“I purchased a tile mural from you and finally had it installed. I absolutely love it and it is the focal point of my newly remodeled kitchen.”

- Esther, Charlotte NC

"I get goose bumps EVERY time I walk into my kitchen because the mural is so beautiful."

- Brandy, Oakleaf TX

“It was definitely a pleasant and positive experience from beginning to end! ”
- John, Old Bridge NJ

- Ev and Susan Diehl, owners, Chamberlin Inn, Cody, WY

Questions? You can check out these FAQs, email us at info@amurals.com, or give us a call, toll-free, at 877-202-4600.

General Questions

Q: Are these murals hand-painted?
A: No. We use a digital technique that gives a remarkably accurate reproduction of the artist’s work. With hand-painting, the quality of the finished work is largely dependent upon the painter’s ability to paint like a Master. We know we can’t paint like Monet, so we don’t attempt to.

Q: Is it possible for me to see the quality of the tiles before ordering?
A: Yes. You are welcome to order a sample tile from any of our murals. The cost of a sample tile, including s/h, is as follows:
· sample 4.25” ceramic tile: $10.00
· sample 6” ceramic tile: $15.00
· sample 8” ceramic tile: $20.00
· sample 4” tumbled marble tile: $15.00
· sample 6” tumbled marble tile: $20.00
· sample 6” textured glass tile: $30.00
Generally, we put the entire mural’s image onto the one tile so that you can see the tile quality, and also all of the mural’s colors. Just give us a call at 877-202-4600 (toll-free) if you would like to order a sample.

Q: Do you do custom work?
A: Yes, no problem. We can do a custom size or crop of any of the images we offer on our site. Alternatively, we can create a mural from an image you provide, so long as the image is not under copyright protection, and is of adequate quality (resolution and clarity) for the mural you want.  If you are considering a custom mural, we will provide a free mock-up of the mural so that you can decide whether to purchase.  Please note that we do impose a surcharge for custom work, and that custom work is non-returnable.

Q: Can these tiles be used for backsplashes?
A: Absolutely. That is the most common place to put them.

Q: Can these tiles be used outdoors?
A: No, we’re sorry, but the level of UV rays outdoors will damage the tiles.

Q: Can these tiles be used as flooring? For countertops?
A: Our glass tiles are suitable for flooring and for countertops, as well as for backsplashes, showers, etc. They have a slightly rippled surface to increase traction. Our ceramic and marble tiles are not appropriate for flooring or for countertops.

Tile Types

We are often asked about the differences between the various types of tile we offer; the following table summarizes this information.

Q:  Why are the prices so different for ceramic, tumbled marble and glass murals?
A: The difference in pricing is due to the difference in our cost of raw materials: glass tiles cost us more than tumbled marble tiles, and tumbled marble tiles cost us more than ceramic tiles.

Q: Do you offer glossy-finish murals?
A: For our ceramic and tumbled marble tiles, the matte finish is significantly harder than the glossy finish, and hence it is more durable. For that reason, we only stock matte-finish ceramic and tumbled-marble tiles.

If you want a little more sheen, you might go with our glass tiles.  The glass tiles are of a different design, as the image is actually viewed through the glass.  They have a very hard, rippled surface with a slight sheen.

Q: What is the exact size and thickness of the tile?
A: The size and thickness varies:
· 4.25” ceramic tiles measure 4.25”x4.25”, and are ¼” thick.
· 6” ceramic tiles measure 6” x 6”, and are ¼” thick.
· 8” ceramic tiles measure just shy of 8” by 8”, and are ¼” thick.
· 4” tumbled marble tiles measure just shy of 4”x4”, and are 3/8” thick.
· 6” tumbled marble tiles measure just shy of 6”x6”, and are 3/8” thick.
· 6” glass tiles measure just over 6” x 6”, and are ¼” thick.

Shipping Info

Q: When you ship a mural, exactly what do you ship?
A: Each mural is shipped as a set of tiles. Each tile has its row (a letter) and column (a number) written on its back, and the packing slip includes a “mural map,” showing exactly where each tile belongs in the finished mural. Some (larger) murals ship in multiple boxes; in this case, each box contains a portion of the mural along with a mural map, and the mural map is shaded to indicate which part of the mural is in that box.  We also include a page of installation instructions with your mural.

Q: How will my mural be shipped, and how long will it take to receive it?
A: We offer three types of shipping, all via the US Postal Service (USPS):

Economy: choose this level of service if you do not need to have your mural in hand for two to three weeks. We will ship your mural via the least-expensive USPS method, and orders placed by other customers will take priority over your order, so there may be some delay before we ship.

Standard: choose this level of service if you need to have your mural within 7-10 calendar days. Under normal circumstances, we will ship your mural via USPS Priority Mail on our next regularly-scheduled shipping day (these occur twice a week). Only Rush orders will take priority over yours.

Rush: choose this level of service if you need to have your mural within two to three business days. Rush orders will be processed before any others, and will be shipped via USPS Express Mail; for this reason, a significant handling charge is imposed. Please note that, while Express Mail is overnight to most locations, it does takes two days to some locations.

Q: What if a tile breaks during shipment?
A: We put a lot of effort into packaging your mural safely, but occasionally, there is some breakage during shipment. When you receive your mural, unpack the tiles and inspect them. Ceramic tiles should arrive with no chips, cracks or breaks. Tumbled marble tiles are, of course, intentionally distressed, so you should expect to find some chipped corners, distressed edges, and, occasionally, cracks. However, if any tile arrives in two pieces, it’s broken.

If you discover such damage, please contact us immediately (email is best, but a phone call is fine, too). Tell us your name and which tile(s) are broken (referring to them using the position designation on the back). We will replace the broken tile(s) free of charge, shipping them out via First Class or Priority mail (depending on the weight), on our next shipping day. Our free-replacement policy only applies if breakage is reported within seven days of the receipt of the tiles; after that, there will be a charge for replacing tiles.

Installation Info

Q: How do I install my mural?
A: Detailed installation instructions will be included with your mural, but included here are some of the important points to consider.

Your first decision is whether to install it yourself or hire someone to install it. If you’re installing it yourself, and you have not installed tile before, you might consider taking a tile class at your local home-improvement store; many of them offer free hands-on tile installation classes, and a two-hour time investment can net you some very useful information.

We’re not going to go into all the details of general tile installation here, but we will discuss those aspects that are particularly pertinent to installing our murals.

Only non-sanded grout should be used with our murals. Since non-sanded grout may be used for grout widths of up to 1/8”, the tile should not be installed farther apart than that. As to grout color, you should choose a color that looks great with your mural, and also coordinates well with any field tile you might use to surround your mural. Pale tan or pale grey usually look nice. Bold colors are NOT a good idea; sometimes, they leave a residue on the mural. And here’s a tip: for marble murals, white is seldom a good choice.

No form of tape should ever be applied to the face of the tiles, and the ceramic and tumbled-marble tiles should not be cut.  (It's OK to cut our glass tiles.)

A frame can make the difference between a good installation and a great one. Here are some ideas for framing your mural:
· You can use ceramic rope border tiles (or other border tiles) ;
· you can use cast framing tiles; or
· you can just use two colors of field tile: one to make a 1-row border right around your mural, and the second color for the rest of the wall.

Q: Should I seal the tiles?
A: Tumbled marble and ceramic tiles should both be sealed before and after grouting.  The first coat f sealant helps the grout to release from the face of the tile; the second coat seals the grout (and, in the case of tumbled marble, the stone).  We have recommend TileLab Surface Penetrating Sealant, which is available at Home Depot stores.

Q: Do you sell field tile or border tile?
A: No, we’re sorry, but we do not. Field tile and border tile are readily available at home improvement and tile stores; it just wouldn’t make sense for us to sell, and ship, heavy supplies that you can find closer to home.

If you are concerned about finding field tile that is an exact match for your mural, this is not generally a problem. The mural, by its nature, is supposed to stand out from the rest of the wall. And if you use one of the framing techniques described above, you will create a separation between the mural and the rest of the wall, and the change in tile types/colors will actually enhance the mural, not detract from it.

Q : How do I clean my mural?
A: You can clean your mural with soap and water, Windex or Formula 409. Please remember NOT to use bleaches or abrasives, as they can harm your mural. Products such as Softscrub should not be used.

If you get grease on your mural, we suggest using full-strength dish soap (the liquid that you use for hand-washing of dishes, NOT detergent intended for your dishwasher). Squirt it directly on the tile, then wash it off with a soft cloth and plenty of water and.

Q:  What is your Return Policy?
A: We charge a 30% restocking fee for any non-custom mural that is returned, and the customer pays the shipping and handling both directions. Please note that we do not accept returns on custom work.