Tile size question

[bottlefed]

Hello all,

Had a call to have 20 tiles replaced that have fallen off a bathroom wall (near the door no water nearby) the tiles that fell are 4 3/8" by 4 3/8" square in a light gray. Looking at tile listings the tiles I am seeing are either listed as 4 1/2" by 4 1/2" or 4 1/4" by 4 1/4" is this just a listing issue where tiles are actually 4 3/8" or do I have some oddball tiles.

Sorry for the rookie question....but in light of the whole Covid 19 deal I would rather ask here than drive around measuring tiles and asking face to face.

PS, It appears that the back of the tiles were dirty? since they had full coverage in the thinset (the pattern from the back of the tile is firmly embedded in the thinset) but it did not bond to the back of the tiles.

[John Bridge]

Hi Richard,

For many years "four-and-a-quarter" tiles were the standard for walls, and quite a few companies made them. Some were close to 4-1/4 in., and some were closer to 4-3/8 in. You would have to know who made the tiles you need.

[Davy]

Florida tile made 4 3/8 tiles. Some of them had FT stamped on the back.

[Tool Guy - Kg]

Around these parts, it's been my experience that all the old tiles were 4 3/8" and since ~1980 or so, they've been 4 1/4".

[bottlefed]

Thanks for all the replies.

The tiles that had fallen out were an off white color and the rest of the wall was the light gray color....this seems to explain why someone would have replaced the missing tiles with a mismatch color rather than have the grout line width mismatch.

[Dave Gobis]

what Davey said.

[rosten736]

4 1/4 is by far the most common size. Some companies made more than one size depending on the era. For example, Mid-state Tile and Aztec Ceramics original started making 4 1/4 and later switched to 4 3/8. Mosaic Tile started making both 4 3/8, 4 15/16 and even some 4 3/16 and in their later years just 4 1/4. Wenczel Tile also made 4 1/4, 4 15/16 and 4 3/8. There are also other cases. The key is seeing the back of the tile to identify the maker. We have over 100 manufacturers of discontinued tile but some are more limited in stock.