All sets are suitable for use in traditional cast iron fireplaces and any other installations where glazed tiles are normally fitted. It is not always possible to find undamaged fireplace sets so some may include repaired tiles or tiles with some damage none of which are cause for concern especially after fitting. In most cases chips to side and top edges will be hidden behind the fireplace frame. When fitted and viewed normally as in a typical cast iron fireplace at 3 - 4 feet away, all these sets look great.

Similarly when fitting in washstands or indeed any other situation where tiles are framed edges are hidden and damage not visible.

All are cleaned and ready to fit, if there are any remains of previous adhesive or mortar is very minimal and will not impede fitting.

There are always colour variations in a set of tiles these can not be considered defects for indeed in original catalogues colour variations are clearly shown almost as if they were celebrated, certainly they were considered an intrinsic part of the product. Colour variations certainly do add to the visual pleasure giving depth and interest, plain tiles or larger areas such as backgrounds with perfectly even colouring usually look flat.

In most situations lighting conditions are quite different on either side of the fireplace in particular one side will face a window and the other away, in the evenings illumination is never perfectly consistent whether from electric lighting or firelight.

Quite often we will get sets of tiles where one or two look quite different, we have often bought original fireplaces with sets mixed from different manufacturers particularly the more popular transfer printed designs. Such situations give us somewhat of a dilemma as people tend to be more concerned with colour matching nowadays. We use our best judgment, if variations are wide we will sell tiles individually, sometimes we can replace with tiles from stock to make a better match than was in the original fireplace.

 

In cast iron fireplaces the opening in the frame is typically of the dimenions:

• 5 1/4 inches wide
• 29 1/2 inches outside
• 28 3/4 inches inside

Quite a lot of damage will be hidden behind the frame. Inside top corners of the tiles are completely hidden by the ironwork also being recessed and in the shadow of the top plate from overhead/natural lighting or the canopy from firelight light levels are low. Around the edges chips which are quite noticable on loose tiles disappear behind the frame, a quarter inch chip looks quite large with the tile in hand but is completely hidden. Even if edge damage is slightly visible being close to the frame edge and away from the visual focus in the middle of the tiles they tend to visually blend in and disappear.

It is recommended that you give your fireplace fitter clear instruction as to how the tiles are best arranged to suit your requirements and usage, for example consider if a fireplace is in a room mostly used in the daytime and illuminated by natural light from window(s) or if the main illumination is evening firelight. Decide how you prefer the tiles to be arranged in the appropriate lighting conditions well before the fitter arrives to start work and attach a numbered label to each tile and an arrow to show which way is up! We have seen plenty of tiles fitted upside-down even in original fireplaces.