Superior
Surfaces in Tile, Stone and Glass
Gulf Tile, a family-owned
and operated business serving Florida for more than 45 years, has arrived
in Fort Myers at a time when the need for a professional supplier with
a proven track record could not be stronger.
Founded by Frank L. Garcia in 1960, Gulf Tile has nine locations
and close to 100 employees. The company’s product line includes
porcelain tiles, glass block, glass mosaics, brick pavers, specialty tiles,
tools and much more.
Gulf Tile’s showroom consultants help homeowners in
the tile selection process. Gulf Tile has successfully been providing
product to the wholesale trade including architects, home builders and
interior design professionals. While much of their stone and glass is
imported from the most well-respected and reliable sources worldwide,
a majority of ceramic and porcelain tile is manufactured in America. Gulf
Tile is one of the biggest distributors of U.S. based American Olean tile.
“Service really is our most important product,”
says Frank John Garcia, CEO/president and son of Gulf Tile’s founder.
“At a time when many in the industry are detached and impersonal
as a result of acquisitions and mergers, we continue to reach out and
offer the personal touch.”
The number of homes converting to more floor tile or stone
is on the rise. Tile is no longer just used in showers or as a kitchen
backsplashes. Certainly, for lasting impressions nothing matches the durable
beauty of tile.
Stone delivers the look of the ages and fits with all designs
from Mediterranean to traditional, contemporary and modern. Cool surfaces
are right at home in a warm climate and stone not only complements interior
décor, it forms a natural transition to our outdoor rooms that
are enjoyed year-round.
A sign of quality in grand estates and public spaces for
thousands of years, mosaic tile is used in the luxury home market to elevate
accent areas to the level of artwork and add interest to flooring throughout
the home. While any grouping of mosaic tile is generally associated with
classical style, the tiny tile can also make a contemporary statement,
particularly when it is glass. Inlaying small pieces of stone, tile and
glass into the right mortar is no longer as labor intensive as creating
a Byzantine masterpiece. A walk through the more upscale model homes reveals
room after room of floor medallions, stone floors with decorative borders
and vanities adorned with glass tile lit from below.
Granite is the countertop surface of choice. Gulf Tile features
a granite countertop program to complement its full line of ceramic, porcelain,
glass and natural stone. Pricing is competitive with all major granite
countertop suppliers including home centers.
Glass is a hot new look.The perfect statement for a pool
spa or bath surround, glass is making waves on backsplashes and floor-to-ceiling
shower installations in luxurious master bathroom suites.
Associated for years with contemporary style, glass block
opens any room and offers creative solutions when space is at a premium.
“We sell Pittsburgh Corning glass block, and they have been the
glass block authority since 1937,” says Garcia. “No other
line of glass block is entirely American made, comes in as many styles
and sizes and is as reliable.”
Porcelain, relatively new on the flooring market 15 years
ago, is now available in a wide variety of styles, even emulating the
look of stone. A Gulf Tile porcelain, which was recently specified for
Trump Towers, replicates a sandstone found in an extinct Egyptian quarry.
Porcelain tile is much harder than ceramic tile or even stone. Unlike
ceramic, which has only a layer of surface color, porcelain’s hue
is tile deep. For all of these reasons, porcelain is a hit.
“The attributes of porcelain is sometimes misunderstood,”
says Garcia. “There are two main categories of porcelain: glazed
and unglazed. With the glazed product the color is applied over the porcelain
body. Unglazed has the color and movement throughout the tile. To understand
the porcelain product right for you, talk to Gulf Tile professionals.”
For the commercial and architectural trades, Gulf Tile has
trained professionals who offer on-site consultations. “One of the
services we always receive positive feedback for is sending architectural
reps to specify non-residential commercial projects,” explains Garcia.
“We improve the quality of an investment by offering solutions.
That’s a value-added feature we feel good about.”
Visit Gulf Tile to see the best in tile, stone and glass.
The 4,000-square-foot Fort Myers showroom is upscale and features actual
vignettes, not walls of tile boards but settings that illustrate a variety
of the surfaces that deliver cutting-edge design.
An exquisite surface transforms a room and presents the canvas
that many designers work from. If chosen wisely, Gulf Tile’s products
will enhance the beauty of your project for years to come.
GULF TILE
6100 Mid Metro Drive, Unit 6
Fort Myers, FL 33912
239 454-8453
www.gulftile.com
Written by Sam Moser
Photography by Tom Harper
