Pool Tile Selection Site

Sollace

Gold Supporter
Aug 16, 2020
539
Bryan TX
I've been all over this site looking for tile ideas, viewing old threads, looking at tile catalogs, you name it. In my odd meandering I stumbled across this site that seems to have most tile selections. Not only does it have the page from the tile company catalog under each tile series, but also enlarged pictures of each tile, well labeled, nice and clear. Some have a . . . As I call it. . . Saran wrapped look which shows what it can look like in water. Some tile selections are shown in water.

With Covid restrictions and the difficulty of gaining a tile sample. . . I mean I went through it. The pool store won't allow you in without the okay of your pool builder. You have to make an appointment with his approval. You have to check out the tile and bring it back the next day. You wouldn't believe what hoops you have to jump through. I understand, but it isn't a fun process.

And I've realized pool tile all have the same patterns or looks from company to company. There's not a big difference. What I never discovered is if one tile company has a better reputation and quality product over another.

So this site is the best I found when searching for pool tile. It's very helpful. Maybe someone can sticky it if there's enough interest. (Half the threads on this forum seem to be about plaster and tile) And if you need help figuring out this site. .. If you have a series name like 'Gemstone' you click on the colored tab for 'Pool tiles A-Z.' Enjoy

 
I also found that site useful. Their photographs of tile were so much better than the manufacturer’s photos. If you look up North Seas Irish thru Aquabella, their picture is ugly. But I ran across it on the Little Tile site and it looked completely different and I really liked it. I tried to get a sample from an online store locally so I wouldn’t need to pay shipping but they had to order it from Aquabella. I got that and Icelandic and they are gorgeous! We are leaning towards Icelandic but it’s a tough decision between the two. I have to thank @kimkats for giving me an idea about grout. Somewhere she mentioned getting a white piece of paper to mimic white grout. I plan on using white so I cut strips and folded them in between the tiles. Such a change and such a help! I’m grateful that site took their own pictures because even the ones in the Mastertile catalog were completely worthless. I couldn’t believe they thought those pictures would be helpful to anyone. Now, if we can just get our plans from engineering so we can get this party started 😎. Oh, I do think we need a tile thread like there is a watercolor thread.
 
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If you look at the stock photos of Iceland it looks beige but it is all white. They ordered me that one by mistake. I think they need to do a better job of getting colors accurate.
The company that got me the tiles was Mosaic Tile USA. They are in Phoenix. She said they don’t do in person but she would order the samples for me. They were free. She placed the order with someone in California but don’t know who from. I placed the order Wednesday then realized on Thur night that the wrong one was ordered so I emailed her that night. She got back to me Friday and said she sent the correction. Saturday we got all 3 tiles. Great service!
 
I asked our pool builder / designer if I can get samples from Master Tile directly and he said, "No. They won't do that."
We went to Master Tile on 290 and were able to go through the showroom and they not only gave us samples, but we wanted to buy extras and they gave them to us for free. They did have a limit on how many people they were allowing in at a time, and you have to wear a mask.
 

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These first 2 I paid a small price and they sent me samples. The ones from Mineral Tiles were significantly smaller samples but they were also cheaper. They were enough to tell what they looked like.


This is the one I called to hopefully go see a showroom since they are local. They don't have a showroom but she did order me a couple of samples and they were free.

This one says it has free samples but they shipping was outrageous. It was $27 to ship 3 samples. I passed. That's when I found the one above.
 
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WONDERFUL input! I think we can really do a thread for this kind of info!

Anyone else that is reading this and has already picked out their tile or are in the process please share who has been helpful and how so! THANKS!
 
Our pool builder worked with National Pool Tile, Aquabella, Master Tile, and Keystone. With four companies to choose from, they had limited selection in their store. Obviously they couldn't represent each and every series of tile. When I decided on Master Tile, I was told the supplier restocked samples in the store every 90 days. Many series are going out of stock, discontinued. I assume production is limited during this Covid virus. Glass tile, which is more expensive, wasn't as well represented in the store. I'd say 1/8th of their tile sample stock were for glass tile.
 
A new one is probably the better idea so people don’t have to go thru a bunch of posts like these 😉. It will just start with some info and then pictures of tile, kind of like the plaster thread.
 
What you don't know about the plaster thread is I did and do some editing. If you notice there is very little "chatting" on it. That is due to my edits to keep it "clean". I do plan on doing the same thing with the title thread.........oh and will have to make sure to talk/ask about the color of mortar on glass tiles and grout color for all tiles as well!
 

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