Good question! Seattletiledirect.com was created for local Seattle area customers, as most west coast tile companies do not sell directly to home owners without a contractor's license. The main reason we can offer a discount is because you'll be picking up the material at local vendor warehouses. We do not have a physical location, so the material will be going directly from our vendors to you. We facilitate the exchange.

Direct shipping is difficult with tile. It gets quite expensive delivering hundreds of pounds of material to your doorstep. This is why the preferred way to use this site is by picking up directly. However, we are happy to dig for the best possible shipping price. This is not yet automatically calculated by our website: simply contact us for a freight quote. Live in Alaska? We can drop off your material at the AML or Span Alaska dock in Seattle, just choose that option at checkout.

Once you place an order through the website, we follow up with lead times, pick up locations, and the paperwork you need to make the exchange as smooth as possible.

We do not have a sample shipping program. Most tiles are available as samples from our vendors' showrooms in Georgetown and south Seattle. See this blog post for more information. We're happy to help you locate a sample, just ask. Here's a general map of their locations, split between Georgetown and Kent/Tukwila/Renton area:

We've tried to organize collections as best we can without getting too confusing. Try one of the following:

Shop by type (porcelain, ceramic, glass, natural stone, etc.)

Shop by look (colorful, patterned, cement-look, stone-look, modern, classic, etc.)

Shop by vendor

Locally stocked materials

Trendy tiles

Or simply search what you're looking for. We're always happy to help you pin something down, just contact us.

We do not have a physical location, so the material will be going directly from our vendors warehouses to you. The vendors shown on our website all have showrooms open to the public where you can browse, make selections and check out samples.  You can purchase any tile you see at the vendor showrooms from our online store.  Don’t see it online? Just shoot us an email.

Did you find us via the Seattle Tile Company showroom? That's great! We're affiliated, but not the same company. The Ballard showroom features many unique products, most of which aren't available anywhere online. The Seattle Tile Company showroom is best for people who want one-on-one customer service, a unique curated selection and the convenience of picking up in north Ballard.

The oldest and by far most popular version of the 3x6 white subway tile is from Daltile. The collection name was recently changed from Rittenhouse Square to Color Wheel Classic. The basic white is the White Gloss 0100, which is the warmest white available from this line. Arctic White 0190 is available as a cooler option in gloss, and Matte Arctic White 0790 if looking for less shine. This collection is popular partly because the edges have built-in spacers. When set up against each other they create a 1/16" grout joint, making installation easier.

There are, of course, many other choices when it comes to the classic subway look. A glance at our Subway Tile pages reveal other collections, often with prices just as low as Daltile's. For example, Logic from Emser Tile and Streamline from Florida Tile. We always recommend seeing samples in person and taking them home to determine which color works best.

You pick it up at the wholesaler. This is how Seattle Tile Direct works to save you money. You pick up at the vendor warehouse locations in south Seattle, Tukwila, Kent or Renton. Once you place your order we will follow up with location(s) and pick up information. Please note that if you order more than one item you may have to visit more than one location for pickup.

Not in the Seattle area? Direct shipping is available within the mainland US (except California) and Alaska via AML or Span Alaska (choose the Alaska dock drop off option at checkout). Contact us for a freight quote to get started. Already paid for your order and want to have it direct shipped? We can invoice you for the shipping separately.

Once your order is placed allow 1-2 business days processing time, then the provided estimated lead time. Estimates are listed under the "Stock" tab on each product page. Standard lead times can vary and we do not know where the item comes from until we check stock with the vendor. We always recommend this step before ordering.

• Items stocked in town- 1-2 days
  
• Items coming from out of town- 1-3 weeks

Looking for materials that have a higher likelihood of being stocked at a vendor in town? Check out this local stock collection.

Read this page for all return information. If you have leftover full boxes of field tile in their original packaging or in-tact mosaic sheets/trim pieces, our vendors may allow you to make a return to their warehouse. Material that was ordered in for you from out of town is not eligible for return. No direct shipments will be accepted.

Be sure you have some extra stored just in case you need to make a repair in the future, then let us know how much you'd like to return. Each of our vendors has different rules for returns, but usually it's within 30 days of pickup with a minimum dollar amount and a 20-30% restocking fee. Seattle Tile Direct itself does not charge any processing fees.

All "field tile" from seattletiledirect.com is sold in full-carton containers to ensure proper packaging and to cut down on breakage during handling. It reduces wait time when picking up directly at our vendor warehouses and decreases the chance of error when pulling the appropriate quantity. It is not possible to divide full boxes, and no returns will be accepted of overage resulting from required full box purchases.

We do not provide this service, and we recommend having your installer calculate quantities if possible. This is because they have been in the physical space to take measurements and have allowed their desired amount of overage in final calculations. Read this blog post for basic instructions on quantity calculation. Part of being able to offer better prices online is cutting down on the staff hours required to assist in each phase of the design and ordering process.

Not all sheets are equal to 1 square foot. Divide desired number of square feet by square foot coverage of a sheet to get your number of pieces. Please consult your installer for final quantities.

Read this blog post for basic quantity calculation instructions.

Yes, we ship within the main United States plus Alaska via AML and Span Alaska! No California, however, as taxes are too complicated to make it worth our while. Please contact us for a shipping quote.

We do not offer any options for receiving your tile faster than the standard lead times. Please request a stock check before ordering if you are on a timeline.

Once you place your order, you will receive a confirmation email that shows our system has received your payment. There is a 1-2 business day processing time, then you will be contacted regarding lead times and pickup/shipping information. We will communicate primarily through email, so keep an eye out and check your junk folders just in case.

We do not have an order-tracking function as there may be multiple items on an order coming through various methods. You will be contacted as we receive updates from our vendor regarding timing changes, but we will not send you updates if it is scheduled to arrive within the originally-estimated window. Feel free to contact us if you'd like us to check the status.

Please note that once an item has begun processing or has shipped, the order is no longer editable. Contact us as soon as you realize changes are necessary, and we will determine if it is possible.

Our vendors are good about checking, wrapping, and carefully packaging these fragile goods, but there does come the occasion that the incorrect color or size is received or that tiles break in handling. If you are picking up your material at a vendor, do not accept materials you feel are incorrect or broken. It is always the customer's responsibility to check over materials for accuracy, as no one from seattletiledirect.com will be present to help you look over your order. Contact us within 2 days to resolve any claims.

What we need to make a claim to our vendors-

1. Your order number and name of damaged or incorrect item.
   
2. If damaged, amount of damaged material and photos of the damage.
   
3. If incorrect, what you received instead. Pictures are helpful.
   
4. Any other relevant information.

Often, what seems like a destroyed piece can be used for cuts. In the case of mosaic sheets, pieces can be removed from said sheet and used to fill in spaces or cut to finish edges. Large tiles broken in big chunks can similarly be further cut down and used to complete installations.

If you ordered multiple different products, the materials will be coming from different places (sometimes even if all your items are from the same collection). Each one will have a different lead time depending on its origin location, so please ensure you have waited the allotted estimated time before contacting us about a missing product.

Variations in color, shade, and markings are inherent in clay, stone and glass products. Due to variations in digital displays, the tile appearance (including color, texture, and size) shown on this website may vary computer to computer and from screen to reality. Photos are for representational purposes only. In addition, tiles are manufactured in batches called "lots". These lots may vary slightly in color/size/texture, etc. We highly encourage a combination of seeing sample swatches, looking at installed photos, and asking for the best available representation of variation you may receive so you aren’t surprised when the tile arrives.

To make a claim, first confirm that you received what you ordered. Most tile boxes will have a sticker identifying their contents. Once you are sure your online order matches what you received, contact us within 2 days with the following-

1. Photos that represent the discrepancy between what you received and what you believed you were receiving.
   
2. A photo or copy of the picking ticket received by the vendor upon pickup/delivery.
   

No claims of unacceptability may be made once the tile is installed.

Visit the “Account” link at seattletiledirect.com and click on the relevant order under “Order History”. We are happy to answer any other questions through the chat, Contact Us page, or via email- online@seattletiledirect.com.

Your credit card will be charged within 24 hours of your order being placed. The 1-2 business day processing time does not apply to credit card payments, as they are verified through the 3rd party secure payment system Authorize.net.