5 Reasons Our British Manufactured Tiles are Superior to Cheaper Competitors

When you’re shopping for something you need, price is going to be one of your top considerations. Everyone wants to be sure they’ve got value for money and everyone loves a great deal!

But what might seem like a great deal when you’re comparing products online may not be value for money in the long term. Here’s what to look out for when you’re buying garage floor tiles and comparing tiles made in the UK with cheap imports.

1. Durability; this is a difficult thing to judge when you’re just looking at pictures on a screen but there is one thing that will give you a clue. Find a picture of the back of the tile or ask for a sample. If it’s flat or only has shallow grooves you know the tile is solid and durable – the mould has been filled up with material. But if the back of the tile has a grid section or a complicated pattern on the back you know they’ve skimped on the material used to make that tile. It won’t be as strong and durable and it tells you something about that company’s priorities – their profit over your satisfaction.
2. Quality of material; when you buy a tile made in the UK you can be sure good quality PVC was used. That’s because we have standards regarding health and safety, the environment and quality that all UK manufacturers must adhere to. Check if the product has a CE Mark and ask to see the ISO:9001 and ISO:14001 certificates from the manufacturers. You’ll also want to see their fire retardancy data so if you have a fire there won’t be any toxic fumes and you’ll be covered by your insurance. This may sound like scaremongering but independent tests have shown some of the cheap tiles being sold in the UK have traces of lead, arsenic and cadmium. But don’t just take our word for it – ask for a sample and give it a sniff – you’ll wish you hadn’t! Then imagine the smell given off by 50 full size tiles in an enclosed space. You certainly won’t want to spend any time in there!
3. Lead-time; I don’t know about you but when I make up my mind to do a project I want to get on with it straight away. Most of us have come to expect next day delivery for most purchases and for more expensive items 2-3 days is reasonable. If you’re buying from a UK manufacturer like the Garage Floor Tile Company, this isn’t a problem. Even if we don’t have your tiles in stock we can just make them! But if the website you buy from doesn’t have what you want in stock you’re looking at a 3-4 week wait which is frustrating especially if you’re at home with nothing to do!
4. Continuity of supply; One of the great advantages of the interlocking tile system is that you can add to it or take the tiles up and move them to another room or even another house! The chances are you’re going to need a few more tiles and if you bought from a reputable British company that won’t be an issue. However, when you’re buying from overseas you have no way of knowing how long the manufacturer has been in business and whether they’re financially stable. If you can’t add on to your existing floor you’ve got to buy a completely new one! That’s an expensive investment to make twice.
5. Carbon footprint; The Garage Floor Tile Company sources its raw material in the UK and our factory is in Luton, Bedfordshire. This means you’re buying tiles that have the smallest possible carbon footprint possible in terms of miles travelled to make and deliver the product to you. Furthermore, our machines are incredibly energy efficient and we recycle absolutely every leftover scrap of material. So if you want to buy green, buy British!

As you can see the price advertised on the website may not be the whole story in terms of lifetime value. So if you want a great product as well as a great price buy from us and join our community of happy customers!