Frequently Asked Questions About Custom Printed Porcelain & Ceramic Tile Murals

Paris Group Inc. "Porcelain & Ceramic Printers - FAQ"

Planning Your Custom Tile Project

How do I request a quote?

Send your artwork or clear photos, the overall project dimensions or tile quantity, where the tiles will be used, your shipping city and country, and your required date. Request a tile project quote by email, text or phone. We have no minimum order.

Can you match a broken or discontinued tile?

We consider small replication projects, but decline approximately half of requests. Patterns are generally easier to reproduce than colours, and a colour match is not guaranteed. We print on smooth tile and cannot recreate ridges or raised texture. Replication is expensive and usually makes most sense for a few pieces. Read our tile replication requirements before contacting us.

How long will my order take?

Please contact us to confirm production and shipping timing for your particular project before making plans around a delivery date. Tell us your deadline when requesting a quote. Replication needs careful assessment and we cannot promise rush service for replication jobs.

Printing, Tile Sizes and Artwork Questions

1. Do you really print on all porcelain and ceramic?  Answer: Yes, we are printing on about 99% of all porcelain and ceramic. The types we have trouble with are of course porcelain or ceramic that is NOT white (or off-white) or dinner plates that have too much other materials in them - but its rare. Generally if its white porcelain or ceramic we can print on it.
2. Do you have minimums? Answer: No
3. How is your printing method different from others? Answer: the short answer is we are not screen/pad printers or dye-sublimators. We feel what we have in "Chemology" is way different and offers way more advantages than the older methods. We are digitally printing direct on and 'in' the porcelain or ceramic (think tattoo) we are not topical but inside. So this is not like other methods that are printing only on the surface and not in the actual piece!  In simple terms, we are printing IN to the tile and other methods simply coat the tile or print ON the tile - huge difference in durability, with ours! To find out more about our type of printing, see our printing process.
4. Can the tiles you print for me be used outside? Answer: Yes! We print lots of tiles that are used outside.  When printing outside its always porcelain tiles. But we also print swimming pool tiles. And custom print memorial tiles for head stones, memorial markers for cemeteries.
5. When you print on mugs, how are you different than the many other mug printers out there? Answer: Way different! Some of the 'differences' in how we print on mugs, is that we print not only on the outside of the mug but also on the inside of the mug, in full color! And while we are talking about the inside print of the mug, we also print on the inside bottom of the mug - and while we are showing off here, we also print on the handle of the mug in many of the mugs. Note: some mugs or coffee cups have handles that are so thin, its not worth printing on, but for the most part, we print on mug handles too. See more of our printed INside and Out mugs
6. How durable is your printed tile? Our kiln-fired, glazed printing creates rich, lasting colour with strong resistance to everyday wear and scratching. It is designed for practical use on suitable wall and floor tiles. See the finish in action in our tile durability demonstration and printed mug demonstration, which compare our glazed print with the dye-sublimated products shown. Scratch-resistant does not mean immune to every abrasive or impact. We back our work with the written durability warranty provided on your invoice; please ask us about the appropriate tile and finish for your intended use.
7. What sizes of tiles do you print on? Our floor tiles are 12 × 12 inches or up to 12 × 18 inches. Wall tiles are 4.25 × 4.25 inches and 6 × 6 inches. We can cut smaller sizes from these tiles. A mural can span many individual tiles, so its overall dimensions can be much larger than a single tile. See our large tile murals, outdoor tiles, custom floor tiles, kitchen backsplash tiles and swimming pool tiles.
8. Can you cut tiles to a custom size? Yes. We can cut smaller pieces from our available tiles, up to 12 × 18 inches. Send the exact dimensions you need. Floor tiles can also be used on walls or outdoors; tell us where your tiles will be installed so we can discuss the appropriate tile for your project.
9. What about mug and plate sizes? Answer: We print on dozens of different sized dinner plates and put photos and pictures on a variety sized mugs from small espresso to large 17 oz tapered mugs. Dye-sublimators can't print in that way, and are generally regulated to one or 2 types of mugs and rarely you see them print on plates as theirs scratch so easily off. We also have an inventory of dishware as well as mugs both stocked and still other mugs, we bring in that are more unique. If you wish to purchase in bulk www.RestaurantDishes.net 
10. What is the difference between what you use and dye-sublimators? Answer: When you see any printed tile or mug in full colour and then it fades in 8 to 18 months - then its most likely a dye-sublimation job. They are limited to size of what they can do, and although brilliant colour (like ours) they are susceptible to scratching and of course can't use theirs outside as the UV as well as indoor light will make it fade even faster.  Also dish washing and generally using sublimated products can cause it to turn back to white - of course ours simply don't do that, they last...and we give you a guarantee in writing on your invoice to prove that!
11. Are your dishes and mugs and bowls that you print on commercial dishwasher safe? Answer: Sure are! We sell to restaurants, and often have a logo put on the rim for them and some go more elaborate and have the face of the dinner plate or bowl printed.  And we stock in many porcelain products see next question number 7. But to answer this question better, these are made for restaurant use and the images can easily withstand the commercial use in a restaurant and their high powered dishwashers!
12. Do you supply the tiles and dinner plates/mugs or do we supply them? Answer: We 99% of the time supply them, we have stock available of many of the dishes see our other website (wholesale only) www.RestaurantDishes.net for many of the different porcelain dishware (plates, mugs, bowls, platters) that we have ready. But we do get every year those that have their own tiles or dinner plates/dinnerware that they wanted printed on. All we ask is that we test one first, and see how it works, usually we have success but have to try. But sure, we do that as well.
13. What image quality do you need? Our artwork requirement is at least 300 pixels per inch at the final printed size. For example, a 3 × 4-inch print needs an image at least 900 × 1,200 pixels. Send your original high-resolution artwork and the intended print dimensions so we can review it before you order.
14. Where do I get images from? Answer: Please don't just pick them off the internet! They are usually not good enough and not up to standard, let alone the copyright issues. No, generally they can be purchased online through image /picture sellers who work with professional photographers and then sell their image. Those are almost always high-resolution or have the option for hi-res photo download. One source we have an account with is Adobe with their Stock Photo.  You can look through all their high resolution pictures, and simply give us the file name and file number (email or text) and we can download into our system for you. You don't need to purchase it, as we have an account with them.  If you still  need help finding images, we can help you or show you where to look (there are plenty of options).
15. Do I email images to you or how do you get them? Answer: Usually upload to us through out upload website www.AllPictured.com here you can take large files and easily send them to us. Just a note on that, is this: You must in the dialogue box add your name and phone number and briefly explain what you want (dish/tile/bowl) so that we can start to process your request. Without that added information your image to us is automatically deleted.
16. How do you protect copyright owners?  Answer: We have to know where or how you got the image you are using, if there are copyright issues we will not produce your product. By sending them to us you are agreeing that it is your image or you have purchased the rights to use the image.
17. How are the tiles installed? Answer: just like normal, they don't need special treatment. Just install and grout like usual.