ruan hoffmann | much love me | limestone | field tile

what do i need to know about these tiles when installing? 

do not use blue tape or other construction tape during product installation. we cannot guarantee that the tape will not erode or damage our products.

are lithography tiles suitable for floor usage?

lithography is suitable for wall installations only, except for the plain field tile that can be used for residential light foot traffic installations. for more information, see our clé lithography material guidelines.

what type of sealant should i use with my lithography tiles?
 
clé only recommends the use of the clé top coat kit for sealing lithography tiles. please note that the use of any other sealant may damage the decoration.
 
for more information about sealing please see our clé lithography material guidelines.

do you offer trim for your lithography tile?
 
at clé we follow the international model of no trim and highly recommend our clients to do the same. below are the trim alternatives we recommend for this collection.
 
- if your project needs to turn a corner either inwardly or outwardly, mitering the tiles to meet seamlessly in a corner gives it the cleanest, crafted finish.
- like with any of our tiles, you can also build out the sheetrock so that the surface of the finished sheetrock is flush with the surface of the tile.

for more detailed recommendations about trim, please see our trim guide.

how do i take care of my lithography tiles?
 
as with any finely decorated stone product, clé warns against the use of any surface cleansers or scrubbing pads, for maintenance cleaning or during the installation process. 

cleaning lithography only requires the use of mild soap, water and soft cloths in most cases. 

lithography tiles are chemically sensitive. do not use any cleaners that are not ph neutral and avoid harsh chemicals and acidic or alkaline cleaning products.
 
see our clé lithography material guidelines for more information.

what type of finish should i expect with this collection?
 
our limestone tiles have a smooth, honed stone surface which is then printed with our lithography designs. honing is a process in which the surface is ground down to the level that gives the tile a smooth matte finish.

what types and levels of variation and imperfections should i expect? 

tiles may be exposed to moisture and/or condensation during production or shipping which may affect the color of the tiles once received.  setting tiles out to dry prior to installation will return return the color to normal. 

due to the handmade craftsmanship of our tiles, including lithography, and the variety of materials used, there are degrees of variation in our tiles color, shade, texture and size. these differences are more pronounced in certain types of tiles than others, especially in tiles from separate production lots, or “batches”. 

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 before installing. do not install without blending tiles from all boxes. 

variation and imperfection ratings: 

patterned lithography tiles are rated 'level 2 slight' for color variation, 'level 1 smooth' for texture variation, and 'level 1 slight' for size variation. 

see illustrations in the technical specifications section above, and read more about the ratings in our tile variation and imperfections guide.
 
how do i sample ruan hoffmann tiles?

we sample plain field tiles as well as patterned tiles in delft or charcoal. please note that patterns within your chosen color (delft or charcoal) are preselected and can not be specified.

how will my sample compare to my actual order?

color and size variation between batches of limestone tiles, in addition to variation from tile to tile, is to be expected given that limestone is a natural stone and production batches are pulled from a quarry, at different times and from different areas. this makes it unlikely that your sample will be a perfect match with your actual order.

why do you suggest i order at least 15% more than my measurements?
 
industry standard suggests adding at least 15% overage due to tile cuts, potential shipping breakage, or future repairs.

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

clé only recommends using a tight grout joint of 1/16” to ensure that the artwork has a continuous design flow.

do not apply a grout release or sealant prior to grouting as it may damage the decoration.

clé recommends using mortar and a non-pigmented unsanded cementitious grout that comply with the ANSI A118 or ISO 13007 classifications suitable for your project.  Please consult with your installation professional to make these determinations.

we recommend carefully finger grouting to keep grout in the joints and off the surface of the decorative tiles.

grout color selection is always up to our client and/or their design professional. however, clé is often asked for our opinion on best grout selections for our tiles. and due to the large array of grout colors that are now available, clé would like to offer this general guideline on a foolproof grout color selection for any of your clé tiles.

first, have your professional tile contractor complete your tile installation, except for the grout portion.

next, when ready to grout, ask your contractor to bring ALL grout color charts from his preferred grout manufacturers, for your review.

lastly, choose a time of day when you are most pleased with the lighting in your space (either natural lighting, installed lighting or a blend of both). during that lighting and time of day, select the grout color that best matches your tile selection.

for more information about grouting please see our lithography material guidelines.