do i need to seal fornace brioni + clé planks?
you must apply sealant or a grout release before grouting to minimize risk of grout haze and to allow for easy clean up.
for all other sealing and protecting, clé recommends stonetech bulletproof sealer from laticrete.
do you offer trim with this collection?
at clé we follow the international model of no trim and highly recommend our clients to do the same. below are the trim alternatives we recommend for this collection.
- if your project needs to turn a corner either inwardly or outwardly, mitering the tiles to meet seamlessly in a corner gives it the cleanest, crafted finish.
- another way to complete your tiling is to run a bead of caulk or grout along the exposed tile edge.
- like with any of our tiles, you can also build out the sheetrock so that the surface of the finished sheetrock is flush with the surface of the tile.
for more detailed recommendations about trim, please see our trim guide.
how do i take care of my fornace brioni + clé planks?
over time the tile will develop a crackled patina. please note this is an intrinsic characteristic of glazed tile.
mild, pH neutral soaps should be sufficient for most cleaning—test before general use. for all other maintenance, clé recommends laticrete cleaning products.
how much variation should i expect?
all fornace brioni + clé planks are made by hand, therefore crazing and noticeable variations in thickness, depth, color, shade, texture and size are to be expected. color and shade variations between tile sizes and shapes can occur as well. you might also have some tiles with cracks, pits and chips.
due to the variations in color and shade, it is important to blend the tiles from all boxes once they arrive and place them in their installation area to ensure you have the layout you want before installing.
what's crazing, and should this be expected?
fornace brioni + clé planks are made by hand and can show visible crazing. crazing refers to the hairline cracks which may occur in the glaze surface of tile after firing and is common in handcrafted tile.
variation and imperfection ratings:
fornace brioni + clé planks are rated 'level 2 slight' for color variation, 'level 3 medium' for texture variation, 'level 2 medium' for size variation, and 'level 1 light' for both pits/chips and cracks/crazing.
see illustrations in the technical specifications section above, and read more about the ratings in our tile variation & imperfections guide.
why do you suggest i order at least 15% more than my measurements?
industry standard suggests adding at least 15% overage due to tile cuts, potential breakage, or future repairs.
for more information related to ordering and shipping, please be sure to visit our shipping and returns and delivery information resource pages.