FAQs
FAQs for Ceramic Handmade Tiles by Emu Tile LLC
For questions about production time, please visit our shipping information page.
1. Q: Where can Emu Handmade Tile be installed?
| A: We fire our entire line of hand-made stoneware tiles to 2200°F, making them durable enough for most household applications. However, because they have raised surface decoration, we generally recommend them for vertical surfaces like backsplashes and fireplace surrounds. Relief tiles can create an uneven surface and may become scuffed on a heavily used counter or high traffic floor. If you do install Emu Tile on a horizontal surface, we encourage you to select designs with lower relief and locate them in out-of- the-way areas like in a corner or near the wall. |
2. Q: Are Emu Art Tile perfectly square and flat? Will glaze colors look exactly like those pictured on the website?
A: No. Emu Art Tile are handmade using traditional methods & are not perfectly uniform in terms of size, shape or color. Glaze colors have natural variations due to the firing process.
3. Q: Can Emu Tile be mixed with commercially available field tile?
A: YES! Dazzling results can be achieved at a fraction of the cost of a 100% handmade installation.
4. Q: Is there a size difference between commercial and handmade tile?
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A: Height and width: Certain companies sell tiles labeled 4"x4" that are as small as 3.75”x3.75” or as large as 4.25”x4.25". Our tiles are as close as possible in size to the measurement listed, so 4"x4" means very close to 4"x4." A few of our tiles run 1/4" small- this is mentioned in the product descriptions for those tiles. When shopping for field tile locally, you can carry a measuring tape to help you find tiles that are the same size or a little bigger. Or you can carry an art tile with you and compare. If an exact match isn’t available, consider field tiles that are slightly larger than the art tiles, and simply make the grout joint a tad wider around the art tiles. Thickness: Our handmade tiles are thicker than most commercial wall tiles (3/8" -1/2" inch thick for most Emu Tiles vs. 1/4 inch for standard wall tiles.) We glaze the sides of every tile, so it is fine if they show a bit. If you prefer the art tile be flush with the field, simply select thicker wall tile or use floor tile, which is often thicker and can be used on walls. Or consider natural stone field tiles, which are often very close in size to our tiles. |
5. Q: Can Emu Tile be mixed with field tile if they are not the same size?
| A: Absolutely! If you find field tile that you love and they are not the same size as your chosen art tile, don’t worry! They can still be combined into a great-looking installation by cutting the field tile to fit. There are a number of ways to do this. One of the most common is to set either the field tiles or the art tiles on the diagonal. To see examples of this, visit our installation galleries. |
6. Q: Can you glaze Emu Tile to match commercial field tiles?
A: No. Glaze chemistry is far more complicated than mixing paint. It is very difficult to create an exact match. Instead, we recommend choosing field tile that harmonize with the color of the accent tile.
If you are planning a tile installation and you still have questions, please contact us.
