Rectified Porcelain

[motormitch]

I have been researching porcelain or ceramic flooring for my new shop and I ran across this deal. The one is the center ad is less than a buck a sq.ft. and I like the cream color.

http://www.flooranddecoroutlets.com/porcelain-rectified.html?gclid=CJiR28j-y7MCFSOnPAodi2YA6Q

My questions are 1) has anyone had experience with this company or product?
2) can you actually eliminate a grout line completely because of the precision of rectified cuts? If so, what are the downsides of no grout line?

Mitch

 

[slickgt1]

I have never put down rectified tile, it was always out of my budget. I don't even understand how that tile is so cheap. I would use grout no matter what. You don't want oil and **** seeping in between the tiles and hanging out there, for ever.

 

[bdamico]

Mine are about as close as they can get and I still had a small line for grout

 

[motormitch]

Slickgt1 expressed surprise at the price of the tile. Do you guys think this is something I should be concerned about? I honestly wouldn't know how to tell if I was getting "good" rectified tile. At a $1 a sq.ft. I have to pay attention, but I certainly don;t want to spend 3K on tile and have a mess on my hands.

 

[darkk]

I just did a quick google for reviews on the company at here's what I got, link below, check it out. I have done under $1 a square foot for rectified porcelin tile from Home Depot that was pretty good. You just need to use a specialized motor mix and grout for it. If you **** the tile in a larger installed area, it will move around slightly with heat/cold cycles and the edges will chip against each, also you will get lots of unwanted stuff in there that you won't be able to clean out. I know someone that did it and removed it later...
http://www.ripoffreport.com/directory/Floor-and-Decor.aspx

 

[motormitch]

It clearly sounds like I should plan on a thin grout line to be safe. Thanks for the rip off report link. It's funny that one of the complaints was here in Austin. I'm going to call the store today to see if the $1 sq.ft. rectified price is on the up and up.

 

[Dakota00]

Slickgt1 expressed surprise at the price of the tile. Do you guys think this is something I should be concerned about? I honestly wouldn't know how to tell if I was getting "good" rectified tile. At a $1 a sq.ft. I have to pay attention, but I certainly don;t want to spend 3K on tile and have a mess on my hands.

I'll add my 2 cents...

If you go in person to see these $1sq.ft tiles. Check for any bows on the edge of the tiles, a good rectified tile will be flat. Lift up the tile and eye ball the edge and see how flat they are, if any?? If it's bowed, then it's cheap ****!! As for grout lines, it's a must to have. Grout protects and reinforces the edge of the tiles from damage and keeps the **** out. ie: like dirt, liquids and etc...

 

[dmeadow]

Shipping to Austin is going to be killer. You can usually find a local place that has as good if not better deals. Many advertise them on Craigslist.

 

[slickgt1]

Skip the rectified tile, and plan for a grout line. Don't worry too much about having grout. You will be fine. More so if you go with epoxy grout.

 

[JakeKohl]

I have eyeballed some of their 12x18 rectified tiles from that company and had them send me a sample (the samples don't cost much). It took them a while to get the sample out (couple of weeks) but I got it. It was a cut piece from a full tile - so I can't speak to how true the rectified edge is. I'm about a 1.5 hour drive from them and freight was going to be around $325. I also shopped locally but couldn't find anything near their prices.

I've been looking/evaluating tile for a while and have found some differences between the surface on this type of tile vs. an "outdoor" style tile. The outdoor tiles have more grip/grit on the surface and will serve better in a wetish environment. However, at least in my case, I don't think I'll have any massive water issues in my garage since it's a project garage and not a daily parking area.

With regards to rectified tile and grout, even with rectified tile, you need a grout line. The tiles will be cut straight but they will never be perfect. However, you can have a very narrow grout line (beneficial for rolling things over it with as much "thump, thump, thump"). Unrectified tile also usually tapers down on the edges creating even more of a deviation from the level surface.

I've postponed my garage floor finish part of my project but hope to get it going again early next year. I do plan on a 12x18" rectified tile run with a 1/8" grout line in a dark grout color (resist uneven staining discoloration).

 

[motormitch]

Thanks for the thoughtful and detailed reply. There is a local store up the road from my office and I plan to stop this afternoon and see if they have in on hand.