With few exceptions, only a sample will tell you if the color you are looking for will work in your project.
We are happy to send samples. Please ask, either through the Contact Us page or by email.
Each sample is glazed and fired to order. This process takes a few days, sometimes longer, depending on the shop schedule.
Samples can be of the glazes on the website, or solid colors you do not see on the website. When you need uniform single color glazes, like for a custom hex tile pattern, we only need a description of the colors or a color sample to aim for. We have hundreds of colors not pictured in the website. If you have questions, please call or email.
Glazes are brushed onto all samples, with few exceptions. This can result in a somewhat uneven surface. These samples should be used for color selection only. Most tiles, once ordered for your project, are glazed with a spray application, which results in more uniform glaze coverage.
Other than small hex samples, samples are on handmade sample tiles, about 2" to 4" in length and width, square or irregular, about 3/16" thick. These sample tiles are of the same ceramic material used for most of our handmade tile, and the same thickness as a typical field tile, but are not as square, flat, or imperfection-free as a production tile. Please use the samples to assess color and the character of the tile body, not for edge quality, flatness, or other imperfections.
If you need hex or other mosaic tiles, we may choose to send you colors on a sample tile instead for better color viewing.
Special requests? Need a sample on a machine made base tile? Or anything else… just ask, and usually we can assist.
Ordering samples:
1. Samples are $1 each, plus shipping. These are created on small randomly sized sample tiles, not finished size tiles.
2. Small hex (1" and 2") tile samples are $5 tiles of a single color plus shipping cost for 3 to 5 individual tiles. These samples are typically supplied after a color is selected and the final look needs to be approved.
3. You may wish us to select some glazes for you, since we can see the colors best at our end and we always have glazes not posted in the website. We suggest that you specify a "Not To Exceed" amount for the samples and shipping, and we will select the glazes that seem to best match your requirements. (For instance, you may want "satin or matte finish, lemon yellow," with a NTE of $15.) A NTE of $20, for instance, will cover up to about 12 samples of (non-hex) tiles. We will charge less if we have fewer samples to send.
4. An invoice for sample requests requiring payment will be emailed to you, allowing online payment via credit card. PayPal and paper check are also fine.
5. Sample shipment will occur before payment is required. Payment is due when the invoice is sent, with a grace period of no more than 30 days.
