Dulcet Tile, Inc., a Los Angeles-based manufacturer and distributor of natural stone mosaic tile, has raised the standard in quality control in their manufacturing process. Because natural stone is so mesmerizing and wonderfully beautiful, the challenge for Dulcet Tile is to produce stunning designs and a luxury product through direct oversight of the entire manufacturing process; whereas other mosaic manufacturers are looking to streamline the process. At a recent Atlanta 2024 Coverings show, participants identified Dulcet Tile as a manufacturer of the best marble mosaic tiles in the US.
According to Chris Chen, Vice President of Dulcet Tile, “Natural stones like Calacatta or Carrara marble presents a unique challenge. The degree of veining or the variety of color tones is factored into the finished mosaic design as color inconsistency frequently occurs. Color inconsistency means that more of the one color is prominent in sections of the stone while in other sections, other colors maybe more prominent. This results in darker or lighter sections across the stone which is appealing for countertops, but not for tile. When Dulcet Tile creates a mosaic tile, having consistent color tone is essential, otherwise the look appears imbalanced or lacks conformity. Some stones that are heavy in the wrong color can produce a lot of waste.”
Dulcet Tile uses agents to select blocks of stone that meet specific color standards. Other manufacturers limit their choices of stone to bland, less color variation species; whereas Dulcet Tile can select from a boarder range of stones that are higher in demand.
Once the blocks are cut into slabs, each slab is evaluated for any deviation of color and is graded from A to B to C. If the overall color does not adhere to Dulcet tile’s specifications or if the color is inconsistent or unbalanced, the slab is pulled from the lot.
As important as color consistency is to mosaic tiles, so is a stone’s thickness. “It is vital that every stone used in creating mosaic tile possess the same thickness, otherwise the end product is uneven and difficult to install,” states Chen. “Unlike porcelain or ceramic tile that are machine made, Dulcet Tile has to ensure that each hand-cut tile has the same thickness. Cohesive thickness is essential to the final mosaic pattern so that it appears as one complete piece.”
When a mosaic tile is created, Dulcet Tile artisans’ hand-place pieces of tile using different species of stone to make a distinct, replicable pattern. As a result, their mosaics have become widely popular throughout the United States. Dulcet Tiles are more decorative than the traditional, dimensional formats. However, the more intricate the pattern, the more precise the cuts, the more likely the risk for chipped or broken edges. Therefore, Dulcet Tile products are more meticulous and require labor-intensive inspections. Inspectors look for blemishes, color imbalance, broken joints and corners, scratches or imperfect finishes.
Chen says, “Because we impose a high premium on quality control, Dulcet Tile has exploded from 25 showrooms in 2019, mainly in California, to over 120 showrooms across the nation and we are on pace to reach 200 by the end of 2024. Our mosaics are designed with elegant, fresh and innovative patterns that are manufactured with machine ingenuity and hand-crafted by artisans.”
Dulcet Tile is a Los Angeles-based manufacturer and distributor of natural stone mosaic tiles and offers the highest in quality control and produces industry leading designs. Dulcet Tile has created a new niche for elegant flooring and soothing wall coverings and brings decades of experience in both contemporary and classic designs. Dulcet Tile collections are designed with timeless elegance, precision and are destined to impress for years to come. Always innovating and ushering new and artistic styles to the market, Dulcet Tile is the leader in elegant marble mosaic tiles. For more information, go to www.dulcettile.com.
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