In most cases stock is readily available for imminent delivery. However, if your chosen product is not currently available, we will note approximate lead-times on your quotation. Please feel free to contact us to discuss alternative sizes or products that may be delivered sooner. Orders can be confirmed with full payment by card, bank transfer, cash or cheque. Cleared funds are required prior to despatch.

Stocked products can usually be delivered from 2-4 working days, although lead times can vary due to delivery slot availability at the time, or any convenient day thereafter. We are happy to store your order for a maximum of 4 weeks.

We always recommend that you view as much of your product of choice as possible prior to purchasing. If you have not been able to visit our inspirational showroom then we would be happy to send swatch samples or images to you. However, please note that samples and images are intended as a guide only and unfortunately cannot show all possible tonal and texture variations.

We recommend that you include an additional 10% to allow for cutting, minor imperfections, breakage and natural variation. Unfortunately we cannot accept the return of excess material including any ancillary products.

Standard deliveries are made between 9.00am and 5.30pm. Please be advised that unfortunately we will not be able to provide an ETA on standard deliveries, even on the morning of your delivery. Should you require a more accurate timescale, then morning (9.00am – 1.00pm) and afternoon (12.00pm – 5.30pm) or timed deliveries may be possible for a small extra charge. Please advise us if a timed delivery is required at the point of order placement so arrangements can be made if available.

The general condition of your order should be inspected and any obvious damage itemised on the delivery note. Please ensure that the outer packaging is carefully opened so that inspection of the material can be made. Please do not sign as “unchecked” as this may invalidate any future claims. Please notify us of any issues as soon as possible and within your relevant timescale, (see Terms and Conditions). With the majority of orders, we will supply additional materials over and above quantities purchased – details of this are stated on your paperwork. Minor edge chipping and slight imperfections are normal and often tiles that are slightly damaged can be used in cuts. We advise that you order a 10% allowance above and beyond your actual requirements to allow for potential cuts and wastage.

Deliveries are generally made (kerbside to the nearest accessible point) using a large heavy goods vehicle with a mechanical tail-lift and pallet truck. Please advise us in advance of any access issues such as steep gradients, gravel driveways, overhanging trees etc. In this instance, we would endeavour to use one of our own vehicles for your delivery that has been specially adapted to overcome these types of access restrictions. As these are often in high demand, there may be a slightly longer lead-time for delivery on our own specialised vehicles.

Somebody must be available to accept, sign for and safely store the goods as required. Unfortunately, the driver is not able to unpack products and move them from the place of delivery. Orders will be shrink wrapped for protection, but please try to move the materials undercover as soon as possible and ensure all ancillary products are stored to avoid damage by frost or rain.

It is important that you provide us with the correct contact number should we need to call you prior to delivery. If a delivery fails because of incomplete or incorrect information being supplied, or if we are unable to contact you, then additional charges may be incurred. Neither party wishes this to be the case, so your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

The pre-order quotation that you receive will have a reference number associated with it. You can contact our Monmouth Head Office or any of our branches quoting this reference to make payment by credit card. Alternatively you can make a direct bank transfer quoting your reference.

Yes, your quotation can be amended at any time before payment is taken. Orders that are paid for can be amended or cancelled before the goods are into us. Once booked in for delivery and in the warehouse system, amendments or cancellations may incur costs dependant on what stage the order is at.

All collections must be made from our Head Office & Warehouses located at 18 The Pines
Broad Street, Guildford, Surrey, GU3 3BH
Collection must be arranged at least 1 day in advance. All collection will be arranged by 3pm Monday to Thursday, apart from bank holidays.

Orders via the website cannot be collected from any other location.

If you are running late then please contact us on 01483 941 249 to discuss available options, we will always try to be as accommodating as possible.

Collection slots are either AM (9.30am-12.00pm) or PM (12.30pm-3.00pm) Monday till Thursday excluding bank holidays and the latest available collection time is 3.00pm.

Arrival outside of the booked time slot may result in your collection having to be re-scheduled.

The general condition of your order should be inspected on collection. In the unlikely event of any visible damage, please notify the member of staff helping you.

With many orders we supply additional materials over and above quantities purchased – details of this are detailed on your paperwork. Minor edge chipping and slight imperfections are normal and often tiles which are slightly damaged can be used in cuts.

We advise ordering 10% allowance above and beyond your actual requirements to allow for potential cuts and wastage.

Once goods leave our premises, you or your chosen haulier will be responsible for their safe arrival to site and Instyle Tiles cannot be held responsible for any damages during transit.

The goods should be stored in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight and not subjected to extremes of temperature (store above 5°C & below 35°C).

Unboxed tiles should always be stacked and stored vertically (on edge) but not on a hard surface as this can cause edge chipping. Any present protective film or spacers should be kept between the faces of the tiles. This will help to avoid scratching when moving goods. Stone tiles are often packed wet and do not dry out until they are unpacked, therefore some of your stone may appear darker in shade until thoroughly dry.

Porcelain tiles are usually boxed and the boxes are best not removed until ready to move to the place of installation.

Please note that unfortunately we are not able to offer collection of packaging materials.

Nothing can beat the beauty of natural stone. Formed over thousands, or even millions, of years underground, each piece is completely unique with its own individual shading and patterns. With a little care taken during installation and maintenance, natural stone is incredibly hard wearing and will retain its beauty for many years. It is a real investment in your home. Porcelain and ceramic stone effect tiles are widely available and with advances in inkjet printing technology they are now more realistic than ever before. They are also generally cheaper than natural stone tiles and are easy to install and maintain as they are thinner and don’t require sealing. However they can never truly replicate the individual shading, pattern and texture variations of natural stone, so the decision really depends on whether you prefer the natural, unique look and longevity of the real thing or the more uniform look and convenience of the reproductions.

Some ceramic tiles are only suitable for use on walls as they are not strong enough to withstand floor use. Tiles that are suitable for use on the floor can also be used on walls to give a fully co-ordinated look. Some ranges feature a ceramic wall tile with co-ordinating porcelain floor tile. Aesthetically, the decision on whether to use the same tiles all over depends on your personal taste. Using matching tiles throughout a room can make the space appear bigger, especially if you use gloss tiles which will bounce light around the room. Matching wall and floor tiles also help to give a tranquil, spa-like feel. Using different tiles throughout the room can look more contemporary and add interest. For example you could combine concrete effect, wood effect and ceramic tiles to give an on-trend industrial look. Using different shades of the same tile is a subtle way to add contrast, and you may choose to use different tiles to zone specific areas of a room – for example using mosaics inside a shower cubicle or to create a feature wall behind a bath.

Yes, porcelain and natural stone tile manufacturers recommend the use of a polymer modified mortar for
installation of large format tile to concrete, plywood and synthetic membrane surfaces. TCNA recommends
the use of mortars meeting ANSI A118.4, A118.15 (improved performance cement mortar) and A118.11 (for
plywood surfaces) for these installations. The latest developments by Custom Building Products in mortar
technology utilize specialized, spray dried polymers in their polymer-modified medium-bed mortars. These
mortars require only the addition of water at the jobsite.

Any tile or stone with at least one edge greater than 15".

TCNA, with the support of the tile installers, has developed specific recommendations for the installation of
large format ceramic and natural stone tile.
• Medium-bed mortars should be used to install tiles with one edge greater than 15", when the final
embedded thickness of the mortar will exceed 3/16".
• Crack isolation or uncoupling membranes can improve the performance of the tile installation in
above-ground installations.
• The actual grout joint width shall be three times the variation in the facial dimension of the tile and never
less than 1/16".
• Running bond patterns will have a maximum offset of 33% for tiles with one edge greater than 18".
It is advisable to review the current TCNA guidelines in the handbook before beginning an installation
project involving large format tile; there are changes to the guidelines regularly as new tiles are introduced
or better methods are observed and passed along.

The most important consideration when setting large format tile is that substrate flatness is paramount to
the success of the installation. The ANSI (American National Standards Institute) specification for the
Installing Large Format Tile
Frequently Asked Questions
custombuildingproducts.com
800-272-8786
LFTFAQ2 6/13N
installation of large format ceramic tile recommends that the substrate have no more than a 1/8" in 10'
variance; with no more than 1/16" variation in 24". The preparation of a substrate is important in any
installation, but with large format tile a flat surface is crucial. The depressions found in all concrete slabs or
wood sub-floors are a landscape of mountains and valleys when setting large format tiles.
A substrate that exceeds the ANSI standards must be corrected with an appropriate patching or
self-leveling underlayment such as Custom’s LevelLite® Self-Leveling Underlayment or must be ground to
the correct tolerance. A flat substrate ensures a high quality, fast installation.
Also note that floor deflection is also an important consideration — check your floor span and tile weight to
local building codes. Control joints must be incorporated into these large expanses of ceramic and natural
stone tile. Expansion joints should not be covered but should be continued through to the finished surface,
and cracked or suspended substrates should be covered with an appropriate crack isolation membrane,
such as Custom’s Crack Buster® Pro.

A: TCNA recommends the use of mortars meeting ANSI A118.4, A118.15 (improved performance cement
mortar) and A118.11 (for plywood surfaces) for these installations.
CUSTOM offers a complete line of thin-set mortars that can be used in medium-bed applications to meet
the needs of the large format tile in every situation. The installer can choose the right mortar for the
project, whether the project demands the highest performance or needs to be done quickly.
PROLITE® LARGE FORMAT TILE & STONE MORTAR offers high flexibility and bond strength in a lightweight
formula with excellent handling characteristics for a wide variety of floor and wall tile installations. Excellent
for setting large format tile or stone, ProLite will not sag or slip on walls and offers non-slump performance
for floor installations and is suited for thin-set or medium-bed application up to 3/4" thick on floors. ProLite
exceeds the requirements of ANSI A118.4, A118.15 and A118.11. ProLite is also available in a rapid setting
version for time critical applications – grout in three hours.
COMPLETE CONTACT-LFT RAPID SETTING MORTAR is a new, premium mortar that offers full mortar transfer
to the back of large format tile with minimal installer’s effort, eliminating the need for back-buttering or
extensive beating-in techniques saving time and labor for most installations. It is more fluid than traditional
thin-set mortars yet holds its ridges and supports the deeper notch trowel sizes for large format tiles.
Formulated with Controlled Cure Technology™, it cures rapidly and develops high early strength for quicker
installations, grouting can occur in as little as three hours, allowing the surface to be open for heavy
commercial traffic 24 hours after grouting. Complete Contact-LFT RS exceeds the requirements of ANSI
A118.4, A118.15 and A118.11 without an additive.
LARGE FORMAT TILE-LFT MORTAR is a new, non-slip, non-sag and non-slump polymer modified mediumbed mortar specifically designed for large-format tile and stone for interior and exterior floor, wall and
countertop installations. CUSTOM’s LARGE FORMAT TILE-LFT Mortar has excellent handling features and
exceeds the requirements of ANSI A118.4 and A118.11.

Custom’s mortars have been designed for slip resistance. Both ProLite Large Format Tile & Stone Mortar
and Large Format Tile-LFT Mortar are formulated with non-sag and non-slip characteristics to prevent tiles
from slipping on vertical applications.

Custom’s mortars have been designed for slip resistance. Both ProLite Large Format Tile & Stone Mortar
and Large Format Tile-LFT Mortar are formulated with non-sag and non-slip characteristics to prevent tiles
from slipping on vertical applications.

NTCA and TCNA highly recommend the use of crack isolation membranes when installing large format tile
on suspended floors; particularly in high traffic areas.