Here are some frequently asked questions and answers What are the PEI ratings? A rating of "1" is for walls/counter tops, "2" for walls/light foot traffic, "3" for residential foot and light commercial traffic, "4" residential and commercial usage and "5" heavy commercial and anything above is heavy commercial. Can I put 12" X 12" or larger tiles on the wall? Yes, you can use floor tile on the wall, but you can't use wall tile on the floor. In fact the current trend is to put the larger tile anywhere due to easier cleaning and a more spacious appearance. What tile can I use outdoors? Porcelain, Quarry Tile (Pavers), Natural Stone and Frost Resistant Ceramics may be used in areas that get down to freezing. Do I need to apply a sealer to my ceramic or porcelain tile or grout? Glazed Ceramic Tile is already sealed on the top by the glazed surface. A Porcelain Tile is so dense that the entire surface is sealed during manufacturing. Only Natural Stone (Marble, Travertine, Granite, Etc...), Saltillo and porous tiles need to be sealed to prevent stains. The grout that we sell already has all the polymers and additives in it that would normally prevent mold and staining, and so unless it is in a commercial kitchen it does not need sealing. I know my room's size/square footage, how much extra tile do I need to buy? For a straight lay, allow about 5-10% extra for cuts and waste. For a diagonal lay, allow about 10-15% extra. Tile is sold by the box and so the best thing to do is to speak with our staff who will advise you how much you might need. Remember, it is better to have too much tile than risk running short, as generally styles of tile are discontinued every few years. Plus it is always a good idea to keep some extra pieces in case of future damage, although you maybe able to order more of a tile it would not be of the same dye lot and hence it would not be the exact same color. I have a tile I bought a few years ago; can Factory Tile Outlet match it? If the tile was bought a few years ago, the Dye Lot has probably sold out. Even with the hundreds of tiles we carry, it is next to impossible to find a similar tile with the same shade, size, texture and thickness. If we carry that brand of tile, the style's Dye Lot would be different and the appearance might be too far off to blend. I like this tile, but I am not ready to buy for a few months. Will you always have this in stock? No, there is a limited quantity of any tile and we try to vary the styles that we order. Even if we could reorder the tile for you each time a style is made the Dye Lot will be different; resulting in a possible change of color, texture, size or pattern. The key is to buy it when you see it! Factory Tile Outlet will store your tile at no charge, for up to 12 months, once it has been purchased. What size tile should I use? Tile Outlet imports its tile primarily from Europe where manufacturers use the metric system. Therefore the smallest size in some brands may be 12 1/2", 13", 13 1/4" or 16". Factory Tile Outlet does have tiles that are 12" in size, but many more to choose from just a little larger. A larger tile will also make your room bigger as there are fewer grout lines and therefore your surface will look more sinuous.