Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use the tile outdoors?
Only our CPP Porcelain Tiles can be used outdoors. We offer 2 different tile printing processes. One is Sublimation Printing and the other one is CPP Printing (Ceramic Pigment Printing). CPP printed tiles can be used outdoors, in direct sunlight and even as floor or swimming pool tile. They are scratch resistant and graffiti removal chemicals resistant. 

Our sublimation printed tiles have a more advanced color spectrum, but we recommend keeping all sublimation-printed tiles indoors and away from UV exposure. Sunlight/UV will cause fading of the printed image. Fading time depends on the amount of UV exposure and can vary from a few month to several years. 

What are the tile types and usage recommendations?

 Tile:             Decorative Use:   Indoor Wall:   Shower Wall:   Backsplash:   Counter Top:   Floor:   Outdoors:   Pool: 
 Ceramic Gloss  YES  NO  NO  NO  NO  NO  NO  NO
 Ceramic Satin  YES  YES  YES  YES  NO  NO  NO  NO
 Ceramic Matte  YES  YES  YES  YES  NO  NO  NO  NO
 Glass Smooth  YES  NO  NO  NO  NO
 NO  NO
 NO
 Glass Textured  YES  YES  YES  YES  YES
 YES  NO
 NO
 Tumbled Stone   YES  YES  YES  YES  NO  NO  NO
 NO
 Porcelain CPP Semi-Gloss   YES  YES  YES  YES  YES  YES  YES  YES

 

 

 

 

 

 



How long will it take to print my tiles?
Current production time for sublimation printed indoor tiles is: 5-10 business days 
Current production time for CPP UV resistant tiles is: 18-22 business days

Is the printed image going to peel off?
No, TilePrinting.com does not stick your image onto the tile. We use 2 different printing processes, one called sublimation printing and the other CPP. In the sublimation process, the tiles are coated with a polymer layer and dyes penetrate into the polymer during the printing process. In the CPP process, very high temperature kiln-firing is employed in which ceramic pigments are fused into the tile. 

How accurate are the tile sizes?
This varies as we purchase our pre-coated tiles from different distributors and they also switch tile suppliers from time to time. Please remember, even if tiles come from the same production batch, they may differ slightly in size from tile to tile. Please contact us if you need measurements from our current stock.

Are the tiles scratch resistant?
CPP tiles (UV Resistant Porcelain Semi-Gloss): 100% scratch resistant, 100% UV resistant, and can even be used as floor tile or in swimming pools.

Sublimation tiles: With enough force you will be able to scratch the surface. Ceramic Gloss tiles are subject to swirl marks in the top gloss layer (not the image) and should only be ordered for decorative use. Ceramic Matte and Satin tiles have a higher impact or abrasion resistance compared to the gloss finish. Matte and Satin tiles are durable enough to be used for shower walls or as a kitchen backsplash. Glass tiles are printed on the back and therefore the print can not scratch off if the top is subject to impact or abrasion. Don't use our sublimation printed tiles as floor tile (except textured glass), tiles for swimming pools or any other application that is subject to impact, abrasion, contact with chemicals or direct sunlight.

What finishes are available?
We offer a gloss, satin and matte tile finish on our sublimation printed tiles and a semi-gloss finish on our UV resistant CPP tiles. Ceramic gloss tiles are subject to swirl marks in the top gloss layer (not the image) if not cleaned or handled properly. The matte and satin finish is more durable. Matte tiles have a slightly rough surface texture. All tiles will show some grade of very small bumps and pits in the top coating. Glass tiles are hand cut and can show very small marks/roughness on the edges and on the top surface. This is normal as the tiles are delivered this way from our suppliers. Please understand that we cannot hand pick each tile.

What will the printing quality look like?
Tile printing cannot be compared to photo prints, fine art prints, digital printing on paper, canvas printing or even offset printing. The general print quality will depend on the image you submit to us, but also on the tile finish and type. The printed image on a gloss tile has an almost photo like look with strong colors and great contrast. On satin or matte tiles the image has a softer look and a little less contrast, but a overall darker appearance. Fine details and thin lines blur out a bit in the satin or matte finish. Tumbled stone tiles give you the old world look. Each tumbled stone tile will look different in regards to surface texture, print contrast or color. Glass Tiles are printed from the back on a white coating. The image will show a little lighter, but the shiny glass surface will compensate for it. Very fine details and thin lines might get lost.

Please note that we can not produce 100% exact color matches. There can be variations in color or contrast from tile to tile and order to order. This is because of the printing process itself. Variations are always possible because of the printing technique and the current status of the technology. Pigment age, temperature, humidity and most likely the special coated tile can vary from tile to tile and production batch to production batch.

How can I clean the tiles?
We recommend to clean our sublimation printed tiles with a diluted non-abrasive cleaner and soft cloth. Do not use aggressive cleaners like commercial tile cleaners, commercial fungicides, chlorine, bleach, abrasive cleansers, detergent, ammonia or petroleum etc.. Our CPP tiles can be cleaned just like any regular tile.

Can you print larger Tile Mural sizes than available online?
We can print any tile mural size that you need. However, the mural tile size in our online shop is limited to 9 x 9 tiles because the associated image file size for larger murals will exceed the upload capacity of the website. Please contact us by phone or email and we will be happy to assist you with your large mural project. 

Can I grout the tiles?
You can grout matte ceramic, tumbled stone and glass tiles. IMPORTANT - Always use unsanded grout. Never use reuglar sanded grout because it will scratch the print. Never use grout on glossy tiles. Gloss tiles are a decorative tile and should never be used in applications that require grouting. If you want to install a decorative glossy tile mural, use a tube of caulking and be very careful. We recommend grouting custom printed matte ceramic or tumbled stone tiles by masking the tile and using an unsanded grout. On glass tiles, use an epoxy grout specially designed for use with glass. If the tile is exposed to water, use waterproof grout, or seal the grout so that water does not get under the tiles.

Someone might think that photo tile murals need to be butt jointed, meaning that the tiles are touching one another. They think the grout line will disrupt the image. This is one of the misconception about custom tile murals. Tiles need to have a grout line. It is a big no-no in the tile industry to butt joint any tile. If there is any type of expansion or contraction in the setting materials or the substrate you are affixing the tile to, they will crack. Also, the grout lines give the murals the mosaic look that makes these custom murals so unique. If you want to hide the grout lines you might as well print a poster instead. Grout serves an important purpose for tile. It acts a moisture barrier. When water or other liquids get behind a tile it causes all kinds of problems like mold.

Tiles will always have a small variation in size from tile to tile. This is due to the fact that they are made from natural clay and silicas and then fired at high temperatures. During the manufacturing process, the tiles shrink to their finished size. Before being packed, tiles are sorted for color (tonality) and size (calibration) based on accepted industry standards. The grout line will help to compensate the size differences by giving you extra space to adjust the tiles.

I ordered a tile mural and damaged one tile. Can I just reorder that specific tile?
Yes, all tiles are marked and we keep all of your ordered images on file. The tiles are maked with a letter and number that correspond to a grid printout that accompanies your mural orderm. Starting from the left top corner (1A, 1B, 1C... etc.) followed by the next lower row from the left  (2A, 2B, 2C... etc.). Just give us the tile code if you need to reorder a tile.

What about returns?
Here at TilePinting.com we keep a high quality standard. As most of our products are custom made for you, they are not returnable. In the rare occasion that an item got damaged during the shipping process, TilePinting.com is happy to replace those damaged items as long they are reported within 24hr by mail or phone.

What are the required image file specification?
The perfect resolution is 300ppi and the minimum resolution is 120ppi. Your image can be uploaded as a jpg or png file in RGB color only. We understand that sometimes a low resolution image is all that is available. However, our website will still allow you to order a tile with a lower image resolution than 120ppi.

Tile Size:            Minimum Pixel Dimensions:     Best Pixel Dimensions:
4.25” x 4.25”  510 x 510  1275 x 1275
6" x 6"   720 x 720  1800 x 1800
8" x 6"  960 x 720  2400 x 1800
8" x 8"  960 x 960  2400 x 2400
10" x 8"  1200 x 960  3000 x 2400
12" x 12"  1400 x 1400  3600 x 3600

 

 

 





It also depends what type of tile you selected as a high gloss ceramic tile will have a different appearance compared to a rough tumbled stone tile finish. Our system will let you know if your image quality is still acceptable. The orange warning will indicate that your image has not the best resolution, but the printing result will still be fine and the red warning will indicate that your image quality it to low for an acceptable result. Please note that you will still be able to purchase a red warning image if you wish. In addition, we recommend keeping all important parts of the image/design at least 1/8 inches away from the edge, an area known as the “safe zone”, so that they do not get cut off or disappear in the tile bevel during the printing process.

I like to order custom printed tile coasters. Do you offer cork backings?
Yes, after your tile design has been placed in our shopping cart, additional accessories like cork backings will be offered if they are available for the selected tile size.

Can you help me design my tile?
Yes, We also offer graphic services for more complex project. From simple graphic adjustment service to complete project design service. Just contact us and we will be happy to assist you. We charge $80.00 per hour for our graphic service with a one hour minimum per project.