HD & Lowes do have some good quality tiles, others are not the best. Check the reviews online. We prefer porcelain to ceramic. Check out brands like Marazzi at HD and Style Selections at Lowes.

Many professional installers won’t even touch a job with the potato chips that come from box stores. Find your professional installer first. They have to the trade resources.

I just found two different styles of porcelain floor tiles at Lowes whose look I prefer to what I could find at the regular tile stores. I am going to use them. I bought samples at both the tile store and Lowes and didn't see any difference in quality.

IMO, as with anything where there are different quality lines within a store, sweeping generalizations like iive_wire_oak made are inaccurate.

Actually live wires statement is accurate. Potato chips may be pushing it:) Professionals limit risk. Many like myself won't touch box store material. If this is a DIY job all is good. If you are now looking for a installer you may have narrowed your choices and not for the better. IMO

Creative Tile--

Please educate me. Can you explain why this 7" hex tile I found at Lowes is something you wouldn't install? I'm also confused when you say tile that would be okay for a homeowner to install wouldn't be acceptable to a pro tile contractor.

To the average consumer, the specs on this tile sound fine for a bathroom and closet area floor. Pressed edge, matte, porcelain tile, 9 mm thick, PEI 3, thinset install.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Anatolia-Tile-Nouveau-Crema-Hexagon-7-in-x-7-in-Porcelain-Floor-and-Wall-Tile-Common-7-in-x-7-in-Actual-7-87-in-x-6-89-in/1001381694

Do you include places like Tile Outlets of America or Floor and Decor or The Tile Shop in the same category as Lowe's and Home Depot's tile quality? These are the big box stores of tile.

Thanks.

As a business owner minimizing risk is crucial. Box store material raises that risk factor.

I support local established distributors and retailers that I have worked with for decades.

Is your selected tile porcelain glazed or through body? Most China imports don't meet the US standards for porcelain. A typical home owner will just see the word porcelain and think it's all the same.

During a recent visit I looked at some tiles to entertain myself. Notice the gap at the opposite end I'm squeezing. A professional tile setter will still have unacceptable lippage due to the warped tile. What pro would want their name on that job? Many installers I know won't touch box store material. Thus the reason for less installers to select from. I suggest working with a good tile setter first and rely on their sources as stated in above comments.

https://www.ceramictilefoundation.org/homeowners-guide-to-hiring-qualified-tile-installer

I've bought from both. I just bought 4x12 American Olean ceramic tile from Lowe's. AO doesn't list it on their website so it must be an exclusive. It's installed and looks great. No defects, consistent sizing, fairly flat. I am very leery of some of the large format odd-branded stuff at big box stores. Lack of size consistency and warp are the biggest issues.

One consideration is that once a big box store quits selling a tile, you'll probably never find more tile to match it.

creative tile--I'm still confused about which are considered box stores. Are we only talking Lowe's and Home Depot, or all of those nationwide chains of large tile shops?

Is the problem only with tile from China? The stuff I referenced above is from Turkey.

seabornman--Buying at a small exclusive tile shop doesn't guarantee that tile will be available in the future. I had some tile I chose and my contractor bought from a high end shop. Perhaps 6 to 9 months after the project was completed I realized there had been hardly any leftovers, and I wanted to purchase some to stash away in case of problems. It was gone, discontinued, and the shop couldn't locate it for me.

Thanks.

All of the above mentioned stores need to compete with each other on a large scale. They must do what they need to remain competitive. Tiles are not usually around very long unless sales are remaining high. 1 or 2 years not uncommon. Production may have stopped a year ago. The seller won't be aware until it's discontinued or they make a specific inquiry.

You may find this article interesting.

https://tileletter.com/2018/09/tcna-applauds-10-tariff-on-chinese-tile-seeks-25-tax/

A lot of it is the proliferation of new products. There used to be warehouses full of 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 glazed tile, in your choice of 6 colors. Colors that were rarely discontinued.

My understanding is installers receive a percentage of what their clients buy from tile specialty stores. True? If so, could that be the reason they steer clients to specialty stores?

I should have been more clear. What I meant is that I've been told installers/contractors are paid a commission by the specialty store for steering clients to the store.

I’ve always purchased tile from HD or Lowe’s and never had issues.

Comment by Dragonfly is spot on!

Many of these 'contractors' seem to be anti-big business. I listen to what they say, examine the product and make my own decision. The big box stores have buying power, they can purchase the same items at much lower cost, and sell at large volume. The idea that the same name brand name product at evil 'big box' store is lower quality than the same product at the local small business is just BS.

Yet, the truth remains. Tiles at box stores are not as good quality as those from better distributors.

My super cheap ceramic tiles from Home Depot in my mud room get used hard and are still going strong after 18 years. Dogs, skis, mud, salty snowy slush, cleans up great.😊