How to Specify Tile: A Checklist for Architects and Designers
A tile that looks right on a mood board can still fail on site if the specification leaves gaps: the wrong finish for a wet floor, no matching trim for an outside corner, or a lead time that misses the install date. This checklist covers what to confirm before a tile goes on the schedule.
Quick answer: specify the exact product (material, color, size, thickness and finish), confirm it is suitable for the application, list every trim and edge piece, calculate quantities with overage, approve physical samples, and confirm lead time and delivery before the tile is released for order.
The Tile Specification Checklist
1. Product identity
- Material: porcelain, ceramic, marble, travertine, limestone, onyx, zellige, glass
- Product name, color and supplier SKU
- Nominal size and thickness
- Finish: polished, honed, honed and filled, tumbled, brushed, matte, glossy
- For natural stone: cut (cross cut or vein cut) where it applies
2. Application suitability
- Wall, floor or both; residential or commercial traffic
- Wet areas: shower walls, shower floors, steam rooms
- Exterior use, freeze-thaw exposure and pools (only pool-rated products)
- Slip resistance requirements for floors, ramps and pool decks
Handmade zellige and most onyx are wall materials; polished stone is slippery on wet floors. See honed vs polished marble.
3. Trims and transitions
- Pencil liners, bullnose, chair rails, baseboards and moldings
- Outside corners, niche edges, window returns and tile-to-paint transitions
- Metal trims where stone or ceramic trims are not available
Our tile trim and liner guide lists the profiles and where each is used.
4. Layout and pattern
- Pattern (stacked, offset, herringbone, Versailles, checkerboard) and orientation
- Grout joint width and grout color
- Feature panels and where mosaics start and stop
- Large-format tile: substrate flatness and lippage control; see our large-format installation readiness guide
5. Quantities
- Area per room and surface, in square feet
- Overage: typically 10% for straight layouts, 15% or more for diagonal, herringbone, patterned and handmade tile
- Order by full box; check the square feet per box on each product
- Attic stock for future repairs
6. Samples and approvals
- Physical samples approved by the client, viewed in the project’s lighting
- For natural stone and zellige: expect variation and approve the range, not a single piece. Read natural stone variation explained.
- Shade and lot: order the full quantity together where possible
7. Setting materials and care
- Mortar suited to the tile type and size (white mortar for light stone and glass)
- Waterproofing in wet areas
- Sealer for natural stone and grout, and a maintenance note for the client
8. Lead time and delivery
- In-stock vs special-order vs custom production
- Delivery address, liftgate and appointment needs, and storage on site
- Inspection on delivery before installation begins
A Simple Specification Format
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Tag | T-3 (primary bath walls) |
| Product | Calacatta Gold marble, 3×6 subway |
| Finish | Honed |
| Pattern / joint | Offset 1/3, 1/16 in joint, white grout |
| Trim | Calacatta Gold ½×12 pencil liner at niche and top edge |
| Quantity | Area + 15% overage, full boxes |
| Notes | Seal before and after grouting; approve sample range |
How We Support Specifiers
Our trade team helps architects and designers with product selection, specifications, quantities and alternatives, and with project quotes for larger orders, custom sizes and natural stone slabs. Samples are $19.90 with free shipping, credited to your order within 60 days. Registered trade accounts receive trade pricing.
Explore the trade program » · Request a project quote » · Order samples »
Tile Specification FAQ
How much overage should I specify?
About 10% for straight layouts and 15% or more for diagonal, herringbone, patterned, large-format or handmade tile, plus attic stock for future repairs.
Should natural stone be specified by sample?
Yes. Natural stone varies, so approve a range of samples and order the full quantity together.
Can you supply custom sizes or finishes?
Qualified projects can request custom sizes, finishes, mosaics and trims in many natural stones, subject to minimum quantities and production time.
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