Shipment Has Arrived!

Our shipment has arrived in our warehouse. This means that we are back in stock on many items such as Antiquity, Ebony Minis, Clover Minis, and the 3/8" tile grids.

We also received many new Brushstrokes colors and one new AfterGlow color. We are working on pictures of these and will have them posted tomorrow.

I am sorry to say that our Tomato Minis didn't come in. Instead we received Sunset Minis. We are working to get a shipment of red mini tiles in as quickly as we can.

Vitreous Glass Tile

There has been an ongoing debate about vitreous tile. Some people are adamant that Italian brands are the only vitreous to use while others love the Asian brands. So what is the difference? Allow me to explain from my point of view.

Let me start by saying that I have used every brand of vitreous that I know of. This includes the Italian and the Asian. I love some but hate others.

A lot of the Asian tiles come from the same factory but US companies brand them differently. All Italian tile is now made in China and India. So basically, it is all Asian tile. What matters is the process.

The main characteristic of vitreous is the speckling of the glass. It is no secret that the fewer the speckles the better quality the tile. This is also a common sense deal. Glass has fracture points and tends to break along those fracture lines. This is why cutting glass tile can take practice, you have to learn how to manipulate the fracture points. So take those natural fracture lines and add in this speckling and now you have even more places that the glass wants to break. So few specks better cutting. Of course if you are using them whole then you don't have to worry about anything but the color.

The speckling is the quartz that didn't get melted during fabrication. "Italian" tile is created using higher temperatures and heating the glass mixture longer so that the quartz can dissolve. There are many of the "Asian" brands that are just like the "Italian" brands when it comes to speckling though. I will admit there are a couple of lines of vitreous out there that completely crumble with even the thought of cutting them. You will learn on your own which ones I am talking about.

Also remember that occasionally a dyelot will come in that is not very good. Every tile seems to break too easily or crumble when you cut it. This happens with all brands. Just let the seller know so they can contact their factory. Glass is unpredictable sometimes. One tile may cut fine while the next 5 may break wrong.

So now that we know about the speckling let's talk price. The "Italian" tile is about double the price of the "Asian" tile. This is because they do heat the glass longer and this will cost more in manufacturing costs but you are also paying for the brand name. Keep in mind that the higher the price of the glass tile doesn't mean that it is better quality. I have many designers that are amazed that some of my glass is identical to the popular Italian tile but at half the price. Also be aware that the lower the price doesn't necessarily mean bad tile. Like many other companies, we keep our prices low because we import directly.

I heard someone say recently during a vitreous glass debate that you really shouldn't worry about where the tile is made but rather find a line that you really like and can afford. Who cares where the factory is, as long as it has the colors you want at a good price.

Now for my shameless advertisement:

I love the Art Tile Collection (MatrixColor) because it is a reasonable price and cuts very well. I have only had one complaint since I started carrying this line of tile. Everyone I work with loves the look of it and agrees that it cuts well. Of course this is the line that I sell so obviously I love it!

Shipment Status

I know many of you are anxiously awaiting our new shipment. Unfortunately it has been delayed until August 4. From what I have been told, US Customs decided to hold on to our container for a week before releasing it. I will keep everyone posted as to when it finally arrives.

On this shipment will be a huge amount of Art Tile Minis. Clover Minis, Tomato Minis, and Ebony Minis will all be back in stock. The 3/8" tile grids will also be ready to ship.

In the Brushstrokes, we will have Antiquity back along with 6 new colors. The face of the Brushstrokes is changing somewhat and I will get the new pictures posted soon.

For the AfterGlow, we couldn't get the Silver Sands back but instead have the Stainless Steel on this shipment. It is still shimmery but it looks exactly like your stainless appliances. This should be a popular color!

If you want to reserve any of the new colors coming in, call us or email us. We will put you on our waiting list.

Limited Lots Clearance

If you haven't been to our Limited Lots section lately then you are missing out. It is packed full of goodies that are only available in limited quantities.

Well, it is time to clear some of these out. We are offering our blog readers extra savings on the Limited Lots items. Just use Discount Code: blogger0709 during checkout to receive an additional 25% off of all items from our Limited Lots.

Take a look now to find:

• Stained Glass Chunks (large pieces)
• Stained Glass Scraps (small pieces)
• Carter Vitreous Glass (marked 1/2 off!)
• Glass shapes
• Cayenne Sanded Grout
• AfterGlow 2" tiles

This offer doesn't expire and quantities are in limited supply. This can be used by ALL of our customers including Artist, Trade, and Wholesale Account holders.

New Colors Arriving Soon

I love it when we can add new colors to our collections. In about a week we will be getting our new shipment in from overseas. On this shipment will be 6 new colors of Brushstrokes Metallics and 1 new color of AfterGlow Series. Some of these new metallic colors are very unique and absolutely gorgeous. The new AfterGlow color is Stainless Steel. This is temporarily replacing our Silver Sands.

We are also going to be completely stocked on our Art Tile Minis again and the 3/8" tile grids. Then, of course, we are replenishing some of our Art Tile Collection colors.

With all of these new colors coming in, you are going to see some product line changes. I will keep you posted on discontinued items as we clear out old and replace with new!

Using Our Glass Tile With Ceramic Floor Tile

Yes, you can use mosaic glass tile with ceramic floor tile. This is a common question that I get in the store. The size differences of the tiles is the main concern people have.

A popular installation in a shower is to use large ceramic or marble tiles on the wall but to put in a border or just small swatches of glass tiles as insets. Our glass tiles are thinner than large ceramic tiles. You will have to spread the mortar a little thicker than what you lay for your large tiles then you will nest the glass tiles into the mortar. Use a 2x4 to stretch across the ceramic tiles to level the glass tiles out. However I do have some clients that will go ahead and install the glass with a normal mortar layer. They like the different depths of the tiles. Just be aware that grouting will take a little more cleaning this way.

The pictures show our Espresso tile from our Brushstrokes Metallics installed at a Parade of Homes by Ironwood Homes in Stone Canyon here in Owasso, OK.