skip to main content
Software
Integrations
Mobile App
Expert Support
All-In-One Platform for Construction and Design
See Pricing
Schedule a Demo
Talk to Sales: (888) 316-4595
My builder uses Houzz Pro to plan the timeline and give detailed estimates and daily updates with photos of progress, and provide invoices at pre-agreed key points in the build. This made the whole experience much more efficient and stress-free.
Steve W.
Client of Cribbs Construction
Learn More
Ideas
Discussions
Houzz TV
Houzz Research
Sign In
Houzz Logo Print
Explore DiscussionsFeatured Home DiscussionsFeatured Garden Discussions
Design Dilemma
helsharmar

Discontinued Daltile needed

14 years ago
last modified: 13 years ago
We're taking up a kitchen island that will expose bare floor. We initially thought there was tile underneath. The tile has been discontinued. It runs into several adjacent rooms, so we'll have to replace all of it if we can't either salvage tile that will be covered (said to be difficult) or find an exact match. Because of the layout, we can't do a border where the floor will be exposed. The tile is Daltile Rocky Mountain, 12"x12", in Nero (RM06 or 806). I'm desperate to find a stash somewhere.
Featured Answer
  • 13 years ago
    Thanks for your help, but I have called Dal-tile directly and the regional distributor. I've also called various dealers, searched craigslist (but I can only search each city one at a time), and put in every combination of search terms and numbers I can think of on the Internet. I thought I found some in Hawaii, but that turned out to be the wrong color. My last hope is thisoldtile.com, who require a small payment just to search, but they seem to be legit;I've checked them out on BBB, and Dal-tile recommended them. I suspect someone has a box in their basement, but other than craigslist, how to find them?

    The one place I have not called is the big box stores, because I can't find the tile on their websites, and I doubt they keep such things.

    Comments (24)

    • PRO
      13 years ago
      Have you contacted Dal-Tile directly? It is not just sold in big box stores. I know it sounds silly but worth a try.

    • Related Professionals

      Elizabethtown Interior Designers & Decorators · Annapolis Interior Designers & Decorators · Saint Cloud Interior Designers & Decorators · Wheeling Interior Designers & Decorators · Great Falls Interior Designers & Decorators · Minot Interior Designers & Decorators · Springfield Architects & Building Designers · Spartanburg Architects & Building Designers · Lafayette Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Ithaca Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Mansfield Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Phoenix Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Mission Viejo Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Bend Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Yakima Kitchen & Bathroom Designers
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      I just looked at thisoldtile.com, I think it is worth spending the money. Just think or the hours you have already put in looking? How much is your time worth? Say 3 hours, I'm sure it is much more. Say you get paid on the low end $15/hour. Your at $45 of your time. That is triple of what they are charging. And they know what and where to look. Good luck.
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      There's a good chance someone who stocked this tile has some in their warehouse, it's just a matter of finding it. The big box stores could still have some on the shelf, clearanced out. You could also try those bargain flooring places, they often buy discontinued items from other stores to move it out at a discount. For example this place in my area does that:
      http://nationalcarpetmilloutlet.com/Ceramic-Tile-Flooring.aspx
      This old tile might be worthwhile, they may knows the ins and outs and know of liquidatiors out there. Good luck!
    • 13 years ago
      "Just a matter of finding it" has been the catch, but I have been following up on any leads I get. One thing I am finding, however, is a lot of nice people willing to help me. Thanks.
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      I know, it's hard. 2 other things come to mind. Ask Dal #1 will they be reintroducing the tile under a new name (they do that from time to time) and #2 do they sell the tile in the big box stores under a different name (like mountain ridge, or something similar).
    • 13 years ago
      Excellent idea. Thanks.
    • 13 years ago
      Trilogy, I have paid thisoldtile and am waiting for their reply, but it they say it takes 3-18 working days, and even then, they might say no, so I'm looking on my own as well. One Daltile distributor suggested asking stores who they sold it to and seeing if the customer has any. But I'm having trouble getting someone to give me that info.
    • 13 years ago
      For anyone interested, thisoldtile.com told me they do not have the tile I'm looking for. I think they are a legitimate business, but I resent that their web site "teased" me by listing Rocky Mountain as a tile they have. If they knew that, how hard would it have been to tell the public the sizes and colors they have, without charging for that information?
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      You are correct. Sounds like they miss represented themselves.
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      Is your room layout such that you could take up a larger portion of the floor around where the island was and create a focal point with a border and then a smaller decorative tile in the center? Something that coordinates with your existing tile but does not match.
    • 13 years ago
      Unfortunately, no. The new bare parts jut into the adjacent breakfast room and hallways. Also, part of the desired (and current) look is an open floor plan in which the rooms flow into one another, and having the same floor tile helps that look. On the plus side, our contractor was able to remove some tiles in an area that will be covered, so I think we can reuse them. It will add labor, but it seems like the best alternative. If we had to change the kitchen floor, we would want to change the floor in several other rooms as well.
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      At this point I think we need some photos of your space to make additional recommendations.
    • 13 years ago
      Thanks for your offer, but I'm not looking for recommendations at this point. We've thought about this at length and consulted several people, including a design expert. We know we want either the same tile, which is why I looked so hard for it, or a new (hardwood) floor throughout, which will be expensive and much more involved. Since our contractor seems likely to be able to remove tiles intact from places that won't show and then reuse them in the bare spots, I think we're ok.
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      Hi helsharmar , alternately you can have a floor pattern at the place where you had the island .
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      Ok, good luck!
    • 13 years ago
      That would look great in the right place, but not in between two rooms that flow into each other and have no distinct division.
    • 13 years ago
      One thing I didn't explain (because this wasn't my primary concern) is that the island being removed is an "extra" (second) island, and the main island is moving further from the counters, also exposing floor that has been covered.
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      Add a few photos if you can ? Good Luck
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      Here's a longshot: if you live in an area where the builder had several homes go up, perhaps one of your neighbors had the same tile? Maybe they have a box or two in their garage?? It sounds like you have a pretty resourceful contractor helping you, so you seem to be on a good path!
    • 13 years ago
      That's a great suggestion for someone else looking for discontinued materials. My house, however, was built by the previous owner, who designed it, and it wasn't built at the same time as neighboring houses. But thanks for trying to help.
    • 10 years ago

      I know your post is a few years old. Hopefully, you will see this comment. I am having the EXACT same dilemma. I need extra of my Daltile that has been discontinued and I cannot find a match of anything. What did you wind up doing? Thank you for your help.

    • 10 years ago
      Imayer48
      Try habitat for humanity restore. After our Reno we had lots of tile left over so we donated it to Habitat.
    • 10 years ago

      Imayer, I never found the tile or an acceptable substitute. I don't know if thisoldtile is still around, but I resent the way they led me on with a suggestion that they might have it, until I paid their finder's fee, and then they were pretty quick to say, sorry, no. Fortunately, we were able to scrounge up enough tile by using tile under cabinets combined with taking up the same tile in other rooms of the house, where we were also planning to remodel. Our contractor had to spend extra time getting up the tile without breakage, then sanding off the old adhesive, but at least it matches.

    Related Stories
    FUN HOUZZEverything I Need to Know About Decorating I Learned from Downton Abbey
    By Fred Albert
    Mind your manors with these 10 decorating tips from the PBS series, returning on January 5
    Full Story
    206
    ARCHITECTUREWant to Live by the Water? What You Need to Know
    By Duo Dickinson, architect
    Waterside homes can have amazing charm, but you'll have to weather design restrictions, codes and surveys
    Full Story
    62
    HOME TECHDoes Your Home Need an Operating System?
    By Mike Elgan
    New technologies hope to unify the lawless frontier of home-automation products. Would they work for you?
    Full Story
    20
    REMODELING GUIDESYour Floor: How to Shop for Tile
    By Paul Anater
    Here's how to read a ceramic tile box and get exactly what you need
    Full Story
    86
    BATHROOM VANITIESBetter Places to Stash That Soap
    By Fred Albert
    Banish gloppy bars and flimsy pumps, and the only things you’ll need to clean are your hands
    Full Story
    148
    REMODELING GUIDESA Dark Atlanta Attic Welcomes a Light-Filled Bathroom
    By Becky Harris
    From architecturally quirky attic to sunny bathroom, this renovated space now has everything a growing family could need
    Full Story
    52
    ENTERTAININGHouzz Guide: How to Set a Table
    By Stacy Briscoe
    Here’s everything you need to know to prep your table for a get-together
    Full Story
    227
    BATHROOM DESIGNBuilt-ins Boost Storage in Small Bathrooms
    By Lisa Frederick
    Need more space for sundries in a compact bathroom? Check out these 10 innovative ideas for building storage into the plan
    Full Story
    36
    VACATION HOMESRoom of the Day: A Modern Lodge Embraces Universal Design
    By Becky Harris
    Homeowners design their Washington family vacation home to be accessible for their daughter with special needs and a mother in a wheelchair
    Full Story
    56
    KIDS’ SPACESWho Says a Dining Room Has to Be a Dining Room?
    By Becky Harris
    Chucking the builder’s floor plan, a family reassigns rooms to work better for their needs
    Full Story
    136
    Sponsored
    More Discussions
    How to make kitchen less bland
    21
    Downspout problem
    10
    Floorplan issue - Entryway
    11
    Master bedroom 16' × 18' with a 10' ceiling - need light fixtures
    2
    how would arrange this long narrow living room
    14