Are you planning to decorate your home with tiles? Maybe you want to renovate your kitchen or your bathroom?

Are you planning to build a school?a hotel?a hospital?Ceramic tiles are a great choice of building material for your next project, but it can be hard to know what to look for when you want good quality and design. China is a great choice to get your tiles! Their ceramic industry supplies nearly half the world’s entire ceramic tile demands. Still, with more than a thousand different ceramics companies producing tiles in China, which ceramic suppliers are best to purchase your tiles?

No need to worry, this guide will take you through the important points of purchasing tiles from China- what standards to check, where you can get them, and how to get your tiles shipped from China to your country.

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1.Where are the Main Regions that Produce Ceramic Tiles in China?

There are more than a thousand ceramics tile suppliers in China, however, there are three main regions that are the base of China’s top-producing enterprises for ceramics tiles. These regions offer different advantages when it comes to their tiles, depending on their design specialty, types of tiles, and range of product grades which can fit different budgets.

1.1 Guangdong Province     

1.2 Fujian Province  

1.3 Shandong Province  

1.4 Jiangxi Province

Before we introduced these three tile production bases on the other article.Below is the link.

Related article:How to Import Tile from China: A Complete Guide

2.Top 10 Best Ceramic Tile Manufacturers in China

Wondering what tile brand or who produces the best ceramic tiles in China? Here’s a list that can help you decide:

2.1 Marcopolo Ceramic Tile Manufacturer

Company Background

The Wonderful Group  established in 1988 in a city famous for its international manufacturing industry- Dongguan City. It’s leading brand, “Marco Polo”, was created in 1996 and is recognized as one of the earliest building ceramic tile manufacturers in China. This manufacturer is also popular for its other brands- “L&D” and “Wonderful”. The Marco Polo Group is known in the industry for making “cultural ceramics” and has garnered a reputation for making high-quality antique tiles and its “complete” range of building ceramics.

Factory Information

Three manufacturing industrial gardens are affiliated with the Marco Polo Group and the company also manages four subsidiaries. Marcopolo is recognized as a hi-tech enterprise in Guangdong province.

Key Products

The Marco Polo Group,as one of the China best ceramic tile manufacturers, specializes in producing building ceramics products, both indoor and outdoor wall and floor tiles as well as product fittings. These include:

• Glazed porcelain tiles
• Polished tiles
• M Stone
• Non Rectified tile
• Ceramic wall tiles
• Mosaics

Recommend Reason

The Marco Polo Group can provide tiles that can suit a very wide and comprehensive range of your specifications and needs having over a thousand types and patterns of ceramic floor and wall tiles that are well designed and high quality. This assures that the company will be able to supply a wide array of your projects.

2.2 Dongpeng Ceramic Tiles Suppliers

Company Background

In 1972, the Guangdong Dongpeng Holding Co., Ltd. (Dongpeng Group) was founded to provide a one-stop supplier for general home design furnishings. The company aims to give consumers home solutions that are personalized, artistic, eco-friendly, and high-tech. It has 672 national patents and has been involved in the drafting of standards for bathroom products and ceramic tiles. In China, Dongpeng has become a household brand that is known for its quality ceramic tiles. You can find Dongpeng products are also sold overseas in different countries that look for high-quality products like the US, Australia, and Canada.

Factory Information

The Dongpeng Group，one of the top 10 ceramic tile suppliers in China, has 14 bases that produce home furnishings. At the end of 2014, the company reached a production capacity of 50 million square meters. Its use of advanced equipment as well as the ISO9001:2000 quality management system, its products’ quality and stability is maintained.

Key Products

Aside from sanitary wares,wood floor tiles and crystal porcelain, Dongpeng produces quality ceramics tiles such as:

• Antique tiles
• Curtain wall tiles
• Glazed tiles
• Vitrified tiles

Recommend Reason

This tile manufacturer tests all its tiles according to international standards and assures the use of quality material and glaze stain. Dongpeng prides itself on being a green company, so you can be assured that its products are produced with environmental protection in mind. The company is also renowned for its very warm customer service.

Dongpeng Ceramic Tile Manufacturer

2.3 Guanzhu Porcelain Tile Manufacturer

Company Background

The New Pearl Ceramics Group was founded in 1993 in Foshan City known as the “first town of ceramics in China”. Guanzhu Ceramics is one of the company’s seven brands. Guanzhu is one of the strongest of its brands and has produced quality ceramics products for more than 20 years. To ensure high quality, the raw materials used are carefully selected and over 600 processes are used to create each tile. Guanzhu Ceramics has a goal of helping families make their dream home a paradise for loved ones, both children and the elderly.

Factory Information

Guanzhu Ceramics caters to over one million consumers and households each year. So far, this tile manufacturer has five major production bases and three major industrial parks. Over 22,000 employees work for Guanzhu Ceramics. The company has the capacity to produce more than 200 million square meters each year and operates over 60 production lines. This has made the company very competitive in the market of the ceramics industry, as well as a very strong ceramics brand.

Key Products

Guanzhu Ceramics is a modern enterprise group specializes in sanitary wares and both ceramic floor and wall tiles. When it comes to tiles, they have products that you can use for exterior or interior decoration:

• Stone slabs
• Imitation marble tiles
• Inkjet tiles
• Antique tiles
• Polished and Glazed tiles
• Exterior wall tiles
• Graphene heat tiles

Recommend Reason

Because of the company’s large-scale operations, Guanzhu Ceramics ensures a low price that can fit your budget, but you shouldn’t worry because their products are high quality and their products have a steady and stable supply for your needs. Its products have also been praised by customers that come from all walks of life, including celebrities and leaders.

2.4 Monalisa Tiles Manufacturer

Company Background

Monalisa Group Co., Ltd is a ceramics industry enterprise that was founded in 1992. One trait of this company is applying a green, energy-saving, and environmentally friendly approach in the development and production of its products. The company is a member of the National Building and Sanitary Ceramic Standard Committee (SAC/TC249) and has been involved in the editing and compiling of 28 industrial standards. The two leading brands of the Monalisa group are “MONALISA” and “QD”.These two brands are quite good porcelain tile suppliers not only for project,but for wholesale.

Factory Information

By 2017, the Monalisa Group has been granted 594 patents for their products and owns four platforms of scientific research and technology innovation for their products. The company has two major production bases, seven subsidiaries, as well as 21 production lines. With more than 1,700 employees the company produces 25 million square meters of tiles annually. It also holds the title of Three-Star Green Building materials and has also been continually recognized as an AAAA manufacturer for its quality ceramics system.

Key Products

The Monalisa Group specializes in the following products:

• Porcelain Panels
• Ceramic tiles (both floor and wall)
• Stone products
• Ceramic art paintings

 Recommend Reason

As one of the China tile manufacturer leader,Monalisa has supplied several commercial, mid-rise, and high-rise projects, assuring you that the quality of its products has been tested well-tested. Its products are elegant in design and can easily lend a high-class sense of beauty to your space.

Monalisa Tile Manufacturer

2.5 Nabel Floor Tile Supplier

Company Background

Nabel Ceramics has its headquarters in Hangzhou, China and was founded in 1992. Nabel dedicates itself to using high-quality materials from across the world to produce high-end ceramic tiles. The company aims to become the “world’s best supplier for decorative articles.” In the ceramics industry, Nabel is one of the leaders of technological innovation and their development strategy is innovation-driven.

Factory Information

Over the 29 years that the company has accumulated professional decoration experience, it has also succeeded in obtaining more than 500 patents. Yearly, the company’s 9,000 plus employees produce an estimate of 50 million square meters of ceramics products that are displayed in over 3,500 showrooms.

Key Products

Nabel,a professional ceramic tile supplier,also specializes in producing porcelain slabs along with its ceramic tile products. Focusing on the company’s tile products, you can find that they supply:

• Stone and wood design tiles
• Porcelain slabs
• Carpet tiles
• Marble design tiles

Recommend Reason

Nabel tiles have designs that are well-suited for kitchen and dining spaces. They have also been used in many different projects, ranging from residential, to hotels, retail, business, and public spaces. This assures that Nabel tiles will be able to fit a wide range of your projects and needs. Their tiles can bring a clean-cut look and a sense of elegance to your project space.

Nabel Ceramics Tile Company

2.6 NewZhongYuan Wholesale Tile Supplier

Company Background

Established in 1984 with headquarters in Nanguo Taodu- Foshan, Guandong, Xin Zhong Yuan Ceramics Group is an enterprise that combines the industry of building materials, real estate, and financial investment. Its growth has made it the largest manufacturer of tiles in China. By 2020, Xin Zhong Yuan Ceramics Group aims to launch 300 specialty shops worldwide. Since the group’s founding, the company has successfully obtained over a thousand national patents.

Factory Information

Across China, Xin Zhong Yuan has 11 major bases of large-scale production distributed across China in Heyuan, Sanshui, and Quingyuan as well as overseas in countries like Uzbekistan and the Philippines. As of 2019, the company has a brand value of more than 26 billion yuan. Over 3 million service personnel work with the Xin Zhong Yuan Ceramics Group.

Key Products

The Xin Zhong Yuan Ceramics Group produces a wide range of products such as:

• Ceramic tiles
• Polished porcelain tiles
• Rustic tiles
• Thin porcelain tiles
• Artificial stone

Recommend Reason

Xin Zhong Yuan Ceramics Group’s products have been used in several well-known landmark projects like the Burj Khalifa, Hong Kong Times Square, China National Radio, and the Porsche Tower in Miami. You are sure to find products that are environmentally friendly and artistically designed to fit your personal spaces.

NewZhongYuan Ceramic Tile Supplier

2.7 CIMIC Tiles Wholesaler

Company Background

CIMIC Tiles, with its headquarters in Shanghai, was founded in the year 1993. As a leading ceramics tiles manufacturer in China, it has also pioneered the industry in many different firsts such as with the first inkjet tiles, first fully vitrified porcelain tile, and also the first in producing different large format tiles. CIMIC Tiles’ goal is to push the boundaries of art and technology in the design and manufacturing of their products. In 2015, CIMIC won the award for “China’s Top 10 Green Ceramic Tile Brands”. If this doesn’t attest to their product quality, CIMIC won the “China’s Top 10 Ceramics Brands” award in 2016.

Factory Information

CIMIC Tiles system has been certified as “Green” by two different associations- China Association of Decoration and Building Materials and Ministry of Environmental Protection of China. The company has also successfully obtained over 80 patents. It proudly boasts of employing Italian technologies and the highest grade of materials in the manufacture of their products.

Key Products

CIMIC Tiles provides many ceramics products that you can choose from, such as:

• Marble collection
• Glazed and polished porcelain
• Art porcelain
• Ceramic floor and wall tiles
• Green materials

Recommend Reason

CIMIC Tiles Supplier offers a wide range of designs that can be homey and classic for your residential space, or modern and artistic for your more commercial projects. Its collection of products is diverse. Aside from many designs, tiles are also offered in different finishes from polished and semi-polished to matte and satin, which means that you can customize your space and make it uniquely personalized to your taste.

2.8 Oceano Tile Exporter

Company Background

The group’s name was derived from the Italian word for ocean, “Oceano”. This high-tech enterprise, Foshan Oceano Ceramics Co., Ltd. was founded in 1998, and as the name suggests, in Foshan, China. The company aims to create tiles that are both distinctive and timeless- tiles that can be used to beautify your spaces and projects forever. To achieve this goal, Oceano combines state-of-the-art production technologies with updated design research in the creation of their products.

Factory Information

Oceano has ceramics production bases, two in Foshan (known as China’s ceramics capital) that occupy an area of 1,200 acres, and one in Jingdezhen (recognized as the millennium’s porcelain capital) that covers an area of 1,800 acres. The company makes use of advanced ceramic production equipment to manufacture all of its products.

Key Products

Oceano specializes in high-end products fit for the architectural industry such as:

• Lightweight, vitrified, and matt bricks
• Glazed floor and wall tiles
• Stone design tiles
• Mosaic tiles
• Specially designed anti-bacterial tiles

Recommend Reason

Oceano ceramics,a very professional tile wholesaler, has many products with all kinds of colors, designs, and finishes that can suit your space. Their products have been proven to be most suitable for your residential type projects as they have been used in various hotels and residences overseas such as Hollywood, Bahrain, and the UAE. Their products can also be used in all kinds of other spaces like airports, universities, and department stores.

2.9 Eagle Marble Tile Manufacturer

Company Background

Guangdong Eagle Ceramics Group was founded in 1974 and specializes in manufacturing ceramics tiles. Their headquarters is located in Foshan, Guangdong, China. This company owns two popular brands- Eagle Ceramics and Huapeng Ceramics. It is one of the first to produce curved bricks and successfully print 3D designs for glazed tiles. Eagle Ceramics products are also exported to over 40 different countries including Germany, the United States, and Canada.

Factory Information

The Eagle Group has three different bases of production that annually manufacture over 30 million square meters of ceramic tiles. These bases are specialized in the research and development of various tiles- porcelain polished and glazed tiles, glazed interior tiles, microcrystalline glass-ceramic composite tiles, and many more.

Key Products

While the Guangdong Eagle Ceramics Group provides a wide range of ceramics tiles products, Eagle Ceramics is their flagship brand that provides mainly these types of products:

• Porcelain tiles
• Glazed interior wall tiles
• Non-slip floor tiles
• Glass-ceramic composite bricks
• Permeable polished tiles
• Large-grain polished tiles
• Imitation tiles (like natural marble)

Recommend Reason

Eagle Ceramics can provide you with products that are recognized both domestically and overseas for their high quality. The company can also supply your space needs with their wide range of tile sizes from 300x300mm to 1200x2400mm. Many of their products are suitable for your interior spaces and design projects.

Eagle Marble Tile Manufacturer

2.10 George Tile Retailer Supplier

Company Background

George Building Material Co., Ltd. was established in the year 2006. It provides a one-stop-shop establishment that caters to overall home furnishing from design, production and marketing, purchasing, shipment, and installation of products. George Buildings aims to provide all your construction needs- building and decoration materials, for all kinds of projects under just one roof.

Factory Information

George Buildings has its main factory located in Foshan, Guangdong Province, China. They also have a 10,000 square meter showroom in Foshan. George Buildings has 7 different manufacturing bases that ensure high-quality building materials with their use of a comprehensive control system for all their production processes.

Key Products

Because George Buildings has integrated services, they include design and engineering solutions, materials selection, customization, on-site installation, and project management. For their ceramic tiles, their products include:

• Bathroom Tiles
• Overall residential tiles
• Designer tiles
• Exterior stone tiles
• Swimming pool tiles
• Wood effect tiles
• Ceramic mosaic tiles
• Hotel tiles

Recommend Reason

A large part of George Buildings’ tile products will be great to apply to your next bathroom space. Don’t worry, George Buildings’ tiles are also suitable not only for your residential projects but your commercial projects as well. Because this company can offer you integrated services, you can count on them for not only giving you design solutions but the installation of your tiles as well.Moreover,this company does not refuse small orders.No matter how many square meters,they will serve at the best.If you need other home building materials such as kitchen cabinet,lights,windows,doors,sanitary wares,etc,they will be your best choices cause you can find all you need from this company.

George Tile Retailer Supplier

3.What are the 2022-2023 Ceramic Tile Trends?

Whether it’s for your personal bathroom or a client’s project, you may want to keep up with the tile trends when choosing your material or design. Every year, large events are held by the tile industry so you get to see the latest innovations and styles for tiles. According to Forbes, here are some of the top trends for 2022-2023:

3.1 Precious Materials

Gems and rare stones are just that- rare. And though they’re beautiful and can add an elegant sparkle to your space, like an elegant master shower, using the real deal isn’t exactly practical. Luckily, manufacturers have been able to find ways to emulate these rare materials in the design of tiles

3.2 Bas Relief Tiles

Also known as dimensional tiles, their designs can range from modern waves and ridges to emulating textured wallpaper. This kind of tile can add a unique visual point of interest to your surfaces.

3.3 Patterns and Speckles Tiles

Geometric speckles to larger print patterns are trending and can be just what you’re looking for if you’re into the look of terrazzo.

3.4 Blending Tiles

Tiles can be made of different materials and wood and concrete have been pretty popular recently. A new trend you might like to try for your next project is “blended” tiles that combine the look of two different materials- like wood and concrete or fabric, or maybe marble and terrazzo.

3.5 Greenery Ceramics

Maybe you don’t have a green thumb to add plants in your home or your project is in an urban area far from nature. Fear not! You can bring some green indoors with tiles that feature flowers, vines, leaves, and other elements of nature.No expensive but make your house more natural.

3.6 Psychedelic Ceramics

You can add a happy and playful personality to your space with psychedelic designs that feature trippy geometrics and patterns as well as bright and cheery colors.High quality tile with latested design can satisfy with your idea.

3.7 Trending Colors Tiles

A contrasting pair, warm terracotta, and cool sage green go well together and were the top color choices for the most recent annual tile expo in Bologna. These colors are also great when applied to Bas Relief tiles and geometric patterns.

3.8 Sintered Stone Slabs

Sintered Stone Slab/Large Format Thin Porcelain Tile

I have to say,sintered stone slab is the most popular tile in China this year.Big size as it is ,like 1200x2800mm,800x2600mm,900x1800mm,etc.It can be used not only as normal ceramic tiles,but can replace the position of marble tiles.As you can see from below pictures,sintered stone tiles can be used as table tops,kitchen cabinet and wardrobe door faceplate,wall decorations and so on but prices are affordable comparing with natural marbles.

3.9 Handmade Tiles

Tile’s historic heritage is displayed most beautifully in today’s contemporary handmade tiles.Handmade tiles can make a big difference in your interior’s overall feel.Now more and more people like personlization.With a variety of beautiful shapes, textures, and over 100 colors the possibilities for making a tile unique to you is endless. This is a great way to integrate your own personal style into the permanent design of your interior.

4.How to Get Design Ideas for Your Next Tile Project?

Yes, you can get some great ideas by just looking online through sites like Instagram or Pinterest. Right now, it’s also your best option because going out freely isn’t possible. However, the best way to get ideas for your next tiling project is still to step outside and visit places like hotels, cafes, restaurants, and maybe malls to personally see how ideas, styles, and designs look in real-life applications.

Go to your local building materials store, see for yourself what the tile you’ve seen online looks for real. Colors and textures can always be edited or just look different in pictures as compared to real life. This way, you can know for sure if the tile you’ve seen online, is what you want for your bathroom or surface space.

By the way,China ceramic tile designs now are at the leading position of the world.Many new products with good deisgns and high quality may not arrive in your country in time.If you would like to buy the latest tiles for your projects,sincerely we think that importing ceramic tiles from China is quite a good choices.

5.Tips to Choose the Right Tiles

Aside from choosing what color, design, or size of tile you need or want, here are some things you should consider:

5.1 Density and Glaze

Tile density relates to the water absorption of tiles. Denser tiles have more compact particles- hence, they are stronger and less likely to break, less prone to water absorption, and are less likely to allow dirt particles to penetrate it. However, tiles can also prevent water absorption with a good quality glaze, which makes the tile easier to clean. So if you are looking for durable tiles that are less prone to getting dirty and are easier to maintain, look for higher density (water absorption is less than 0.5%)and high-quality tile glaze.By the way,if the tiles are used in bathroom wall,then you have to choose water absorption which is around 10%.Otherwise the tiles will fall down easily cause they can’t absorb water.

Remarks:Above tile classification is just for reference because the production technology of ceramic tile changes with each passing day.For example,some rustic tiles can be made into porcelain now while some people would use porcelain tile for bathroom.

5.2 Construction Cost

Ceramic tiles are the cheapest and don’t have complicated construction requirements. However, ceramic tile size is a little limited and may not fit your space needs, especially if you require larger tiles. You may want to look into wood grain or marble tiles as an alternative. Cheaper tiles may seem cost-effective but also check tiling method costs. To apply tiles to a surface, you may use traditional cement mortar or ceramic tile glue. Ceramic tile glue is more expensive and you also need to use traditional mortar first to level the surface of where you will apply the tile.

Factor the cost of the tile as well the cost of surface preparation and tile application to check if a type of tile fits your budget.You need to count the quantities clearly,such as tile borders,skirting.It is better to obligate 0.5% more for wastage.You can ask the tile supplier to count for you.They are more professional.

5.3 Choose a more common size of tile

Labor to install your tiles is much more expensive than the actual tile. For example, small mosaic tiles or specially shaped tiles may be very cheap when considering the “per piece” price, however, these take more skilled labor and more time to apply, which can inflate your labor costs exponentially. So, it’s best to choose regularly sized tiles, which are more common and produced on a larger scale (which can make the tile cheaper) and will be much easier to install.Moreover,you need to confirm it is hard to take the tiles to the 2nd floor or not.In some contries,it is very expensive to use a crane to get the goods from ground to 2nd floor if the elevator is too small to lift the tiles.

5.4 Tiles should conform to national standards

Most times, the quality of tiles cannot really be seen until they are used in construction. However, there are still ways to assure that the quality of tiles will be good even before you purchase them. Some simple things to check are that the tile is:

• Durable and not easy to break
• The surface is level, easy to clean, and does not easily scratch, and
• The tile design and color is uniform.

The problem is, you may not always be able to check on these standards yourself. The best solution is to hire a tile quality checking company to check.A professional tile quality checking will help you make sure all are what you need.You don’t need to worry about great loss for receiving bad quality tiles.

7 Tips-How to do the tile quality checking when buy tiles for projetcs?

6.Floor Wood vs. Tiles

Now what material is better to use for your floors? Floor wood or ceramic tiles?

When you’re choosing what material to use for your floors, keep in mind where you’re going to apply the material. In the bathroom? Bedroom? Somewhere there’s a lot of foot traffic? Who are the people that will use this space? Elderly or children? These factors can greatly affect your choice. Here are some advantages and disadvantages that can come with the choice of floor wood or tiles.

Floor wood tile

ADVANTAGES

• It’s very beautiful. Nothing beats the elegant look of wood floors
• Environmentally friendly
• It’s comfortable to walk on, even with bare feet
• Non-slip

Laminate or Composite wood flooring is cheap and easy to install because of its “snap-buckle” type edges

DISADVANTAGES

• Not suitable for high-traffic areas which can wear down the wood over time
• Not suitable for kitchen and bathroom areas. This is because wood is more prone to absorbing water, which can result in warping and damage to the surface.
• Solid Wood floors need skilled workers in installing this type of flooring material because a simple mistake can result in long-lasting damage and wastage of materials
• Expensive

Floor tiles/ bricks

ADVANTAGES

• Very wide range of designs for you to choose from and can simulate the textures and patterns of other materials like stone and wood
• Very easy to clean and maintain
• Does not absorb water easily, so tile is very much suitable to be installed in your kitchen, bathroom, or anywhere that is prone to exposure to liquids and spillage
• Environmentally friendly
• The material conducts heat more easily and is very suitable for floor heating
• Can be applied to decorate all kinds of spaces as long as you choose the right type of tile
• Cheap

DISADVANTAGES

• Glazed tiles can be very slippery unless you choose tiles with matte textures
• Tiles are generally hard and can be cold on bare feet unless there is floor heating. This can make tiles unfriendly for the elderly and not suitable for areas where children sit and play.

There are ceramic tiles which are made into wooden look.Like below picture.It is ceramic but look like wood.Not only can be used living rooms but also kitchens.Price is affordable,too.

Ceramic tiles with solid wood pattern look

7.Practical Tips for Mosaic Tiles

Do you want to add unique beauty to your space with mosaic tiles? You need to know, though mosaic tiles can be cheaper “per piece”, always remember that you will need much more as compared to regular sized tiles. Mosaic tiles also require skilled labor to make sure that they are installed properly. Here are some tips to take note of if you decide to make use of mosaic tiles:

• Glass mosaic tiles for the wall, Ceramic mosaic tiles for the floor. Glass mosaic tiles are fragile and may shatter if there is a heavy enough impact, for example, dropping an object on it. Ceramic mosaic tiles are more durable and are more suited to be used on the floor.
• Mosaic tiles look beautiful in the bathroom. You can use mosaic tiles for your shower floor or alcove. An additional advantage of this is that this will make your floor anti-slip. You can also use mosaic tiles on the wall where a mirror will be placed. Mosaic tiles accented with a mirror look especially elegant.
• You don’t need a whole wall, you can use mosaic tiles as an accent. A beautiful wall or floor covered entirely with mosaic tiles can be a sign of high-class and elegance, but can be very expensive. If you have a smaller or limited budget, you can also use mosaic tiles to decorate part of a wall in strips or shapes.

One example is to use mosaic tiles for a kitchen splash guard. Adding a strip of color and texture to a plain kitchen wall or floor through a mosaic tile splash guard can be a very good design choice.

• Be sure to get skilled bricklayers to install your mosaic tile. Fine bricklaying skills are very important to install mosaic tiles properly. It’s also recommended to watch the mosaic tiles being installed so you can determine if the bricklayer is skilled enough.
• Turn off the power and remove the socket cover if there is a wall socket in the wall where you will apply mosaic tiles. This way, the socket cover will not get soiled by tile glue or tile cement.
• Tile glue should be applied evenly. The recommended thickness when pasting mosaic tiles to a surface is around 2mm of tile glue.
• Don’t apply all the mosaic tiles at once.Paste a certain area of tiles first and check the spacing and placement of tiles. This way, you can still adjust the position of the tile before the tile glue hardens. When you’re satisfied with the placement of your tiles, use a rubber hammer to gently hit the tiles so the tile glue thoroughly attaches to the brick mesh at the back of the tile. This assures that the tiles are well-fixed to the surface.
• Properly seal the gaps between tiles. Use a plastering knife to apply a sealant to the cracks and gaps between tiles. Make sure to do this 2 square meters at a time. Let the sealant stand for 20 minutes before wiping off any residue with a damp cloth. Well-sealed gaps and cracks will prevent your tiles from fogging up.

8.How to Buy Tiles for Kitchen and Bathroom?

Need tiles for your kitchen or bathroom? There are many tips for buying tiles for your space, but the most important points are:

• They are easy to clean (Try using an oily pen to write on one side. It should be easily erased)
• They are durable (not easy to break)
• The size of the tile (four sides) are consistent and square tiles have right angle corners
• The surface of the tile should be even unless the tile is specially shaped or has texture effects.
• Check the price of the tile “per piece” and “per square meter”.
• Small size tiles can be more expensive because it takes a larger number of tiles to cover an area and more skilled labor to have it installed.
• When purchasing tiles, go for a big rather than a small factory/ company. Larger tile companies will more likely assure better quality for cheaper tiles.

When buying tiles for your bathroom and kitchen, keep in mind that:

• Floor tiles should be anti-skid
• Tilescan be ceramic not porcelain.This is about the water absorption. Bathroom and kitchen are more exposed to water, spillage, and liquids and moisture in general.Tile water absorption around 10% is more suitable for bathroom and kitchen.
• Floor tiles can go up on the wall, but wall tiles cannot be used on the floor. Floor tiles are designed to be denser to be able to withstand more force (foot traffic and dropping objects) and wall tiles may not have this quality.Normally the bathroom wall and floor tiles are produced by one set.

9.Where can You Buy Your Ceramics Tiles in China?

Have you decided what tiles you want? Maybe you’re wondering where you can purchase your ceramics tiles in China. Here are some suggestions of places to go:

9.1 Attend Ceramic Tile fairs

Fairs are full of exhibits and exhibitors that can showcase the latest trends, innovations, styles, technology, and much more. Through the fairs, you can get the contact details of different brands and companies that sell and produce tiles and other products that you may need for your next construction project. Also, you can try collecting brochures, product pamphlets, and magazines to help you with your design ideas and choices. You can even ask exhibitors questions about a tile because they are experts or have good knowledge and information about the products they showcase. Some examples of fairs in China that showcase tiles are:

• Canton Fair

More officially known as the China Import and Export Fair, they have been showcasing different products (electronics, lighting equipment, vehicle parts, machinery, hardware, building materials, chemicals, health products, and medical devices, and other consumer products like textiles, garments, and even food) since 1957. It is held in Guangzhou, China every spring and autumn.

• Ceramics, Tile & Sanitary Ware China

This fair, held in Shanghai, as the name specifies, focuses more on ceramics, tile, and sanitary ware. Therefore, this is a good platform to meet professionals that work in the ceramics industry. This is a great fair to visit for your kitchen and bathroom projects.

• Cerambath

This is also known as the Foshan Ceramic and Bathroom Fair. This is held in Foshan, recognized as the “first ceramics city in China”. The next date of the fair this 2020 is on October 18-21. Products to be exhibited here include ceramic wall and floor tiles, mosaic, and other raw materials, sanitary ware, fittings and taps, and other bath products.

Foshan Ceramic and Bathroom Fair

 9.2 Visit Ceramics Tile Manufacturing Bases and Markets in China

• Casa Ceramics and Sanitarywares Mall

ADDRESS: Jihua 4th Rd, Chancheng District, Foshan

You can find over 650 brands of ceramics and sanitary wares that have a medium to high price range. Products that you can find here are building ceramics, sanitary ceramics, leisure ceramics, as well as bathroom and water fixtures and accessories.

• China Ceramics City

ADDRESS: No. 2 Jiangwan 3rd Rd., Chancheng District, Foshan

Opened in 2002, this complex is five stories tall and covers 130,000 square meters. You can find over 200 popular and high-end Chinese and foreign brands of building ceramics and sanitary wares. They also offer ceramics decorations from local artists.

• China Ceramics Industry Headquarters (CCIH)

ADDRESS: Nanzhuang Jihua West Road, Chancheng District, Foshan

This may be the largest manufacturing base that you can visit. Established in 2008, CCIH covers an area of 330,000 square meters, features over 300 high-quality ceramic and bathroom brands where you can choose from over 3000 categories of ceramic and bathroom products. They have several buildings in their area, the China Ceramic Theater, Ceramic Mechanical Raw Material Supporting Center, Material Center, and the Conference Service Center.

9.3 Find a Professional Sourcing Agent in China

If you have a big project for your ceramics, one of the best ideas is to find a professional tile sourcing agent. These agents help their clients find sources (companies or manufacturers) of product needs, in this case, building materials and ceramics, at lower prices to help you save on construction material costs. Through sourcing agents, you don’t have to stress about legwork because they can negotiate product prices, order from manufacturers, even monitor deliveries and shipping.Foshan sourcing company mainly help importers to source and buy building materials from China in the past 13 years.They offer one-stop sourcing services such as find the good suppliers,identify the suppliers,negotiate prices,order collection,quality check,consolidation,book container,load and ship and so on.This sourcing company are very professional in tiles,furniture,windows,doors,sanitary wares,lights because all their sourcing manager work in this field for more than 8  years.

10.How to Ship Ceramic Tiles from China?

So you’ve purchased your tiles from your supplier. Now you need to get them to your country so you can use them for your next beautiful project. How can you ship them though? Here are some important steps and tips to keep in mind:

10.2 Choose your product and supplier 

For smaller projects, so far, the best choice to find good quality tiles online is through alibaba.com, which can show you a wide range of available tile suppliers. For bigger projects, like whole buildings or complexes, it’s best to look for a sourcing agent in China. Check the product’s price, quality, and other factors that may affect your decision before making your final choice. Check also the product availability with the manufacturer.

10.3 Place your order

You can do this online with supplier or through a sourcing agent. Request for a quote on a sample order and be sure that they clearly state the price. You can do this through email.

Payment terms should be something that you and your supplier are clear on. Payment to your supplier can be done through:

• Cash
• Alibaba Escrow
• PayPal
• Telegraphic Transfer (the most regular use)
• Letter of Credit

The standard system when ordering is making a 30% downpayment right when you make the order, and the rest of the payment is given before products delivery.

10.4 Be sure to check all additional fees

Shipping is not the only thing you will have to pay for when you want to import tiles from China. Different charges can include:

• Transportation fees from the manufacturer/ supplier’s warehouse to the port of loading
• Export clearance fees as determined by the Chinese Customs Authorities
• Shipping fees/ Freight costs to transport your product/s from China to your country
• Your country’s Customs Clearance charges
• Transportation charges to get your products from your local port of delivery to your warehouse
• Other documentary charges (eg. For receipts, billing, packing lists, etc.)

10.5 Shipping takes time

Shipping tiles safely from China takes time, especially international shipments. Ask your supplier or sourcing agent for an estimate, and be sure to be prepared for this. For example, it takes about 16 days from China to Australia while 60days to Slovakia.Here is the shipping route to help you have a rough idea how the container will be deliveried.

Conclusion

China is a good source of high-quality ceramics tiles that can provide for different tastes in design and style and can fit your budget from low to high. Many good manufacturers are based in China’s “first ceramic city”- Foshan. You can choose from various places to get your tiles in China from fairs like the Canton Fair and Cerambath. There are also large ceramics tile manufacturing bases that you can get your supply from such as Casa Ceramics and Sanitarywares Mall, China Ceramics City, and China Ceramics Industry Headquarters.

Shipping tiles through a professional local tile export company is quite easy.All y ou need to do is to select what you like and your agent will take good care of the rest. Either way, keep in mind that international shipping can take long time and that there are many fees and charges that can come from shipping tiles. It is better to find a reliable sourcing agent to quote all charges before shipping.

Think of the tile you want, you can look through pictures online or even go outside to visit stores and other locations to get ideas for your next project. When you’ve chosen, you can get the tiles you want and need from China.And the best place to buy tiles is Foshan city.Foshan not only has heroes,but also top quality ceramic tiles with the latest designs.

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