Living with Tile - Tile Types

Bicottura Tile: A tile that is fired twice; once to form the bisque and a second time to fuse the glaze to the bisque.

Extruded Tile: Tile created by forcing a clay mixture through a die, resulting in a continuous ribbon of clay that is then cut into tiles and then kiln fired.

Glass Tile: Cast or fused tiles made from .

Glazed Porcelain Tile: High fired clay that was been manufactured by the dust-press method with a layer of color pressed onto a neutral color base. A vitreous material that is normally rated for high traffic areas acceptable for both interior and exterior applications.

Granite Tile: Cut from blocks of hard, crystalline, igneous rock formed when various minerals such as feldspar and quartz are fused by extreme heat. Often available with polished and honed finishes.

Limestone Tile: Cut from blocks of stone that are formed from the sedimentary process, underground and underwater, comprised mainly of calcium and deposits of shell and bone. Often available with honed and polished finishes.

Metal Tile: Tile made of metal products or sometimes resin tiles coated with a metallic finish.

Monocottura Tile: A tile that the clay and the glaze are fired simultaneously.

Mosaic Mural: A field of tiles created from numerous smaller tiles which are set to form a picture or pattern.

Mosaic Tile: Stone, porcelain, glass, metal, or ceramic tiles that are typically less than 3x3”.

Non-vitreous Tile: Low fired tile that can absorb up to and greater than 7 percent of its weight in water. Typically used in interior applications only.

Porcelain Tile: High fired white clay that was been manufactured by the dust-press method. A vitreous material that is normally rated for high traffic areas acceptable for both interior and exterior applications.

Quarry Tile: Extruded thru-body vitreous or semi-vitreous floor tile.

Saltillo Tile: Typically handmade clay tiles that are dried in the sun.

Semi Vitreous Tile: High fired clay tile with absorption between 3 and 7 percent.

Slate Tile: Cut from rock composed of shale and clay. Normally supplied with a flat , honed finish or left in a “natural cleft” finish.

Thru Body Porcelain Tile: High fired clay that was been manufactured by the dust-press method with a continuous color consistency through the body of the tile. A vitreous material that is normally rated for high traffic areas acceptable for both interior and exterior applications.

Travertine Tile: Cut from limestone blocks that formed near natural springs that cause its characteristic “pitted” surface. “Pitted” holes can be filled with resins or grout or left natural and “unfilled”.

Vitreous Tile: Extremely high fired tile that absorbs 0.5 to 3 percent of its weight in water. Acceptable for exterior applications in a freeze-thaw environment.