This blog was originally posted here February 12th 2014 and is featured again by popular demand. 
​
I know this will come as a surprise to you but the most common question we get is on pricing. In order to price your bullnose order there are several questions we’ll have to ask you to determine size, quantity and type of field tile.

Size
The first question we tend to ask is size of the bullnose piece you need. When we bullnose tiles that require glaze the answer to this question can really affect the price. The cost of kiln fired bullnose is determined by the amount of kiln space required. For example a 12x12 bullnose will cost more than a 3x12 bullnose. So, if your tile installation will look as excellent with a 3x12 bullnose, from a cost stand point this is the way to go.

Quantity
Another factor that affects the price of your bullnose order is the quantity of bullnose needed. Each bullnose order requires machine setup time and in the case of a glazed bullnose, mixing of a custom glaze color. As you might imagine the higher the quantity ordered the lower the price per piece due to economies of scale (don’t you just love that term).

What Kind Of Tile?
Finally, we’ll have to determine what kind of tile you have; glazed or unglazed, matte or glossy and is it polished or unpolished?

• Glazed or Unglazed Tile – If the color of the surface of the tile is different from the body of the tile the product has been glazed. Conversely, if the color and pattern on the surface of the tile and the body of the tile are the same, the tile has not been glazed. There are two main types of unglazed tiles: color through porcelain tile and ceramic pavers (ceramic pavers are most commonly seen on the floors of fast food restaurants). 

• Matte or Glossy Glazed Tile – Just by the names of these tile types you probably know where I am going. Glossy tile is the shiny tile that is most commonly seen on the walls of bathrooms but can certainly be floor tile as well. Matte tile is not shiny and is typically seen on floors but can also be used on walls.

• Polished or Unpolished Tile – Both are unglazed and most likely color through porcelain. Because of the density of the porcelain bisque these tiles can be polished to a high shine just like granite or marble. The unpolished version of this tile has a matte type finish. 

Because of the cost of doing business varies between locations; each American Bullnose Company facility has separate pricing. Please follow the links blow to receive a price list from the location nearest you:

Denver Request a Price List
Anaheim Request a Price List
Chicago Request a Price List
Cincinnati Request a Price List
Dallas Request a Price List
Kansas City Request a Price List
Tampa Bay Request a Quote

Please ask a question or leave a comment.


Author: Mike Gardiner

This updated blog was originally posted here January 28th 2014 and is featured again by popular demand.

One of the most common questions we get at American Bullnose Company is "how soon will my order be complete?"  Our process requires multiple steps over several days. There are no shortcuts to producing a quality piece of bullnose tile trim.

The Bullnose Process Timeline
​
Day One
You send, ship or drop off your field tile to one of our locations. When your field tile arrives we verify the size and quantities of bullnose needed. Your order is scheduled and you are given an estimate of the date of completion.

Day Two
Your field tile is cut to your size specifications and placed in drying racks. Because tile cutting and bullnosing uses a wet process, the bullnose pieces require a minimum of 24 hours to dry (some tiles can take as long as 72 hours to dry!). 

Day Three

• Glazed Bullnose Tile – Glaze is applied to the bullnose edge of your tile. Your bullnose is then loaded into kilns and fired. The kiln firing process takes up to twelve hours. 
• Bullnose Tile That Does Not Require Glaze –Through body porcelain bullnose, through color porcelain bullnose and bullnose that you do not want the edge glazed, will be boxed or wrapped and prepared for customer pickup.

Day Four

• Glazed Bullnose Tile – Your glazed bullnose tile is unloaded from the kiln, checked for quality, boxed or wrapped and prepared for customer pickup.  
• Bullnose Tile That Does Not Require Glaze – This tile is ready for pickup!

Day Five
Your glazed bullnose tile order is ready for pickup!

So, for glazed bullnose figure five days and for unglazed, four days. 

There are other factors which can affect your bullnose order.  If we experience shortages in the supplies we use, or there are electric blackouts, then delays will occur.  If you use a shipping company, we cannot start the order until they deliver the materials.  For glazed bullnose, kiln space is a limitation.  Orders of full size tiles take more kiln space, and therefore, more time to complete.

We schedule our orders on a first come first served basis. We understand that small orders (under 100 pieces) are time sensitive, so we have personnel dedicated to completing small orders only.  This greatly reduces the turnaround time, although, depending on the backlog of work, your order may not be scheduled to start for several days. We strive to complete orders as quickly as possible without sacrificing quality. 

Please ask a question or leave a comment.

Author: Mike Gardiner

This updated blog was originally posted here January 15th 2014 and is featured again (with updates) by popular demand.

22. Do I pay when I drop off the tile? No, we accept payment when the job is complete.

21. Do you do mosaics? Yes, however, other than our Woodale, Illinois location, we do not specialize in mosaic production (currently) and normally only make mosaics for customers in emergency situations. Our Woodale, Illinois location does specialize in mosaics and will be happy to make your mosaic tiles. (Update) Since this blog was originally posted, our Sarasota, Florida and Dallas, Texas locations have added equipment for the production of mosaic tile. To contact a location that produces mosaic click on the links below:
Chicago
Dallas
Tampa Bay

20. Do you have contractor pricing? Not specifically; our pricing discounts are based on quantities ordered. 

19. How many pieces before a price break? We have price breaks at 101 pieces, 501 pieces and 1001 pieces. To qualify for the discount, the entire order has to be the same tile, same size and same color. 

18. Who is that freaky looking dude on the wet saw? Just seeing if you were paying attention.

17. Do you make the bullnose from scratch? This seems to be a common misconception. We make bullnose out of your existing field tile. By doing so we eliminate all possibility of non-matching dye lots between field tile and bullnose tile.

16. Do you take credit cards? Currently only our Wooddale, Illinois and Sarasota, Florida locations accept credit cards.

15. How big of a tile can you bullnose? The largest tile we can apply a glazed bullnose edge to is 24 inches. Our Dallas, Texas and Sarasota, Florida locations can glaze a tile up to 36 inches. All locations can bullnose tiles up to 36 inches that don’t require glaze. (Update) Since this blog was originally posted, our Anaheim, California location has added kilns capable of firing bullnose 42 inched long. Also, all locations can now bullnose tile up to 48 inched long that don't require glaze.

14. How do you choose the glaze color? Generally we match the dominant color of your field tile and then add additional “speckling” of other glaze colors if needed. Each glazed bullnose order is individually matched and will have its own glaze formula. These formulas are put in a database and saved should you ever need additional pieces. However, if you do need additional pieces, a sample of the previously made bullnose is appreciated for quality control purposes.

31. Can you bullnose irregular shapes? You bet: triangles, 3-sided, 4 sided, corners, curbs, rectangles, trapezoids and rhomboids.  Heck, if you can think of a reason to bullnose a circle, we can do that too.

30. Can I save money by cutting the field tile myself? The cost to you is the same whether you cut the field tile or we cut the tile (so really why cut it yourself?). We have found that we can maintain a higher quality product if you allow us to cut your field tile.

29. Can I wait while you do my bullnose? No, with one exception.  If you happen to have a couple pieces of non-glazed bullnose that does not require any cutting, and we have time to fit you in, we might be able to do it while you wait.

28. Can we fabricate a specific size? Yes. As long as the bullnose size you want is smaller than your field tile we can do it.

27. How much field tile is needed? In the course of manufacturing bullnose, some breakage will occur. Imperfections in the field tile will cause breakage during the process including the cutting, bullnosing and kiln firing of the tile.  We normally make a few extra pieces but you will only be charged for what you order. The following table shows the percentage of extra field tile we recommend you send with your order. All the field tile that is not used will be returned with your completed order.

26. Can we match an existing piece of bullnose? This is a tough one. We can always match the bullnose size and usually the glaze color but not always the “profile” of the bullnose. In order for us to determine if a match is possible we will have to physically see the piece of bullnose to be matched.
​
25. Can you glaze red body tile? Just like the glaze that covers your red bodied field tile, our glaze also will cover the red bisque.

24. Can you put me on the schedule before I drop off tile? No; we schedule orders when the tile arrives at our facility.   In the past, we have scheduled customers’ orders ahead of time and the tile has never shown up. This causes everyone to get their bullnose order later than necessary.

23. Do I need an appointment? No you don’t. Please stop by any of our locations during business hours, and we will be able to schedule your order.

If you have any additional questions or need clarification of the answers above, please leave a comment. 

Author: Mike Gardiner

Ever since I became part of the tile industry, I have been looking for a list of industry resources. Over time, I have compiled my own list with links to those resources. These resources include links to websites with tile photos and room visualizers, tile associations, tile publications, tile trade shows as well as links for locating tile distributors, retailers and installers. 

Tile Photos

Need inspiration? These web sites have great pictures of every kind of tile in every kind of room.

• Houzz - http://www.houzz.com/
• HGTV - http://www.hgtv.com/
  
• Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=tile
  
• Better Homes and Gardens - http://www.bhg.com/kitchen/kitchen-bath-ideas-magazine/

Room Visualizer 

These web pages give you the opportunity to view various tiles in different room settings. You can even upload your own picture and try different tile in your own room.

• Daltile - http://visualize.daltile.com/
• Arizona Tile - http://justimagine.arizonatile.com/
  
• Mannington - http://www.mannington.com/virtualdecorator/
  
• Emser Tile - http://www.emser.com/index.php?id0=Design_Made_Easy&id1=envision_room_visualizer

Tile Trade Shows

Listed below are the major tile trade expos in the United States. American Bullnose Company attends or exhibits at all of these shows.

Find a Tile Retailer

A resource to search for a tile retailer in your area.

• Floor Source - http://www.floorsource.com/ceramic-tile.asp
  

Find a Tile Distributor

A resource to search for a tile distributor in your area.

• Ceramic Tile Distributors Association - https://www.ctdahome.org/content/misc/dsearch.asp
  

Find a Tile Installer

A resource to search for a tile installer in your area.

• National Tile Contractors Association - https://www.tile-assn.com/Common/MemberLocator.aspx?mid=34
  

There is of course one more important link you will need. That is the link for custom bullnose - http://www.americanbullnose.com/

If there is a resource that you think should be added please let me know. 

Author: Mike Gardiner

The infographic below highlights the milestones of American Bullnose Company through the years.

Author: Mike Gardiner

Author: Mike Gardiner

I know this will come as a surprise to you but the most common question we get is on pricing. In order to price your bullnose order there are several questions we’ll have to ask you to determine size, quantity and type of field tile.

The first question we tend to ask is size of the bullnose piece you need. When we bullnose tiles that require glaze the answer to this question can really affect the price. The cost of kiln fired bullnose is determined by the amount of kiln space required. For example a 12x12 bullnose will cost more than a 3x12 bullnose. So, if your tile installation will look as excellent with a 3x12 bullnose, from a cost stand point this is the way to go.

Another factor that affects the price of your bullnose order is the quantity of bullnose needed. Each bullnose order requires machine setup time and in the case of a glazed bullnose, mixing of a custom glaze color. As you might imagine the higher the quantity ordered the lower the price per piece due to economies of scale (don’t you just love that term).

Finally, we’ll have to determine what kind of tile you have; glazed or unglazed, matte or glossy and is it polished or unpolished?

• Glazed or Unglazed Tile – If the color of the surface of the tile is different from the body of the tile the product has been glazed. Conversely, if the color and pattern on the surface of the tile and the body of the tile are the same, the tile has not been glazed. There are two main types of unglazed tiles: color through porcelain tile and ceramic pavers (ceramic pavers are most commonly seen on the floors of fast food restaurants). 

• Matte or Glossy Glazed Tile – Just by the names of these tile types you probably know where I am going. Glossy tile is the shiny tile that is most commonly seen on the walls of bathrooms but can certainly be floor tile as well. Matte tile is not shiny and is typically seen on floors but can also be used on walls.

• Polished or Unpolished Tile – Both are unglazed and most likely color through porcelain. Because of the density of the porcelain bisque these tiles can be polished to a high shine just like granite or marble. The unpolished version of this tile has a matte type finish. 

Because of the cost of doing business varies between locations; each American Bullnose Company facility has separate pricing. Please follow the links blow to receive a price list from the location nearest you:

Denver Request a Price List
Anaheim Request a Price List
Chicago Request a Price List
Cincinnati Request a Price List
Dallas Request a Price List
Kansas City Request a Price List
Tampa Bay Request a Quote

Please ask a question or leave a comment.

Author: Mike Gardiner

One of the most common questions we get at American Bullnose Company is "how soon will my order be complete?"  Our process requires multiple steps over several days.  There are no shortcuts to producing a quality piece of bullnose tile trim.

Day One – You send, ship or drop off your field tile to one of our locations. When your field tile arrives we verify the size and quantities of bullnose needed. Your order is scheduled and you are given an estimate of the date of completion.

Day Two - Your field tile is cut to your size specifications and placed in drying racks. Because tile cutting and bullnosing uses a wet process, the bullnose pieces require a minimum of 24 hours to dry (some tiles can take as long as 72 hours to dry!). 

Day Four

• Glazed Bullnose Tile – Your glazed bullnose tile is unloaded from the kiln, checked for quality, boxed or wrapped and prepared for customer pickup.  
  
• Bullnose Tile That Does Not Require Glaze – This tile is ready for pickup!
  

Day Five – Your glazed bullnose tile order is ready for pickup!

There are other factors which can affect your bullnose order.  If we experience shortages in the supplies we use, or there are electric blackouts, then delays will occur.  If you use a shipping company, we cannot start the order until they deliver the materials.  For glazed bullnose, kiln space is a limitation.  Orders of full size tiles take more kiln space, and therefore, more time to complete.

We schedule our orders on a first come first served basis. We understand that small orders (under 100 pieces) are time sensitive, so we have personnel dedicated to completing small orders only.  This greatly reduces the turnaround time, although, depending on the backlog of work, your order may not be scheduled to start for several days. We strive to complete orders as quickly as possible without sacrificing quality.

Please ask a question or leave a comment.

Author: Mike Gardiner

This blog entry is a continuation of the questions most frequently asked by our customers. Again, I will attempt to answer these questions as clearly as possible.

12. Do I bring you the tile? Yes. You can bring the tile yourself our have the tile delivered to us by any means you would like. When the tile arrives at one of our facilities, we will be able to schedule and give you a completion date.

11. Will you pick up my tile? Generally speaking we do not pick up or deliver. We will be happy to package and send your tile via a delivery service of your choice for an additional charge.

10. Will you deliver my bullnose? See above.

9. Will you expedite if I pay extra? No. If we expedite your order, another customer order would be completed late. 

8. Do you sell to the general public? Yes.

7. Do you paint the edges? Absolutely not. Painted edges degrade over time and will wear off or scratch off.  Regardless of where you purchase your bullnose, you should insist on a kiln fired glazed edge. Many tile companies sell bullnose with a painted edge, without disclosing it is not kiln fired.   Protect your investment by asking if the edge is painted.

6. How many pieces of bullnose can I get per field tile? You have two options to determine how many pieces of bullnose you can get out of a single field tile.

·  Bullnose without a factory edge is produced for customers requiring the maximum amount of bullnose per field tile. The number of pieces of bullnose is limited only by the width of the bullnose divided by the width of the field tile. For example you can get four pieces of 3x13 single bullnose out of a 13x13 field tile. Bullnose without a factory edge represents 95% of our orders.

·  Factory edge bullnose. Your field tile is cut first to the desired width and then bullnosed on the cut edge. This technique maintains the field tiles original factory edge opposite the bullnosed edge. A maximum of two pieces of bullnose can be produced per field tile using this method. Factory edge bullnose is normally only produced if the field tile has an unusual edge for example a scalloped edge.

In the next two blog posts I will address the last five questions:

·  Next week’s blog
1.       What is the process?
2.       How long does it take?
3.       Is there any way to speed up the process?

·  Blog Post of February 5th
1.       What does it cost?

If you have any additional questions or you would like clarification on one of the answers above please leave a comment.