CTP54-03 Alhambra Handmade Cement Tile, Navy Blue/White/Purple

Its a first impression:So far cutting and placing the tiles has been no problem. We do have some experienced craftsmen doing it though. Tiles need to be sealed first and unpacking we found a significant number of cracked ones. Our worst box had only 3 out of 12 tiles good.Not a problem- we are consolidating the bad ones and shipping them back unless we can use them for cutaways. Most of the cracked ones have multiple cracks that render the tiles unusable. Some have smeared patterns - will use them as best we can..Will follow up when job is done..Follow up:Job doneSurplus tiles on their way back to Amazon.Kitchen looks stunning.No problems (cracking) where holes for anchors have been drilled.Installation was done by professionals with the right tools - sharp saw.The tiles are thicker, heavier and more delicate than regular tiles.Biggest issue is that they do pickup stains from grout and adhesive. That is why it says right on the box that they need to be sealed BEFORE installation and again after grouting. We also sealed them before grouting because that id the most critical moment.We were a little worried that the pattern was going to look too busy and contrasty. That is why we went with a non glossy sealer.We testet the grouting on som sealed leftovers. Turns out the tiles still picked up a tiny bit of the grout color. That made them a bit less contrasty and a touch aged. There was a discussion about taping off all tiles and grouting only the grooves but that would have been obliterating our schedule.Decided to grout over everything and the result is fine.When we washed off the grout we had a temporary whet look that made me realize that the shininess adds some depth to the look (positive) while also significantly increasing the darkness of the blue pattern (not as attractive to us).Altogether this has been a very positive experience I must say. We are very happy with the results.

Quick delivery and friendly manufacturer personnel. Answered my questions and even called me back with more information.