News - Page 3
How the gas crisis influences the tile
You cannot understand life without uncertainty. It is not bad, it is part of life and we have to learn to live with it. And the same goes for the economy.In recent years there have been many events that have kept us on our toes. Undoubtedly, the first months of Covid have been the most uncertain. At first we feared for our businesses and our economy. But luckily he got over it. And it is that life always continues no matter how difficult the circumstances are. And adapting to events and being agile in the face of changes undoubtedly helps us not only to continue, but also to grow.For the tile, renovation and construction sector, the following months to confinement were good. After all, many people had kept their jobs or received ERTEs. And families' ability to save increased due to the inability to go out and travel.In addition, the need to be at home for months made us want to improve it, increase our comfort in our home. That led us to change the sofa, paint the rooms, fix the appliances, change the tiles in the bathroom or the floor of the terrace. Many even changed their home, to a larger one, with a balcony. or with a garden.Once this first "post covid" phase was over, the raw materials began to fail and with that the stock problems began. In our activity, the tile sector, there were large stock breaks due to lack of land, but also due to a lack of pallets or plastic. Electricity went up....etcThis shortage caused prices to increase. Although nothing to do with what was to come.At the beginning of 2022 and especially since the war between Russia and Ukraine began, uncertainty and tile prices skyrocketed. On the one hand, most of the raw material to make the tile (clay) was imported from Ukraine. Although this seemed like it was going to be the main problem, it wasn't. The tile companies reached agreements with other countries, they even began to exploit quarries in Spain.It has been the gas cut and the rise in its price that have most affected tile prices. The main resource needed to fire ceramics is gas. Its price has multiplied by 10 and therefore the cost of manufacturing has skyrocketed, affecting the PVP of the tile.The first weeks the brands did not stop modifying their rates, which was a chaos for stores. Then a less bad option was chosen. The rate would remain fixed for each month, an energy rate canon would be charged, based on the gas price of the previous month.This translated means that without a tile it is worth 15 € base, the following month it can cost €15 + €3 /m2, for example.This energy increase, as we have said, is modified every month. In the month of September, for example, we have an increase in the energy rate of between €3 and €5 per m2, depending on the factory and the value of the product it manufactures.This represents an increase in price compared to to the previous year of 25% or 30%.It seems that this is not a good month to buy tiles, but the current uncertainty makes it perhaps better than the next. We don't know.This uncertainty is certainly holding the economy back, and it may do so even more if things don't improve soon. And it is that this, in our sector, has several consequences:1. Some factories are shutting down furnaces. The cost overruns are unaffordable for some suppliers, who do not find it worthwhile to continue manufacturing and prefer to "pull stock" waiting for an early solution.2. The end customer thinks more about it before buying, and if they don't have an imperial need, they prefer to wait a few months to see if they can make their purchase cheaper.3. Construction companies have stopped their projects. With the fluctuation of prices it is impossible to set a construction budget. And before encountering price increases that they can neither assume nor pass on to their clients, they prefer not to start new works.Despite the fact that today's news is not the best, remember that everything happens. Be cautious but don't be paralyzed by the bad news that bombards us. Life goes on, and better without fear.
Porcelain for swimming pool
The placement of porcelain materials inside the pool continues to increase year after year, gaining ground on the classic pool tile. But why is this happening? What are the advantages of porcelain tiles so that it is also increasingly being used for inside swimming pools? Before the arrival of porcelain tiles, tile was king in swimming pools. Although many also covered the interior of their pools with small colored tiles, most mainly use mosaic tiles. And the fact is that tile is really a very advisable material to place inside the pool: its low absorption, its price or its good adaptability are very favorable characteristics.However, Porcelain models also have their advantages:WATER ABSORPTION IS PRACTICALLY THE SAME AS TILE. ALMOST NONE. That is why it is an ideal material for the pool. We will not have deterioration due to humidity or water leaks.THE SIZE OF THE TILES Technological progress has led to the production of larger tiles and machinery for cutting and placement. On the other hand, the specialization of the construction sector has also increased, with much more training in the installation of ceramic products. That is why, after all, laying large tiles is more efficient, and we thereby achieve a reduction in joints.THE AESTHETICS. The consumption of the population has changed, and this sector is no different. Customers are not satisfied with the bricklayer bringing them the tile. The wide variety of tile catalog and models, as well as easy access through websites or stores, has helped customers to also be able and want to choose the look they want for their pool.With the porcelain we do not limit ourselves to having a pool of bright colors, as it happens with the tile. Rather, we can achieve almost any aspect and achieve our own, much more modern style.Another very important advantage from our point of view is that many models are already available in a normal finish and a non-slip finish. If we choose one of these models we can give visual continuity to our terrace and pool, which will be much more aesthetically impressive.In these cases we would have to buy porcelain tiles with a normal finish for inside the pool and with a non-slip finish for the exterior. Finally, it is important to take into account, and it is another point in favor, to know that porcelain models usually have special pieces such as steps that They can help us for a comprehensive reform of our outdoor area.
3 Important things to keep in mind when laying a porcelain floor
If you are looking for a tutorial that tells you the steps to lay a porcelain floor, this post is not what you are looking for. Nor will you learn new installation techniques here if you are an installer.This article is dedicated more to the individual, so that you have some basic notions about how to install a floor. And it is that we still find ourselves with some doubts, that the individual does not have to know, but that can lead to problems in his reform.And although it seems obvious to many, it continues to be the day to day of our sector.WOODEN FLOORS ARE PLACED INTERLOCKED TO A MAXIMUM OF 25%This rule is basic for all tiles that are elongated, which what happens is that imitations of wood are the ones that are usually placed interlocked, without respecting the lines of the joints.Formerly one of the techniques used by commercials to see if a tile was of good quality, was to see if it was bent. What happens is that in the past the longest size of the tiles was 40 or 50 cm.Now it is very common to put pieces of 90cm, 120cm or 150cm on the floor of the house. This has led to all these pieces being bent. The center of the tile is higher than the ends.Although this may seem like a manufacturing fault, it is more a characteristic of the ceramic. When the tiles are removed from the oven, during the drying process, the tips fall slightly due to their own weight.For this reason, it is not recommended, IT IS ESSENTIAL, that this type of floor is placed interlocked, at a maximum of 25% of the piece next to it. This way we will avoid what we call "eyebrows", which is that some pieces are a few millimeters higher or lower than others.Surely we have all seen them and we have suffered them when moving a piece of furniture from place.< /p>THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE TILE HAS TO BE COVERED WITH GLUE CEMENTWe have already commented on this in some post, but it is important to repeat it.The resistance of an installed floor depends on both the hardness of the floor and its placement. It is very important that the glue that sticks the porcelain stoneware tile to the floor acts as a support in its entire surface.We met a lot of people in the store who came with broken pieces, and right away we saw that the cement was sticky on the back. With uncovered sites.This rule is especially important on floors that are going to support high traffic, or that are going to support the weight of a car. In these cases, of course the resistance of the pavement is important, but it is impossible for it to resist the weight of the car for life if it does not have support to support it.DO NOT PLACE TILES TOGETHER IF NOT IT IS FROM THE SAME COLLECTION Sometimes we would like to combine tiles from two different brands. But this should not be done unless they go on different walls and the owner of the house understands and accepts what he is going to buy.Although the two tiles apparently have the same size, for example 30x90, each factory has its molds and they are never exact measurements. In fact it is rarely an exact measurement. One will be 29.9x89.9... another will be 30.1x90.1 cm... etc.If we don't follow this advice and place two different collections, it will be a disaster. We will see that the joints will not coincide in any case and it will give the impression that the tile is poorly placed.This can happen even with the same collection, even with the same tile. That's where the issue of caliber would come in... that's for another post.
A floor so resistant that you will not be afraid to put the car in the garage
In a floor, resistance is one of the most important characteristics.Design and price are also important, but the hardness of the product is undoubtedly more important.Many people come into our store asking for a floor that is resistant for the terrace, resistant for the kitchen, resistant for the garage...And a porcelain floor will have other disadvantages, but it is resistant, and a lot.Resistant to frost, high traffic, shocks, friction.LookThere are people who come to the store with tiles broken. Tiles that are part of the garage and that have ended up breaking due to the weight of the car.This is the reason why it happens.In the old days the size of the tiles was small, and the way to lay a pavement, different from now. The size of the pieces has grown very fast, and this may have caught some professionals off guard.The fact is that the way to lay the tiles a few decades ago was using cement "in lumps". This saved a lot of time on placement, and was often enough. Those 4 or 5 sticks that were placed covered most of the surface and protected the tile.Although this way of laying the floor has always had risks, these have increased with the increase in the size of the tiles. tiles.Well, the more surface there is, the more likely it is that the weight of the car will break the pieces.Cement glue is used to glue, but also to protect. That is why it is ESSENTIAL that the back of the tile is completely covered with a suitable adhesive mortar.No matter how resistant the floor is, if the installation is not good, no material will be a guarantee of sufficient hardness. Well, lie... For a few years there have been 20mm porcelain tiles, which can be installed without gluing, thanks to their extraordinary thickness. However, these models are usually used for landscaping and not for paving large surfaces.Following the recommended installation instructions, any porcelain floor will be advisable to place in the garage.Another recommendation Do not buy a non-slip floor for the garage. The dirt from the tires would remain very attached to the floor and it will be difficult to keep it clean.That is why, in addition to the hardness, it is important to take into account the cleaning and maintenance of the floor.
How does the purchase of Pamesa from Azuliber influence the tile sector?
At the end of 2021, Pamesa acquired all of Grupo Azuliber. It was neither the first nor the last. And many more to come.Gupo Pamesa is the second largest ceramic product in the world. In a sector with a lot of competition and with emerging countries tightening with very aggressive prices.The monopoly is the business model par excellence. It has been so for a long time in many sectors, and it is becoming clear that it will also be so in the tile market.To give a few examples; in the home decoration sector there is Ikea, in sports, Decathlon. In food, there are already few retail markets, absorbed by brands such as Carrefour, Lidel, Mercadona. In electronics... Mediamarkt.And in ceramics, Grupo Pamesa.At a macro level, this is surely good news for Spain. A brand with power in the sector worldwide.Although for the consumer we believe that it is not so positive.The difference between the acquisition of Azuliber and that of other factories of tiles, is that Azuliber was a group with a lot of potential, which has been growing in recent years with the acquisition of small tile factories.How could the purchase of Azuliber by Pamesa influence?On the one hand, few companies were as reliable as Azuliber in the availability of materials and delivery times. It was a factory that ran like clockwork. Unlike Pamesa, which with the volume of production and the number of sub-brands and customers to supply, its reliability leaves much to be desired in this regard.Azuliber had a type of product, of high quality by the way, very different from what we find in most tile catalogues. With a wide variety of outdoor rustic porcelain tiles. A type of product that still retains its market.Although Pamesa has relocated some of its porcelain models to a new brand, it is not unreasonable to think that in the future they will use these resources to supply their strongest brands and having a greater volume of stock in the most commercial models.From our point of view, the fact that a single company takes over a sector is almost never positive.A few years ago it was interesting to be part of the group, telling at least with one of its brands. They have always been competitive brands in price.However, now it is essential, and no longer interesting. And the fact is that if you don't work with at least one of the group's brands, you will have a lack of models in your store.It is no longer easy to maintain a varied portfolio of products without going through Pamesa, and more difficult it will be in the very, very near future.When someone has almost the entire domain, they have the power to impose their conditions, with little room for maneuver for others.The Group It is present in more than 150 countries, and its brands are: Pamesa, Navarti, Prissmacer, Geotiles, Ecoceramic and Tau.Recently, with the purchase of the former Azuliber, the Mythage brand has been created.< /p>
The 3 most important things in a house
What things will make our house comfortable and comfortable, make it a real home?Here we are going to tell you about it... although only one of them is in our catalogue.According to our point of view there are mainly 3 things that They really add great value to our home. Things we should look at before renting or buying a home. Or that it should be the first thing we change when the house is ours.The first thing, and by far, are the windows. It is the that will further isolate us from the outside. Windows are especially important in regions with extreme temperatures, such as mountain areas. They will help us keep the heat in winter and with this we will contribute to the important energy savings.Installing quality windows will reduce heating consumption and the monthly electricity bill. >Although we don't have windows and we don't know the market perfectly, the approximate budget for a quality window can be around €600 per unit.The second thing is the doors of the houseThe reason is similar to that of the windows, the insulation. In this case, sound insulation between the different environments inside the home.But also for the decorative aspect. Doors can dress up a house a lot and it is an element that will make a great difference to its decoration.The average price of the door can be around €300.Third, and that is where when we enter, it is the floor.Changing the flooring can completely change the appearance of the house. Just as we highlighted the importance of doors in decoration, the same happens with the floor, or even more so. There are as many aspects of flooring as there are tastes. You can check it out in our online porcelain catalogue. Hexagonal tiles, hydraulic-style floors, imitation wood porcelain tiles, glossy flooring....etc.Therefore, it is important to choose the style of flooring well. That will largely mark the rest of the decoration.Of course there are other types of materials to pave the floor of the house. Like micro cement or parquet. We wanted to highlight porcelain floors, firstly because it is what we work on the most, and secondly because we consider it to be a material of excellent quality and good performance.Ah, one important thing is also the insulation provided by a soil, especially in humid areas and outdoors. Both the floor itself and the bonding material we use to lay it.The price of the floor is valued per m2. The price of the material and the price of placement. Although these are very varied, and very changing today. An average price from where you can find 70% of the models would be €20/m2.Installation per m2, although it depends on the characteristics of the work and each professional, can be around €25 per m2.
Tiles for a modern and low-budget composition
We want to let you know and demonstrate that there are possibilities to carry out a partial or complete reform with a tight budget. In this post we will give some ideas and take you to the products that we consider ideal to achieve it.Despite the inflation and the rise in prices that we have been enduring since the second half of 2021, there are still alternatives to buy cheap tiles, and in our online catalog you can check it.Why do we look for cheap tiles?There are many reasons.One could be that our economy force us. That we have the need or the whim to make changes in our house but that our savings lead us to look for cheaper alternatives.Another reason is that we do not give much importance to the material, and that we settle for that the models are resistant and of quality. It may also be that we have inherited or bought an apartment to invest. We find many cases in which our client asks us for offer or liquidation tiles because it is a flat to rent and they need to give it a facelift. When you make an investment you must take into account all the expenses, so it is perfectly logical.Therefore, we have to adapt to all the needs that are normal and within our reach, maintaining a guarantee of quality.The most general option to find cheap tiles would be to enter our Tile Outlet section. Here there is a constant rotation of products at half their value with which to make an excellent composition for a bathroom renovation.How do we get such cheap prices?On the one hand , Spain is a large producer of ceramics. Although it does depend on the import of raw materials and gas to manufacture, we still have logistical advantages and that is why tile is cheaper in Spain than in the rest of Europe.Buying large quantities it also allows us to access prices that we would not be able to do otherwise.On the other hand, there are always opportunities in the market, discontinued products, specific offers from factories, etc. At Azulejos Solá we have a team specialized in searching for purchasing opportunities.Here you will see what styles you can combine at the best prices:WHITE TILES< /p>This is a classic that you can use both in bathroom walls and in kitchens. Although we have an exclusive section of white tiles, in this case we want to recommend the lighthouse tile, a model of design and excellent quality, which we still have in stock for immediate delivery.WOODEN PORCELAIN TILES Imitation wood porcelain tiles are another classic of the last decade. In addition, it is believed that it will be a timeless product, since all natural finishes have been the ones that have prevailed over time, and wooden floors do not seem to be an exception.Although we have several collections of promotion, if you need a fast service, we advise you to take a look at the Confort Roble or Confort Cerezo modelsDo not forget that the prices you will see on our website are per box, not per m2.OUTDOOR FLOORINGWithout a doubt, our prices stand out the most in the extruded stoneware models.The natural flooring of Greco Gres or the extruded 33 by Gres de Aragón are the clearest examples.If what you want is a more modern flooring, all gray and cementitious, the Start series is the star of our catalogue. A porcelain collection available in various sizes, colors and finishes. At a very good price!We have other models in stock such as hydraulic-style porcelain tiles or subway-type tiles, among others. But for more information, we invite you to take a tour of our online store, to visit our tile store in Valencia, or to ask us at the email address sola@azulejossola.com
What is the best outdoor flooring?
First of all, it is worth highlighting the wide variety of types of outdoor flooring that exist. Although we will only compare the models that you can buy in our online store, there are other very interesting ones such as artificial grass or rubber, for example.It is very important that the floors are of decent quality. Perhaps we can pay less attention to the quality of other products, but buying a resistant floor is the best way to save money and have peace of mind after the renovation. A floor has to withstand the traffic of people, furniture, sometimes even machinery or heavy vehicles. That is why the pavement must have adequate resistance to guarantee all this. Even more so when it comes to outdoor flooring, which is going to suffer very different temperature changes, rain and even frost. So, what is the difference between the different types of material and which is the most suitable flooring for our terrace?STONEWARE NON-SLIP PORCELAINThese are products with a wide range of possibilities, both in terms of style and measurements as well as price.Many times we are asked how much is the m2 worth? of porcelain stoneware, and as we said, the range of prices is very extensive. Today, February 2022, I would say that the cheapest price of a non-slip porcelain floor could be around €11.That does not mean that there are special offers on flooring where you can find better prices. ;Porcelain material has a water absorption of less than 0.5%, which makes it particularly suitable for all types of outdoor areas, including swimming pools.Other stoneware non-slip porcelain tile is that they are coated with a layer of spelled. This means that dirt will never penetrate the tile, so its maintenance and cleaning is more comfortable than other materials.EXTRUDED STONEWARE Extruded stoneware floors are extraordinarily resistant, with a thickness of between 12 and 16 mm. These models were the most popular for decades, having a great variety of brands that manufactured them: Gres de Aragón, Gres de Breda, Gres Catalán...After the 2007 crisis, some factories closed, reducing the supply of these models. Currently in our online catalog we have 2 brands specialized in the manufacture of extruded stoneware, Greco Gres and Gres de AragonThese models have a very good price considering their high quality. In fact, this would currently be the cheapest flooring for exteriorsOne selling point of these models is that they have a timeless style, fitting into practically all houses and in all eras. The drawback could be the same, which is a unique end. Just as the anti-slip porcelain tile catalog is full of different styles and finishes, extruded stoneware will always be characterized by having a rustic and natural style. CONCRETE PAVEMENTThis type of pavement is found at an average price of around €20 per meter. One of the factories that works the most with concrete materials concrete is Verniprens. And although there is less variety of colours, it is a great option due to the arrangement of special pieces for pool finishes and crowning.The format of these floors is square. They measure 50x50 cm. These are natural and porous pavements, it is important to bear in mind that the original appearance can be altered over time and that some stains can penetrate it. That is why we must know its characteristics and above all our needs before buying a concrete pavement.
The 3 pillars that make up the Azulejos Solá strategy for 2022
We come from two years of great economic uncertainty in Spain.In 2020 the pandemic forced the closure of all non-essential establishments for months. A few days before the decision that the government took, when the measures of our Italian neighbors were already reaching us, it seemed that this would mean the end of any business.Once activity began to resume, we we realized that this time the reform sector was not going to be one of the most damaged during the following months. Many factors helped our activity to continue at a more or less normal rate:- The impossibility of leaving home, traveling, going to dinner, etc, etc... increased the ability to save who fortunately continued with his work.- Spending so much time at home made many people choose to make small repairs and reforms to make it a more comfortable space.- Others they changed their residence looking for houses with outdoor spaces.On the other hand, 2021 has been characterized by the lack of raw materials and the increase in the price of products.What will it bring us? 2022?, with this time of vertiginous changes. In Azulejos Solá we will focus on strengthening the 3 pillars that we have been developing for more or less time and that we hope will lay a good foundation.< p>1. PHYSICAL STOREOur store has been open for 65 years, and more than 40 in its current location, in the town of Paterna (Valencia)It is a store of about 1,500m2 with an exhibition open to end customers and professionals, in addition to a warehouse of more or less the same size as the store and that keeps a hundred references in stock.We have always attached great importance to to keep the store up-to-date with the latest news, pleasant and useful for those who come with the idea of renovating their home or buying tiles.We focus more and more on this objective and today we have a large selection of bathroom environments that try to inspire, a technical part with porcelain designs of all styles and a large exhibition of kitchen furniture with 7 collections. 2 REFURBISHMENT PROJECTSWith the idea of providing a comprehensive service, at Azulejos Solá we wanted to accompany the sale of the materials with the installation. This led us to provide a comprehensive reform service.This section has been very important for us, as it has helped us to give an image of trust to customers, who as a general rule appreciate that a single company take charge of the entire project process.Currently one of the sections that most demands us is the complete reform of the kitchen together with the sale and placement of Scavolini kitchen furniture.This service is usually offered in the province of Valencia.3. ONLINE STOREWe started with the e-commerce project in 2017. After a few months of work, it came to light in May 2018.By then we believed that a web page had to be alive. We did not know if we would get many direct sales or not, especially in a sector like ours that is not yet very much into the work of this service. It is true that the weight and volume of our products make shipping more difficult than in other sectors.However, we already knew that a website could not just be a catalog with images and text that said nothing. Even if they didn't buy, customers had to see prices and product features, that's why we created an online sales catalog with a large part of our products.During the first two years it worked, but it was in 2020 when it had exponential growth, like all digital sectors.Currently it is an important part of Azulejos Solá. From here we try to give good support to all our customers. Today we have a large volume of shipments throughout Europe.
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