to use the appropriate bedding adhesive when laying stone tiles. There is not a single adhesive that can be used with all stone and substrate types so you need to select the right one for the job in question before you start to lay your tiles.

How To Prepare Your Floor For Tiling

Regardless of the type of tiles you plan to use for your floor, whether natural stone or porcelain, you will need to take care to properly prepare the floor onto which you are going to lay them. Failure to prepare the floor substrate correctly can lead to a number of problems. This article tells you the steps you need to take.

British Standards associated with Tile Installation

There are a number of British Standards relating to the installation of floor and wall tiles. The purpose of these standards is to outline agreed criteria and principles so that customers, tradesmen and suppliers can make assumptions about products and services. Some standards are essentially advice, while others are more like absolute requirements. This article examines British Standards relating to tiling in more detail.

Using The Correct Adhesive

Whether you are fixing natural stone or porcelain tiles to walls or a floor, it is important that you use the right adhesive for the job. A number of factors need to be considered when selecting adhesives and in this article we go through them and recommend the right adhesive for each tiling situation.

Tiling Onto A Lime-Based Floor

If you have a lime-based floor and are planning to lays tiles onto it, there are a few factors that you need to consider. With lime-based floors, if breathability is a concern, then we generally recommend Natural Limestone tiles as they absorb and disperse moisture enabling damp to evaporate. You also need to consider the adhesive you use. This article explains more.

Tiling Onto Calcium Sulphate (Anhydrite) Screeds

The use of Calcium Sulphate (Anhydrite) screed is becoming more commonplace as these screeds are relatively low cost and easy to use. However it is important to know that there are potential issues when laying tiles onto Anhydrite screed. This article explains these potential issues and shows how they can be easily avoided.

What Is Tile Lippage and Is It Acceptable?

Lippage is a term referring to where tiles have some edges and corners higher or lower than others. There are several causes for lippage ranging from bad workmanship through poor substrate to poor tile quality. In this article we advise how to tell the cause of lippage what can be done to prevent it.

Tiling Onto Screeds With Wet Underfloor Heating

When planning to tile onto screed with underfloor heating installed, there are a number of factors that need to be considered. Different screed types present different issues and so require different approaches. In addition it is important that the underfloor heating has been brought up to full temperature. We explain more in this article.

How to Lay Large Porcelain Floor Tiles and Paving Slabs

In this article we take a detailed look at how best to lay large format floor tiles and avoid potential problems that may arise. We look at Industry Standards and relate them to tiling with large format tiles to give you guidance with your project.

Will all tiles I order be from the same batch?

In a word – yes, but it shouldn't be assumed that what arrives will definitely be from the same batch. There are a couple of issues here that an installer, whether it's a customer doing a DIY installation or a professional installer, must consider BEFORE they start tiling.

Vital checks before installing natural stone & porcelain tiles

In this article we discuss things you should go through before installing your tiles. From checking that the tiles you want are right for the job and that you have received the correct tiles, to checking porcelain batch numbers and mixing and pre-selecting tiles before installing; all these things will help ensure your job is a success.

Tile sizes always vary slightly. Here’s an explanation why

The exact sizes of natural stone and even porcelain tiles do vary slightly, and this is to be expected. Natural stone and porcelain tiles are usually supplied with square cut edges (also known as rectified edges). With today’s modern machinery these tiles are cut within very small tolerances for both natural stone and porcelain. A good tiler will know how to take into account these small variations.

Natural stone tiles are often supplied wet. Here's why.

Sometimes stone tiles are supplied wet and while this might initially seem surprising, it is quite normal and is down to the manufacturing and cutting process required to turn large blocks of stone into finished tiles. This article explains this process and why tiling with wet tiles is not a problem.

How to find a Professional installer & get the best job done

It is not as easy as you would hope to find a good tiler these days. There are many people out there who call themselves tilers, but these will have vastly different skill levels and experience. In this article we give advice as to how to go about finding a good tiler and getting a great job done.

Do I need to seal my floor with a primer before tiling?

Although generally we advise that primer is used on your floor before tiling, there are some occasions where it might not be necessary to use a primer. In this article we go through situations where primer is and isn’t required with relation to different substrates and products.

Tiling Onto Wooden Floors

If you are planning to tile onto a wooden floor, then you will need to consider the nature of the floor surface. Floorboards and chipboard often have “bounce” and can be uneven and have contaminants such as stain, varnish or glue which will lead to issues. This article explains how to avoid potential problems and successfully tile onto wooden floors.

Tiling On Top Of Tiles

If you are planning to tile on top of existing tiles there are a few things you need to consider. While you can tile over existing tiles so long as the existing tiles and substrate are sound, it is always better to remove existing tiles and fix new tiles to the existing substrate where this is an option. This article advises on what to do in situations where this is not possible, and you need to tile over tiles.

Where Is Best To Start Installing Tiles

Where to start tiling or "Setting Out" can take a bit of planning and thinking about. Measuring a room and deciding where to start, and end, tiling can be a daunting process for the uninitiated but with a little help and advice from Stonestore, you could be well on your way to getting your tiles laid in a symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing way.

Tile Maintenance

How to clean porcelain tiles

Porcelain tiles don't generally need special cleaning products but some care should be taken if you have polished porcelain tiles. Strong acidic products or gritty based products can kill a polished floor. It's best to use a cleaner made specifically for the type of floor covering you have.

How To Clean Natural Stone Tiles

Looking after a natural stone floor is easy as long as it was installed correctly in the first place. A simple cleaning regime using appropriate products will keep your beautiful stone floor looking like new for a long time but when it does need a proper freshen-up, there are companies that will come out and bring it all back to life for you.

How To Repair Scratched Tiles

Sometimes, no matter how careful you may be, accidents can happen. If you get a scratch on your natural stone tiles, the good news is that scratches can more often than not be repaired. In some cases, you can go down the DIY repair route, but in others you will need to call in the professionals.

DIY Repairs To Stone Tiles

Natural stone tiles can become scratched or damaged over time. You can always get them brought back to life by a professional cleaning company but there are some quick fixes a DIY enthusiast can do.

When To Use A Professional Cleaning Company For Your Tiles

Accidents can happen and even though you had you tiles sealed at fitting and you regularly clean and maintain them, scratches can occur if something sharp scrapes across the tile surface. Both natural stone and porcelain tiles can be scratched, but the good news is that both can be repaired. You have the choice of trying a DIY repair or calling the professional. In this article we look at the pros and cons of each.

Re-Sealing Natural Stone Tiles - When and How Often?

Natural Stone tiles are beautiful natural products, but to keep you natural stone tiled floors and walls in showroom condition, you will need to look after and maintain them by cleaning and re-sealing the tiles every few years. In this article we explain what needs to be done and how often.

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