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TILES
Ceramic tiles can be made of many different types of clay and fired to a variety of temperatures. The firing temperature and the type of clay determine how frost resistant the resulting tile will be.
The three most common types of clay used for tiles and their properties are listed below.
Terracotta tiles
These are usually various shades of orange in colour, normally unglazed and often the cheapest type of tile you can buy. They are also notoriously the most vulnerable tiles in winter.
Terracotta clay, when fired to its normal temperature of about 1080 degrees C, is still porous. It is not possible to fire terracotta clay to a point where it becomes totally non porous. Because of this, all untreated terracotta tiles are prone to damage from frost.
By treating the tile with a sealant, it is possible to prolong the life of these tiles by several years. The most common problem with this type of tile is a result of water soaking into the surface of the tile and then freezing. This causes the gradual flaking of the surface and eventual destruction of the tile. It is possible however to have a terracotta coloured tile which through a combination of types of clay, firing duration, initial water content and a good shape to be frost proof.
Earthenware Tiles
These tiles are the next step up from terracotta in terms of how high they are fired (normally between 1100 and 1200 degrees C.) These tiles can be unglazed but are normally glazed. The temperature to which the are fired allows them to be glazed with quite bright colours (that would not be possible on stoneware tiles in the next section) the fired tile in its unglazed state is quite a light cream or buff colour.
These tiles are generally less porous than terracotta and therefore more durable in the winter. The only problem with some of them is that as they can still be slightly porous on an unglazed surface and the unglazed part of the tile may still absorb water and consequently be vulnerable to frost. The glaze on these tiles can sometimes blow out or flake off under harsh winter conditions. Again, keeping the tile well drained at all times will help prolong its life.
Stoneware and Saltglaze Tiles
These are the highest fired tiles you normally find in the garden they can be glazed or unglazed and are fired to around 1280 degrees C.
At this point, these types of clay become vitrified. This means that the particles of the clay bond together in such a way that water molecules are too big to be absorbed into the tiles. Just as Silica or sand can be heated to form glass, this type of clay can also be fired to form a waterproof material. These types of tiles are normally quite dark in colour and even the unglazed tiles are waterproof making them the most durable type of ceramic tiles for your garden.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
All the tiles are handmade and hand painted. Uneven surfaces, slightly irregular sizes, variations in the coloured glazes and hand-painted colours are characteristics of the handmade nature of the developing process.
Crazing
Crazing is something to which all hand-made ceramic products are prone. We make every effort to avoid this and it in no way affects the tile's suitability as wall coverings. However, in common with all manufacturers, we cannot offer a guarantee against it. Please note that the Crackle range is sold as 'crackle' glaze.
Crackle glazes
The unique character of this crackle glaze means that no two tiles are exactly the same. We believe this gives the range a more natural look and enhances its exclusivity. We would recommend the use of an appropriate sealer such as Matt stone or Stain stop for use on all crackle glazes in areas where staining through the cracks may occur. Whilst we do not recommend the use of crackle glazes on work surfaces or in showers, they can be successfully used in conjunction with the appropriate adhesive, sealer and grout.
Tiles in showers
We strongly recommend the use of waterproof epoxy grout in showers and areas of high water saturation, as although the tile surface is waterproof this will prevent water from penetrating through the grout, which could cause damage and watermarking.
Variations in colour and size
All of our products are handmade. Therefore uneven surfaces and slightly irregular sizes, variations in the coloured glazes and hand painted colours between batches are to be expected. These are interesting characteristics of the tiles. A single sample should therefore not be taken as an accurate indication of the colour of a subsequent batch. Please ensure that you have enough tiles to complete the job before you start, as we cannot guarantee supplying additional tiles from the same batch.
Photography
Every effort has been taken to ensure the photographs provided reproduce the original colours of the products as closely as possible. Please be aware that colours may not be entirely accurate.
All our wall art tiles are handmade, hand painted and fired (normally between 1100 and 1700 degrees F.) giving each piece of wall art a unique character. The effect offered used on our tiles Crackle glaze (check out the Gecko section for example's) means that no two tiles are exactly the same. We believe this gives the range a more natural look and enhances its exclusivity. Our products are both for internal and external use and come with fitting instructions. When fitting we would recommend the use of an appropriate sealer such as a clear silicone or waterproof tile adhesive.