Every answer in one place.

The difference is where it's built. Touchstone is built in the factory — panels arrive pre-bonded, dimensional, and ready to install mechanically onto stud framing in a day. A tiled surround is built in the field instead: substrate, waterproofing, thinset, tile, grout, sealer, each a wet trade with its own cure time. Same material class (real porcelain), a fraction of the time, no wet trades.

Panels are assembled in Vietnam from components sourced across Southeast Asia. Porcelain slabs are produced in Vietnam; the backer and track components are sourced from specialist suppliers in China. Finished kits ship by ocean freight to our Cleveland warehouse.

Five porcelain patterns: Taj Mahal, Calacatta Royale, Mont Blanc, Calacatta Gray, and Macchia Vecchia. Large-format samples are available for purchase.

Each face panel is 47-1/4" tall. A standard three-wall surround stacks two horizontally to reach 94-1/2" overall — which supports a 96" ceiling with a 1-1/2" pan or a 98-1/2" ceiling with a 4" pan. Panels can be cut down for lower ceilings with a porcelain-rated blade.

Panel assembly is 3/4" thick overall, stepping down to 1/2" at exposed front edges for a clean transition to trim. Finished wall thickness at plumbing fixtures is 3/4".

No. Vein matching and book matching aren't available with the Touchstone system — each panel is its own cut of porcelain. Panels can be rotated 180° during installation to balance the look of the surround based on the end user's preference.

Yes. Ceiling panels are available to match the wall system. Maximum size is 60" × 47". Smaller ceiling dimensions are handled by cutting the panel to size with a porcelain-rated blade.

Not currently. The system is engineered to minimize seams — we recommend seamless, one-piece metal or plastic niches so the shower enclosure introduces as few water entry points as possible.

Yes, but the detail work around the opening matters. Work with a qualified installer — ideally Factory Trained — who understands the wall assembly and window placement.

Not yet. We haven't completed performance and stability testing for steam applications, so we don't recommend Touchstone for steam showers until that testing is in. Standard showers and tub surrounds are the sweet spot.

The system is compatible with most standard shower pans — the design intent assumes a 1-1/2" or 4" pan. Your installer should confirm pan dimensions and trim details against the panel system before ordering.

Every kit ships with panels plus an accessory pack containing mounting hardware, seam skirting, screws, spacer posts, lippage controllers, bottom spacers, skirt epoxy, and silicone. The installer supplies standard trim-carpentry tools plus our reusable Installation Kit and Cutting Kit. No thinset, grout, or backer board is required.

Yes. Panels are cut in the field with a wet saw or angle grinder using a porcelain-rated blade. Never cut dry — respirable silica dust is a known cause of silicosis. Our Cutting Kit supports on-site cuts directly and is covered in factory training.

Most tools are standard trim-carpentry — a level, a square, a drill, a wet saw or angle grinder with a porcelain-rated blade. The install also uses a set of proprietary aluminum jigs (our Installation Kit and Cutting Kit), which are a one-time, reusable investment.

Yes, for any professional installation. Both kits are proprietary aluminum jigs designed specifically for Touchstone — they make the install faster, tighter, and repeatable across jobs. They're a one-time tooling purchase, reusable on every job.

It depends on the gauge. Lighter-gauge steel studs flex too much to provide a stable substrate; heavier-gauge studs can work but present their own fastening challenges. Wood framing is the tested path. If your project is steel-stud, talk to our team before you order.

Yes — whenever possible, acclimate the porcelain to the surrounding environment for at least 24 hours before installing. This is standard practice for large-format porcelain.

Labor to remove or reinstall the product is excluded. Joints, seams, adhesives, sealants, and other accessories are excluded — sealant exclusions are the category standard across panel systems. Also excluded: minor conditions such as stains, scratches, chips, water spots, and burns; mishandling or abuse; installations that don't follow the published installation instructions; use other than normal interior use in the United States or Canada; and products moved from their original place of installation.

Not for Standard coverage — it applies automatically from the date of purchase. The Pro upgrade requires registering the install, which must be completed by a Factory Trained Installer.

Coverage applies to the original purchaser. See the warranty page for full transfer terms.

Natural variation in color, shade, grain, movement, surface texture, and finish is inherent to porcelain manufactured from natural materials and does not constitute a defect. A manufacturing defect is a shortfall in the product's performance against manufacturer specifications and the industry tolerances set by the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) and ANSI.

Completion of hands-on training and a practical skills assessment. No minimum purchase or volume commitments. Renewal is annual and lightweight.

Hands-on training is conducted by our Technical Trainer at our Cleveland facility. Sessions are scheduled throughout the year — upcoming dates are listed on the Factory Training page.

Training is free for qualified applicants. You cover travel to the training location and the one-time tooling purchase (Installation Kit + Cutting Kit).

Factory Trained Installers are listed in our public installer directory and receive homeowner leads generated by our marketing, routed through their distributor.

We currently operate across the Midwest from our Cleveland warehouse, covering 17 DMAs within a 350-mile radius. If you're outside this region and interested in carrying the product, we'd like to hear from you — we expand where partner and project interest is strongest.

Large-format porcelain samples are available for purchase. Reach out for pricing and lead times. Samples help designers and commercial specifiers evaluate finish, weight, and surface quality in person.

Yes. Senior living, multifamily, hospitality, and healthcare specifiers work with our team on commercial projects. Commercial deals flow through our distributor network where coverage exists, and project registration protects the distributor handling the deal.

Cut-to-size service is available as an option on volume orders. For individual orders or smaller quantities, panels are cut in the field with an angle grinder using a porcelain-rated blade.