Thanks to a surplus of stock, DIYers are seeing some unexpected bargains popping up, and it seems many of our local tile showrooms are slashing the prices of their top lines just to get them out the door.
There are a number of places offering DIY tiling courses such as TAFE, hardware stores, even tiling outlets, like Top Tiles..and according to owner Chris Carpenter, now is the perfect time to learn. "There's certainly some bargains to be had for the next couple of months... we import all our tiles in direct and because of that, we cut out the middle man and it's cheaper in this warehouse," Chris said.
His company alone has $600,000 worth of stock that needs to be moved. The hot tip from the tiling industry is that even if you can't afford to renovate right now, it might be wise to start stock piling tiles for when you can.
Independent tiler Peter Hughes encourages people to buy tiles, store them in their garage and wait till they can afford it to lay the tiles and renovate their home. He also stresses that price doesn't necessarily reflect quality-You can get burnt in any price range, so it's buyer beware!
When hunting for a tile bargain, our experts have told us what to look for:
Are the tiles all the same thickness? Slate and natural stones can vary
Are the tiles the same width? Some can vary by several millimetres
Does the glaze have imperfections such as pinholes?
Be sure also to check the codes on the boxes all match, or you could end up with different colours and sizes
Once you've decided on a tile, ask if you can take a sample home. Peter says they're sure to look different at your place.
For Outdoor areas:
- Avoid dark tiles which hold too much heat
- Make sure there's a non slip grittiness in the glaze.
For Inside, the choice for the floor is either gloss or a matte finish. Peter says a gloss finish will scuff easier, especially with children and pets, and to also never use wall tiles on the floor
