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Saltillo tile is a type of terracotta tile that originates in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico. [1] It is one of the two most famous products of the city, the other being multicolored woven sarapes typical of the region. Saltillo-type tiles are now manufactured at many places in Mexico, and high-fire "Saltillo look" tiles, many from Italy, compete with the terracotta originals. [2]
Saltillo tiles vary in color and shape, but the majority of Traditional Saltillo tiles range in varying hues of reds, oranges, and yellows. [3] Manganese Saltillo tile has light and dark brown colors with some terracotta tones. Antique Saltillo [4] tile is a hand-textured finished with deep terracotta tones of color. With its textured surface, Antique Saltillo tile is ideal for areas that need a non-slip surface. Spanish Mission Red Saltillo tile is similar to Traditional Saltillo tile, except it doesn't have as many of the light cream and golden colors.
Saltillo tile flooring can be found in many shapes and sizes. [5] Tiles are shaped either by pressing quarried clay with a wooden frame [6] (super), or carving out the desired shape (regular). Depending on the raw tile's placement among other tiles at the time of firing, its color ranges from yellow to a rich orange. [7]
Rustic characteristics found in handmade Saltillo tile include bumps, chips, lime pops, color striping, color variations, size variations, thickness variations, concave back, fingerprints, irregular markings and smudges. These rustic characteristics lend to the appeal of rustic style flooring. [8]
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Saltillo tile is highly porous, and soaks in liquid easily. Unlike most ceramic tile, there is no glaze on the top surface of the tile. It is difficult to install as it absorbs water from the thin-set mortar, grout, grease pencils, etc. Once placed, it stains and scuffs easily if not properly sealed and maintained with a quality sealant. Saltillo is a poor choice for outdoor installation in freeze-thaw climates, although a popular choice in warmer climates. During installation, the tiles should be handled carefully to avoid stains that can even occur from body oils on the installer's hands. To avoid stain issues, consider sourcing presealed Saltillo tile vs. raw clay tile. The process of installing presealed tiles is simpler and less costly for the overall project.
Preferred methods for installation invariably relate to its propensity for soaking in liquid. One method involves soaking the tile in water, setting the tile with thin-set mortar, grouting, then sealing both the Saltillo and the grout with a quality surface sealant. However, using this method may cause the grout to stick to the surface of the Saltillo tile, making it impossible to remove. This method is not recommended for do-it-yourselfers.
A penetrating sealant will maintain the natural look of the tile. You should periodically test the seal by putting a few drops of water on the tile in various places. If the water is absorbed, then another coat of sealant should be applied.
Other surface sealants may give the tile a shiny appearance. As the tile loses its shine, another coat is applied on top of the old sealant. If the finish becomes too worn or uneven, it can be stripped and a new coat applied. However, this option is very labor-intensive. [9]
Additionally, another coat of sealant can be used on both the Saltillo tile and grout. A professional with experience in Saltillo will charge $2.50 to $6.00 per square foot for installation, depending on your locale.
Treatments for Saltillo include: coating them with a surface sealant prior to grouting (as mentioned earlier), applying an admixture of linseed oil and paint thinner, applying natural stone color enhancers, applying floor hardeners, applying shine, painting them with a water-based paint, coating them with wood stain, etc. As the tile is incredibly porous it will readily absorb just about any liquid. Please note any of these treatments may be used on the tile, however, some of them such as penetrating sealant, enhancers or linseed oil treatments penetrate into the tile and may affect the ability of later coatings to adhere to the tile. Ultra-durable, water-based polyurethane makes an excellent coating for adding slip resistance, beautiful appearance, and protection from penetrating stains. Look for a polyurethane coating that has no VOCs for maximum environmental friendliness.
Saltillo tile may be sealed with a penetrating sealant or a film forming sealant (coating). A film forming sealant will leave a film on the surface of the tile. With multiple coats, the film will build an even protective film and gloss that may repel water, oil, grease, and efflorescence. A quality acrylic sealant should be used as it will be easy to apply, non-yellowing and long-lasting. A quality acrylic floor polish can be applied over the sealed surface for added abrasion and wear protection.
The finished sealed floor should be maintained for best results. For routine cleaning use a neutral cleaner to damp mop the floor (never flood the sealed floor with water). Reapply the polish if areas begin to show wear over time. Maintaining the sealant/polish will greatly extend the life of the sealant and minimize repair needs.
Paint is a liquid pigment that, after applied to a solid material and allowed to dry, adds a film-like layer. As art, this is used to create an image, known as a painting. Paint can be made in many colors and types. Most paints are either oil-based or water-based, and each has distinct characteristics.
Terracotta, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta, is a term used in some contexts for earthenware. It is a clay-based non-vitreous ceramic, fired at relatively low temperatures.
Flooring is the general term for a permanent covering of a floor, or for the work of installing such a floor covering. Floor covering is a term to generically describe any finish material applied over a floor structure to provide a walking surface. Both terms are used interchangeably but floor covering refers more to loose-laid materials.
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.
Grout is a dense fluid that hardens used to fill gaps or as reinforcement in existing structures. Grout is generally a mixture of water, cement, and sand, and is employed in pressure grouting, embedding rebar in masonry walls, connecting sections of precast concrete, filling voids, and sealing joints such as those between tiles. Common uses for grout in the household include filling in tiles of shower floors and kitchen tiles. It is often color tinted when it has to be kept visible and sometimes includes fine gravel when being used to fill large spaces. Unlike other structural pastes such as plaster or joint compound, correctly mixed and applied grout forms a water-resistant seal.
A trowel is a small hand tool used for digging, applying, smoothing, or moving small amounts of viscous or particulate material. Common varieties include the masonry trowel, garden trowel, and float trowel.
Laminate flooring is a multi-layer synthetic flooring product fused together with a lamination process. Laminate flooring simulates wood with a photographic appliqué layer under a clear protective layer. The inner core layer is usually composed of melamine resin and fiber board materials. There is a European Standard No. EN 13329:2000 specifying laminate floor covering requirements and testing methods.
Wood stain is a type of paint used to colour wood comprising colourants dissolved and/or suspended in a vehicle or solvent. Pigments and/or dyes are largely used as colourants in most stains.
Wood finishing refers to the process of refining or protecting a wooden surface, especially in the production of furniture where typically it represents between 5 and 30% of manufacturing costs.
Sealant is a substance used to block the passage of fluids through openings in materials, a type of mechanical seal. In building construction sealant is sometimes synonymous with caulk and also serve the purposes of blocking dust, sound and heat transmission. Sealants may be weak or strong, flexible or rigid, permanent or temporary. Sealants are not adhesives but some have adhesive qualities and are called adhesive-sealants or structural sealants.
Porcelain tiles or ceramic tiles are either tiles made of porcelain, or relatively tough ceramic tiles made with a variety of materials and methods, that are suitable for use as floor tiles, or for walls. They have a low water absorption rate, generally less than 0.5 percent. The clay used to build porcelain tiles is generally denser than ceramic tiles. They can either be glazed or unglazed. Porcelain tiles are one type of vitrified tiles and are sometimes referred to as porcelain vitrified tiles.
Architectural terracotta refers to a fired mixture of clay and water that can be used in a non-structural, semi-structural, or structural capacity on the exterior or interior of a building. Terracotta pottery, as earthenware is called when not used for vessels, is an ancient building material that translates from Latin as "baked earth". Some architectural terracotta is actually stronger than stoneware. It can be unglazed, painted, slip glazed, or glazed. A piece of terracotta is composed of a hollow clay web enclosing a void space or cell. The cell can be installed in compression with mortar or hung with metal anchors; such cells are often partially backfilled with mortar.
Damp proofing in construction is a type of moisture control applied to building walls and floors to prevent moisture from passing into the interior spaces. Dampness problems are among the most frequent problems encountered in residences.
An earthen floor, also called an adobe floor, is a floor made of dirt, raw earth, or other unworked ground materials. It is usually constructed, in modern times, with a mixture of sand, finely chopped straw and clay, mixed to a thickened consistency and spread with a trowel on a sub-surface such as concrete. Once dry, it is then usually saturated with several treatments of a drying oil.
Decorative concrete is the use of concrete as not simply a utilitarian medium for construction but as an aesthetic enhancement to a structure, while still serving its function as an integral part of the building itself such as floors, walls, driveways, and patios.
Stone sealing is the application of a surface treatment to products constructed of natural stone to retard staining and corrosion. All bulk natural stone is riddled with interconnected capillary channels that permit penetration by liquids and gases. This is true for igneous rock types such as granite and basalt, metamorphic rocks such as marble and slate, and sedimentary rocks such as limestone, travertine, and sandstone. These porous channels act like a sponge, and capillary action draws in liquids over time, along with any dissolved salts and other solutes. Very porous stone, such as sandstone absorb liquids relatively quickly, while denser igneous stones such as granite are significantly less porous; they absorb smaller volumes, and more slowly, especially when absorbing viscous liquids.
Quarry tile is a building material, usually 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 inch thick, made by either the extrusion process or more commonly by press forming and firing natural clay or shales. Quarry tile is manufactured from clay in a manner similar to bricks. It is shaped from clay, and fired at a high temperature, about 2,000 °F (1,000 °C).
Floor cleaning is a major occupation throughout the world. The main job of most cleaners is to clean floors.
Polished concrete is a multi-step process where a concrete floor is mechanically ground, honed and polished with bonded abrasives in order to cut a concrete floor's surface. It is then refined with each cut in order to achieve a specified level of appearance.
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.