How to Buy Tile Online: Samples, Boxes, Freight Delivery and Returns

To buy tile online, work in this order: get the square footage of each surface, order a full-size sample of the exact size and finish, turn the square footage into whole boxes with an overage for cuts, check the trim and mosaics you need in the same material, then place the order and prepare for delivery. Large tile orders arrive by LTL freight on pallets at the curb, so the last steps are about receiving them: counting pallets, noting damage before you sign, and knowing the breakage and return terms. Below are the ten steps as they work on our site.

Is it safe to buy tile online?

Yes, when the terms for heavy deliveries are published and you follow them. Our shipping policy and return and refund policy set out how pallets are delivered, how damage is recorded and reported, a 10% breakage allowance, and full-order returns within 30 days. Stone Tile Depot is rated 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot. If you want to see material first, our Fairfax, Virginia location at 2737 Dorr Ave has a showroom, and its page says no appointment is needed; our other locations are at 610 Washington Ave in Carlstadt, New Jersey and 2010 W Atlantic Blvd in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Term	Meaning for a tile order
LTL freight	Less than truckload: your pallets share a truck with other shipments
Curbside delivery	The driver unloads the pallets at the curb and does not carry them inside
Delivery receipt	The carrier's form you sign; visible damage and shortages are written on it
Breakage allowance	Up to 10% broken pieces is accepted; above that, replacement or partial refund or store credit may apply

The ten steps at a glance

Step	What you do	Where on our site
1. Square footage	One number per surface: floor, each wall, shower floor	Guide: how much tile do I need
2. Sample	Order the exact size and finish	Order Sample button on the product page
3. Specs	Check size, thickness and finish	Specifications section
4. Boxes	Add overage and round up to full boxes	"How much do you need?" calculator
5. Trim and mosaics	Add edges and accents in the same stone	"Complete your project" row
6. Checkout	Review the shipping charge and your phone number	Cart and checkout
7. Delivery appointment	Answer the carrier's call and plan for curbside delivery	Shipping policy
8. Inspection	Count, check, write damage on the receipt, photograph	Shipping policy
9. Hidden damage	Report within 7 days with photos	sales@stonetiledepot.com
10. Returns	Full order, within 30 days, unused and in original packaging	Return and refund policy

Step 1: Get the square footage of each surface

Tile is sold by the square foot and packed by the box, so every order starts with a square foot number for each surface. Keep the floor, each wall and the shower floor separate, because each can use a different tile, and a mosaic for a shower floor is packed differently from a 12x24 floor tile. Our guide to how much tile you need walks through rooms with closets, niches and backsplashes, with worked examples.

Step 2: Order a sample of the exact product

A sample is one real piece of the product you are about to buy. Order it in the exact size and finish, since a polished 12x24 and a honed 12x24 of the same marble are separate items with separate samples. On our tile, mosaic, molding, paver, luxury vinyl and engineered hardwood pages, the Order Sample button sends a full-size piece. Slabs are sampled through the request form on the slab page. Everything that has a sample is grouped in our tile samples collection, and our tile samples guide shows how to compare several on one board.

Step 3: Read the specifications

The Specifications section on a product page gives the measured size and thickness, which can differ slightly from the nominal size in the title. Thickness matters where the new tile meets an existing floor or another material. The finish name (polished, honed, tumbled, matte) is in the title and the specs, and the sample shows what it looks like.

Step 4: Turn square feet into boxes

Each product page has a "How much do you need?" calculator and a packaging line that lists square feet per piece, per box and per crate. Enter your square footage, keep the "Add 15% for cuts & waste (recommended)" box checked, and the total rounds to whole boxes. For a diagonal or herringbone layout, plan a higher allowance, as the overage guide explains.

Here is the math for a mosaic sold by the case. A 30 square foot backsplash plus 15% is 34.5 square feet. A glass mosaic packed at 4.83 square feet per case needs 34.5 divided by 4.83, or 7.14 cases, which rounds up to 8 cases. Luxury vinyl planks work the same way: the packaging line for a 6x48 plank such as Glenridge Aged Hickory gives the square feet in one box.

Step 5: Add the trim and mosaics

Edges, thresholds and accents belong in the same order as the field tile. The "Complete your project" row on a tile page lists trim and edging, mosaics and accents, and wall tiles in the same material, so they can go in the same cart. A Royal Beige honed floor, for example, has a 5/8x3 mosaic in the same stone and finish for a shower floor or a border.

Step 6: Check out

Shipping is calculated at checkout from the weight of the order, its size, the delivery address and the shipping method. Two details at checkout save trouble later: a complete street address, because a reroute can add charges, and a phone number that you answer, because the freight carrier uses it to book the delivery.

Contractors and designers who buy for projects can apply for our free trade account, which applies trade pricing at checkout when the member is logged in. See the trade program guide.

Step 7: Prepare for freight delivery

Samples, trims, accessories and smaller orders ship by UPS small parcel, with tracking. Large tile and stone orders ship by LTL freight on secured pallets. LTL means less than truckload: your pallets share a truck with other freight. Pieces longer than 24 inches, such as a 24x48 porcelain tile, go by truck at any weight.

The freight carrier contacts you at the phone number from checkout to schedule a delivery appointment. Delivery is curbside: the driver unloads the pallets from the truck, but does not move material into the home, garage or job site. Someone needs to be there to receive, count and sign. Transit times are carrier estimates and can move with weather, holidays and carrier schedules. A missed appointment or a refused delivery for a reason other than damage can lead the carrier to charge redelivery, storage or return freight, which is the buyer's cost.

A paver order is a large stone order too, so pavers such as Light Standard tumbled travertine in 16x16 travel as LTL freight on pallets.

Step 8: Inspect before you sign

The delivery receipt is the document a freight claim rests on. Before signing:

• look at the packaging for visible damage,
• count the pallets or boxes against your order,
• write any damage or shortage on the carrier's delivery receipt,
• take photos of damaged packaging or products,
• contact us at sales@stonetiledepot.com as soon as you can.

Visible damage that is not noted on the receipt can affect whether a freight claim can be filed.

Step 9: Report hidden damage within 7 days

Some damage only shows when the pallet is opened. Notify us within 7 days of delivery and email clear photos of the damaged products and the packaging. Our breakage policy accepts up to 10% breakage; the policy notes that some pieces may be usable for cuts. If damage is above 10% of the order, you may qualify for replacement material, or a partial refund or store credit for the damaged products.

Step 10: Know the return terms before you order

Our return policy accepts full-order returns only: leftover or unused boxes from an order cannot be returned on their own. Contact us within 30 days of the original delivery date by email with your order number and the reason. For a change-of-mind return, the material has to be in its original packaging, unused, uninstalled, undamaged and resalable. The customer pays return shipping, original shipping charges are not refunded, and approved returns may be subject to a minimum 25% restocking fee. Custom orders, made-to-order products, container orders and clearance items are not returnable, and installed material is considered accepted.

That is why steps 2 and 4 come first: the sample confirms the color and finish, and the box count confirms the quantity, before anything ships.

Related guides

• Where to buy tile online: how to judge an online tile store
• Buying marble tile online
• Where to buy pavers
• Where to buy mosaic tile online

Browse all tile or start with mosaics.

Buying Tile Online FAQ

Is a sample the same as one tile from a box?

For tile, yes in size: our samples are full-size pieces shipped as a single piece, so a 12x24 sample is a full 12x24 tile. It is one piece, so natural stone shows only part of its range of color and veining in it. A box holds several pieces, and the packaging line on the product page gives how many square feet one box holds.

Is sales tax charged on an online tile order?

Our trade page states that all sales are subject to city and state sales tax. A reseller or other tax-exempt buyer sends in an exemption form, and the account is set up to match; that is part of the Pros Club trade account for contractors, designers and dealers. Ask about the form before the first order so it applies from the start.

Can I order more of the same tile later?

A later order may not match the first. Our listings change as lines are added or closed, and natural stone varies in color from one batch to the next, so color and availability can differ by the time you reorder. Ordering the full quantity with its overage in one order keeps the job to a single shipment of the same material.

Is there someone to call before I order?

Yes. The phone line is 1-800-622-8708, and each product page has a Request Info form that asks for your project type. Having the item code from under the product title and your square footage ready makes the call short.