ordering cement tiles

by clé tile | published: Apr 21, 2021

what to expect when ordering cement tile

clé cement tiles in solid colors are silky and smooth with a matte finish. they do exhibit noticeable variation in color: one cement tile may be slightly darker or lighter than its neighbor.

for more information, check out our tile variation guide. cement tile is rated 3 (medium) on a variation scale that goes up to 5.

  • when receiving your order, dust and shipping residue are to be expected and should be cleaned prior to installing. irregular or chipped edges and cracked surfaces are also to be expected and is industry standard.
  • smudging caused by friction during shipping, and clouding of the tile surface where the pre-application of sealant has humidified are uncommon, but these issues can sometimes occur.
  • smudging tends to be more common/noticeable on contrasting black and white patterned tiles. smudging will come off during installation- but if any smudges remain – a quick sand will remove.
  • in general, overage should cover any smudging or clouding found within an order, however, if needed, tiles can easily be sanded down by hand with 400 grit sandpaper to fully remove any smudging or clouding prior to sealing.
  • all of our cement tiles have a pigment layer that is roughly 1/8″ thick, so sanding will only effectively remove the top-most micro-layer of the tile surface to access the fresh pigment underneath.

your cement tile checklist: before you place your order

  • prior to ordering, please take care to review our cement tile resource guide linked for you here.
  • remember, your installation is only as good as your installer. we recommend working with a professional tile installer with experience in cement tile.
  • please have your installer or contractor take responsibility for calculating how much tile to order as clé cannot be responsible for calculations
  • do not book your contractor until you have placed your order and received your tiles as shipping delays can occur.
  • please be sure to order 15 % overage etc. to cover any breakage, cuts etc. and to keep some tiles in reserve for any future repairs.
  • if you plan to order two different sizes in the same color cement, expect greater variation between the two. if you plan to install two different sizes of the same color cement in the same area - we strongly encourage you opt for made to order (MTO) cement tiles so the two different sizes of the same color can be made together. contact contact@cletile.com for further information.

arrival day

as always, please have your contractor and/or designer examine your cement tiles upon delivery. once they are installed, you are unable to return tiles. please note, installation deems acceptance.

it is very important to blend the tiles from all boxes once they arrive and place them in their installation area to ensure you have the layout you want. do not install without blending tiles from all boxes; failure to do so could result in large areas of tile that are lighter or darker, rather than the desired randomly interspersed variegated pattern.

your cement checklist: arrival day

for more information related to ordering and shipping, please be sure to visit our shipping and returns and delivery information resource pages.

for any further questions, please refer to our cement installation and maintenance guide.