General Information All of our sculptured tile are individually slip cast by hand, fired to 2300 F, hand painted and fired a second time to 1400 F. The first firing fully vitrifies the porcelain tile thereby eliminating the need for glazing unless specified. All RGS tiles may be glazed with the exception of those tile which have been hand painted. All of our tiles have a flat back and beveled edges for ease in grouting and a clean finished appearance. RGS tile have a water absorption of less than .01% and are suitable for virtually any application, indoors or out. Frost and waterproof, the tile may be installed in patios, pools, fountains, hot tubs, fireplaces, kitchens, bathrooms, wet bars and anywhere your imagination may lead.

Custom Painting of Sculptured Tile Bas relief tiles may be custom decorated to compliment your color scheme. The palette for this service is extremely wide with the exception of brilliant reds and deep blues. We encourage customers to send us color samples for use in deriving these pigments. Hand decorated tiles whether standard or custom will vary slightly, tile-to-tile. These variations are the result of the selection of raw materials, individual decorators technique, and variations in firing atmosphere. Exact color matches are often impossible to achieve therefore, clients approval of a strike-off will be required prior to production. Returns after approval based on slight color variations will not be accepted.   Top of Page

Installation Due to the substantial shrinkage from wet to fired state and the entirely hand manufactured processes employed, finished tiles are subject to slight size and surface contour variation. Dimensions on 6x6 and smaller tiles may vary to 3/16" inch from specification. RGS tiles are not machine manufactured and as such, surfaces possess a degree of character which adds to the beauty of an entirely hand made tile installation. Ron Goeke Studio recommends that installation procedures conform to the TCA "Handbook for Ceramic Tile Installation" (current edition). The tile layout should be evenly spaced on each surface to maximize the use of whole tiles and all grout joints should align. The tile should be set level and square allowing for a 3/16 inch grout joint throughout. Due to subtle dimensional variations, joints may vary up to 1/16 inch. A narrower grout spacing can be used, however, it may result in more time consuming installation and accentuate tile irregularities. Wider grout joints are also possible resulting in slightly more square foot coverage. Care should be taken when grouting to avoid covering the sculptural areas of the tile with grout. Grout will settle in the fine detail and be very difficult to remove later. Careful application in these areas, the use of grout applicating bags, and/or masking of the sculptural areas to protect them is highly recommended. PENETRATING SEALERS OF ANY TYPE ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT RECOMMENDED ON ANY RGS TILE!!!!! Their use WILL result in the tile becoming susceptible to staining and difficult to clean. Matte finished porcelain tile are FULLY VITRIFIED and DO NOT require sealing.   Top of Page

Standard Body Colors There are ten standard body colors as follows: Black, White, Extra White, Dove Grey, Champagne, Terra Cotta, Peach, Tree Green, Lavender, and Wedgewood Blue.     Custom Body Colors Custom body colors can be made to match a wide ranging palette. We encourage you to submit samples of fabric, wallpaper, paint chips, etc., for use in formulating a suitable color match. Most body colors will vary slightly tile to tile due to the choice of raw materials, production methods and variations in firing atmosphere. When specifying a custom body color, always work from a sampling of three or more tiles which should represent the range of color variation which can be expected on the job. Approval of a sampling prior to production is required. Custom body colors are subject to a mix/ match charge per color. please refer to the current price list.   Top of Page

Caring For Your Magnificent New Tile 1. So you can dazzle your friends when they ask, the very first thing you should know (if you don't already) is the correct pronunciation of Bas Relief. "BAS" is pronounced B-A-H-H..... as in black sheep,.... not BASS as in our newest fish mural, "STRIPED BASS" !!! Definition: Sculpture in low relief from a flat background surface. 2. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TOUCH, WASH OR OTHERWISE HANDLE your bas relief tile... for lovely as they may be, delicate as they may appear, THEY ARE VERY NEARLY BULLET PROOF!!! At least that is what the tile setters tell us. 3. Cleaning: Clean in your dishwasher (we do)...... if that is not practical (usually isn't), feel free to use any non abrasive household cleaner such as 409, Fantastik, any mild detergent or soap. Treat them as you would any other decorative tile. HOWEVER, DO NOT use any abrasive cleansers or glass etching acids such as Ajax or Showerpower. 4. Your hand painted tiles have been fired a second time to over 1400 F, making the paint an integral, permanent part of the tile. About the only way you can damage them apart from throwing them on a brick floor is to sand or sand blast them; PLEASE DON'T. 5. "Will my matte finished (unglazed) tiles stain?" "Don't they need to sealed?" ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NOT,....NEVER,......DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!! Your matte finish tiles have been fired to 2300 F which causes the porcelain body to completely vitrify. Porcelain is a vitreous clay composition. At the appropriate temperature during firing all the constituents melt and fuse together in a glass like matrix. The result is an extremely durable, completely nonporous material closely related to glass. The use of penetrating sealers of any type is NOT recommended!!!!!! 6. "My field tiles seem coarse to the touch. What can I do?" Humph!!! Sounds like in our haste to ship your order we missed those coarse tiles during inspection....shame on us!!! Dry your tears, for light sanding with fine to medium grit sand paper will render a silky smooth surface to the offenders. This technique can also be helpful in cleaning especially stubborn stains or pot marks. JUST REMEMBER THIS: YOU MAY SAND ANY OF OUR TILE WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN HAND PAINTED. So now you know a great deal more about porcelain, vitrification, bas-relief and the like. You will be the life of the party when your friends ask you about your extraordinary new back splash, bathroom, fireplace, swimming pool or bar. We hope you will enjoy your tile for many years to come, but should you move you can leave knowing you've added hundreds and thousands to the selling price..... and then we can do it all over again in your new home. When you are finished send us a photo so we can show your beautiful tile to everyone who visits this site!!! Best wishes for a magnificent installation. The Staff & Management of Ron Goeke Studio   Top of Page

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