Fireclay Tile

Last updated
Fireclay Tile
IndustryArchitectural tile manufacturing,
interior design products
Founded1986;37 years ago (1986) in San Jose, California [1]
FounderPaul Burns, Jeff Alvord, Martin Zepeda, Albert Batista
HeadquartersAromas, California, US
Website https://www.fireclaytile.com/

Fireclay Tile is a North American architectural tile company. Founded in 1986 by Paul Burns, Jeff Alvord, Martin Zepeda, and Albert Batista. [2] Fireclay is known for designing and hand-making tile in Northern California, while actively incorporating environmentally sustainable practices. [3]

Contents

Originally based out of San Jose, California, and with manufacturing headquarters in Aromas, California since 1992, and an additional showroom have been located in San Francisco, California since January 2014. [4] In 2020, the company received approvals to expand their Aromas campus from the San Benito County Planning Commission which will include 44,000 square feet across three buildings. [5]

History

After working at Stonelight Tile, Inc in San Jose, Paul Burns Jeff Alvord, Martin Zepeda, and Albert Batista created Fireclay Tile in San Jose in 1986. [2] [ better source needed ] [6] The following year Fireclay developed its own product line, called Colonia, which consisted of 4x4 and 6x6 tiles and corresponding trim pieces. In 1988 Fireclay began to manufacture their own lead-free glazes.

Using locally ubiquitous materials, Fireclay partnered with their Aromas factory neighbor, Granite Rock in 1997. Difficult to repurpose excess granite dust then became a key ingredient in the recycled clay body, which was launched in 1998. [7] Twelve years later in 2010, the introduction of Project Porcelain marked another key initiative in Fireclay's recycle waste into useful materials. Their latest innovation, the Cathode Ray Tube tile, was introduced in 2013, and released to the market in 2014. The project of converting CRT to tile expanded an already impressive recycling repertoire by inventing a way to utilize copious amounts of electronic refuse.

Environmental activism

A strong focus on keeping products and business within the US, close to the source of the materials, and crafted in an environmentally conscious, recycle-heavy manner helps Fireclay Tiles achieve LEED recognition. [8] All Fireclay Tile products contribute LEED points to any project. Additionally, Fireclay has inaugurated a new use for sawdust, using local sawdust refuse from a furniture factory as cushioning for tile. Although traveling long distances across the country (including HI and AK), sawdust has proved itself as an efficient and green alternative to non-recyclable packing peanuts. Fireclay ships (free to customer) with 100% recycled cardboard and reused crates, and to offset the inevitable carbon emissions from shipping, Fireclay Tile maintains an active partnership with Climate Neutral. [9]

Products

All materials are found and made in the United States, with the majority being locally derived. [10] Every tile is handmade to order in a California factory that employs vertical integration, this is the environmentally conscious process of recycling the factory's own rainwater, scraps, and homemade, lead-free glazes. [10] [11]

Ceramic tile

Fireclay markets two tiles, of white (Vitrail series) and red, recycled (Debris series) bodies. The Vitrail product line was launched in 1991, and includes dozens of colors today. While not made of recycled material, the clean white edges are preferable for certain projects, and the line still contributes LEED points to projects because Fireclay relies on American resources to manufacture Vitrail.

Debris product line has been in production since 1998; originally consisting of about half recycled content. [11] [12] However, since 2012 the Debris tile is made of 70% post-consumer recycled material. [13] [14] These materials induce products that were otherwise rendered useless, [15] or eyesores, like porcelain from abandoned toilets. [16] Due to the diversity and mixture of materials, the recycled tile body is actually more durable than most other types of tile, an unforeseen but happily embraced benefit.

Brick tile

Fireclay partnered with the oldest continually operating brick manufacturer in the United States (since 1868), McNear Brick and Block in 2012, which lead to the 2012 launch of the Glazed Thin Brick line. The collaboration has already resulted in an improved brick product; the material has progressed from being made with 30% recycled material to the 100% reclaimed earth bricks sold today. [17] [18] Brick is quite versatile, and can be used for interior and exterior applications and once glazed, [18] withstands graffiti and can be wiped clean with a little elbow grease. Additionally, 1% of all brick purchases from Fireclay support charities such as the Bay Area Discovery Museum, which promotes childhood engagement with creative discovery.

Glass tile

Since the 2010 purchase of Sandhill Industries of Boise, Idaho, another glass tile company, Fireclay has manufactured and sold 100% recycled glass, consisting of locally sourced windowpanes and solar panels. [19] [20] In early 2014, fireclaytile.com launched the “Crush-It Custom Blend Builder” tool to visually assist clients wanting mosaics by customizing different color, pattern, and grout combinations. [20]

CRT glass tile

A cornerstone innovation for Fireclay includes the 2013 Kickstarter project, "This Tile Used to be Your TV," in which Burns raised money to harvest old, glass monitors from Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) devices and mold them into glass. [21] Since the invention of LCD (liquid crystal display) screens, hundreds of tons of discarded CRT units have accumulated in landfills. [21] CRT is very hard to recycle, which is unfortunate given that nearly a billion pounds of various CRT devices exist in the USA alone, comprising nearly a third of all e-waste. [22] [ better source needed ] Fortunately, Fireclay found a way to reinvent CRT, and now offers CRT Tile in both matte and glossy sheens, in a color called Phosphorus.

The process of creating Phosphorus CRT Tile involves working with ECS refining, an electronic recycling company that responsibly finds ways to manage problems that accompany our constantly evolving technological world. ECS separates CRT monitor pieces and cleans the part that is lead-free (the panel). The panel is the only part that Fireclay can use in order to comply with requirements set by the Department of Toxic Substance Control. From there the glass is melted down, fired, and prepared for its second life.

Hand painted tile

The original 1993 line of cuerda seca patterns and color themes are a staple in the Fireclay catalog. [23] With more than 150 tile designs patterns to choose from, [23] dramatic old-world tiles are typically distinguished by three motifs: warm, cool, and neutral. If the pre-set color themes are not to taste, clients can use the “Color-It!” custom blend design tool on the website to choose exactly the colors and patterns desired for cuerda seca pieces. Various tile collections have been designed for limited release, this is sometimes alongside a designer. [24] [25] Suzanne Redfield, founder of Kibak Tile, has collaborated with Fireclay Tile to design collections of modern hand painted tile. [26]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathode-ray tube</span> Vacuum tube manipulated to display images on a phosphorescent screen

A cathode-ray tube (CRT) is a vacuum tube containing one or more electron guns, which emit electron beams that are manipulated to display images on a phosphorescent screen. The images may represent electrical waveforms (oscilloscope), pictures, radar targets, or other phenomena. A CRT on a television set is commonly called a picture tube. CRTs have also been used as memory devices, in which case the screen is not intended to be visible to an observer. The term cathode ray was used to describe electron beams when they were first discovered, before it was understood that what was emitted from the cathode was a beam of electrons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recycling</span> Converting waste materials into new products

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the properties it had in its original state. It is an alternative to "conventional" waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. It can also prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reducing energy use, air pollution and water pollution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tile</span> Manufactured piece of hard-wearing material

Tiles are usually thin, square or rectangular coverings manufactured from hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, baked clay, or even glass. They are generally fixed in place in an array to cover roofs, floors, walls, edges, or other objects such as tabletops. Alternatively, tile can sometimes refer to similar units made from lightweight materials such as perlite, wood, and mineral wool, typically used for wall and ceiling applications. In another sense, a tile is a construction tile or similar object, such as rectangular counters used in playing games. The word is derived from the French word tuile, which is, in turn, from the Latin word tegula, meaning a roof tile composed of fired clay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green building</span> Structures and processes of building structures that are more environmentally responsible

Green building refers to both a structure and the application of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from planning to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. This requires close cooperation of the contractor, the architects, the engineers, and the client at all project stages. The Green Building practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. Green building also refers to saving resources to the maximum extent, including energy saving, land saving, water saving, material saving, etc., during the whole life cycle of the building, protecting the environment and reducing pollution, providing people with healthy, comfortable and efficient use of space, and being in harmony with nature Buildings that live in harmony. Green building technology focuses on low consumption, high efficiency, economy, environmental protection, integration and optimization.’

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saggar</span> Type of kiln furniture

A saggar is a type of kiln furniture. It is a ceramic boxlike container used in the firing of pottery to enclose or protect ware being fired inside a kiln. The name may be a contraction of the word safeguard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mudéjar art</span> Art style in post-Islamic Spain

Mudéjar art, or Mudéjar style, was a type of ornamentation and decoration used in the Iberian Christian kingdoms, primarily between the 13th and 16th centuries. It was applied to Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance architectural styles as constructive, ornamental and decorative motifs derived from those that had been brought to or developed in Al-Andalus. These motifs and techniques were also present in the art and crafts, especially Hispano-Moresque lustreware that was once widely exported across Europe from southern and eastern Spain at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tessera</span> Individual tile used in a mosaic

A tessera is an individual tile, usually formed in the shape of a square, used in creating a mosaic. It is also known as an abaciscus or abaculus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dimension stone</span> Natural stone that has been finished to specific sizes and shapes

Dimension stone is natural stone or rock that has been selected and finished to specific sizes or shapes. Color, texture and pattern, and surface finish of the stone are also normal requirements. Another important selection criterion is durability: the time measure of the ability of dimension stone to endure and to maintain its essential and distinctive characteristics of strength, resistance to decay, and appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glass recycling</span> Processing of waste glass into usable products

Glass recycling is the processing of waste glass into usable products. Glass that is crushed or imploded and ready to be remelted is called cullet. There are two types of cullet: internal and external. Internal cullet is composed of defective products detected and rejected by a quality control process during the industrial process of glass manufacturing, transition phases of product changes and production offcuts. External cullet is waste glass that has been collected or reprocessed with the purpose of recycling. External cullet is classified as waste. The word "cullet", when used in the context of end-of-waste, will always refer to external cullet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Countertop</span> Horizontal work surface

A countertop, also counter top, counter, benchtop, worktop or kitchen bench, bunker is a raised, firm, flat, and horizontal surface. They are built for work in kitchens or other food preparation areas, bathrooms or lavatories, and workrooms in general. The surface is frequently installed upon and supported by cabinets, positioned at an ergonomic height for the user and the particular task for which it is designed. A countertop may be constructed of various materials with different attributes of functionality, durability and aesthetics, and may have built-in appliances, or accessory items relative to the intended application.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ceramic glaze</span> Fused coating on ceramic objects

Ceramic glaze, or simply glaze, is a glassy coating on ceramics. It is used for decoration, to ensure the item is impermeable to liquids and to minimise the adherence of pollutants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uranium tile</span> Ceramics containing uranium oxide

Uranium tiles have been used in the ceramics industry for many centuries, as uranium oxide makes an excellent ceramic glaze, and is reasonably abundant. In addition to its medical usage, radium was used in the 1920s and 1930s for making watch, clock and aircraft dials. Because it takes approximately three metric tons of uranium to extract 1 gram of radium, prodigious quantities of uranium were mined to sustain this new industry. The uranium ore itself was considered a waste product and taking advantage of this newly abundant resource, the tile and pottery industry had a relatively inexpensive and abundant source of glazing material. Vibrant colors of orange, yellow, red, green, blue, black, mauve, etc. were produced, and some 25% of all houses and apartments constructed during that period used bathroom or kitchen tiles that had been glazed with uranium. These can now be detected by a Geiger counter that detects the beta radiation emitted by uranium's decay chain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demolition waste</span> Waste debris from destruction of buildings, roads, bridges, or other structures

Demolition waste is waste debris from destruction of buildings, roads, bridges, or other structures. Debris varies in composition, but the major components, by weight, in the US include concrete, wood products, asphalt shingles, brick and clay tile, steel, and drywall. There is the potential to recycle many elements of demolition waste.

Green building on college campuses is the purposeful construction of buildings on college campuses that decreases resource usage in both the building process and also the future use of the building. The goal is to reduce CO2 emissions, energy use, and water use, while creating an atmosphere where students can be healthy and learn.

Recycling can be carried out on various raw materials. Recycling is an important part of creating more sustainable economies, reducing the cost and environmental impact of raw materials. Not all materials are easily recycled, and processing recyclable into the correct waste stream requires considerable energy. Some particular manufactured goods are not easily separated, unless specially process therefore have unique product-based recycling processes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helios House</span> Gasoline service station in Los Angeles, United States

The Helios House is a gas station in Los Angeles, California, United States, located on Olympic Boulevard. It is designed as a green station with special features and is considered to be the "station of the future." It is the first gas station in the world ever to be submitted for LEED certification.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Structural clay tile</span> Class of building block

Structural clay tile describes a category of burned-clay building materials used to construct roofing, walls, and flooring for structural and non-structural purposes, especially in fireproofing applications. Also called building tile, structural terra cotta, hollow tile, saltillo tile, and clay block, the material is an extruded clay shape with substantial depth that allows it to be laid in the same manner as other clay or concrete masonry. In North America it was chiefly used during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reaching peak popularity at the turn of the century and declining around the 1950s. Structural clay tile grew in popularity in the end of the nineteenth-century because it could be constructed faster, was lighter, and required simpler flat falsework than earlier brick vaulting construction. Each unit is generally made of clay or terra-cotta with hollow cavities, or cells, inside it. The colors of terracotta transform from gray to orange, red, yellow, and cream tones. This is due to an effect of the firing process which hardens the clay so it can be used for structural purposes. The material is commonly used in floor arches, fireproofing, partition walls, and furring. It continues to be used in Europe to build fire-resistant walls and partitions. In North America the material has largely been replaced by concrete masonry units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malibu tile</span>

Malibu tile is a type of ceramic tile that takes its inspiration from the tiles that were produced at Malibu Potteries in Malibu, California, during the latter half of the 1920s. These tiles reflect a style of design that is referred to as Hispano-Moresque or Arabesque exhibiting bright contrasting glaze colors often in geometric patterns that are reminiscent of tiles produced many centuries ago in the Near and Middle East, North Africa and southern Spain. The Adamson House in Malibu, California, now the Malibu Lagoon Museum, contains the largest and most varied display of Malibu Potteries tile. The Adamson House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 and became a California Historical Landmark in 1985.

Laser-powered phosphor display (LPD) is a large-format display technology similar to the cathode ray tube (CRT). Prysm, Inc., a video wall designer and manufacturer in Silicon Valley, California, invented and patented the LPD technology. The key components of the LPD technology are its TD2 tiles, its image processor, and its backing frame that supports LPD tile arrays. The company unveiled the LPD in January 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muradiye Mosque, Edirne</span>

The Muradiye Mosque is a 15th-century Ottoman mosque in Edirne, Turkey. The building is noted for the tiles that decorate the mihrab and the walls of the prayer hall.

References

  1. ↑ Green, Jetson (2013-08-12). "Custom Color Sustainable Ceramic Tile Now Available from Fireclay Tile". Jetson Green. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  2. 1 2 "News: A Fond Farewell to our San Jose…". 2020-12-22. Retrieved 2020-12-24. In 1985 I left the employment of Stonelight Tile, which was the company that my uncle founded in his basement in Berkeley in 1953. The following year, I recruited Jeff Alvord (a college bio-engineering roommate), Martin Zepeda and Albert Batista (both employees at Stonelight Tile) as my partners in founding Fireclay Tile.
  3. ↑ "Fireclay Tile". California Green Business Network. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  4. ↑ Lee, Anh-Minh. "Fireclay Tile Opens S.F. Flagship" San Francisco Gate, April 4, 2014.
  5. ↑ Pearson, Andrew (July 18, 2020). "SBC Planning Commission approves Fireclay Tile expansion". BenitoLink.
  6. ↑ Baxter, Steven. "San Jose Tile Maker Reclaims Porcelain Destined for Landfill" San Jose Mercury News, September 30, 2010.
  7. ↑ Aleida, Kevin. "Stories of Sustainability: Fireclay Tile" Thread Collaborative, December 2, 2009.
  8. ↑ "Building Product Disclosure and Optimization-Sourcing of Raw Materials" United States Green Building Council, Leaders in Energy and Environmental Design, accessed August 12, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Fireclay Tile, A Climate Neutral Certified Brand". Climate Neutral. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  10. 1 2 Green, Jetson (2013-08-12). "Custom Color Sustainable Ceramic Tile Now Available from Fireclay Tile". Jetson Green. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  11. 1 2 Wilson, Alex; Piepkorn, Mark (2008-01-01). Green Building Products, 3rd Edition: The GreenSpec¨ Guide to Residential Building Materials--3rd Edition. New Society Publishers. p. 173. ISBN   978-0-86571-600-1.
  12. ↑ Chiras, Dan. "Environmentally-Friendly Recycled Tile" Mother Earth News, February/March 2009.
  13. ↑ "Meet the Maker: Paul Burns". Apartment Therapy. June 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  14. ↑ Green, Jetson (2012-10-18). "Fireclay Intros Runway Collection Eco-Tile". Jetson Green. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  15. ↑ Royer, Evelyn. "Full Circle" EcoBuilding Pulse, August 30, 2010.
  16. ↑ Kernan, Holly. "Trash to Treasure: From Toilets to Tiles" The Picture Show, November 2010.
  17. ↑ "Glazed Thin Brick, by Fireclay Tile" DwellSmart.
  18. 1 2 Yoneda, Yuka (2012-04-04). "Fireclay's Glazed Thin Brick Tiles Can Earn Your Project LEED Credits". Inhabitat. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  19. ↑ Needleman, Sarah. "Building Blocks" The Wall Street Journal , July 27, 2011.
  20. 1 2 Henderson, Tagg (2011-05-17). "Fireclay Tile debuts a 100% recycled glass tile". Contemporary Stone & Tile Design Magazine. BNP Media. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  21. 1 2 Meinhold, Bridgette (2013-11-19). "Fireclay Tile Turns Old CRT TVs & Monitors into Stunning Recycled Glass Tiles". Inhabitat. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  22. ↑ "Introducing CRT, made from 100% Recycled e-waste," 2014.
  23. 1 2 "Custom Cuerda Seca, Fireclay Tile". Architect magazine. July 22, 2013. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  24. ↑ "New from Fireclay: The Agrarian Recycled Tile Collection". Remodelista. 2017-06-15. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  25. ↑ "10 Easy Pieces: Handmade Patterned Tiles". Remodelista. 2015-03-11. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  26. ↑ Davies, Tudor (July 28, 2014). "Designer Insights with Susanne Redfield". Terrys Blinds. Archived from the original on 2014-08-08.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.