Saltillo tile is a type of

terracotta Terracotta, terra cotta, or terra-cotta (; ; ), in its material sense as an earthenware substrate, is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic where the fired body is porous. In applied art, craft, construction, and architecture, terracotta i ...

tile Tiles are usually thin, square or rectangular coverings manufactured from hard-wearing material such as ceramic, Rock (geology), stone, metal, baked clay, or even glass. They are generally fixed in place in an array to cover roofs, floors, wa ...

that originates in

Saltillo Saltillo () is the capital and largest city of the northeastern Mexican state of Coahuila and is also the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name. Mexico City, Monterrey, and Saltillo are all connected by a major railroad and highwa ...

Coahuila Coahuila (), formally Coahuila de Zaragoza (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila de Zaragoza ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza), is one of the 32 states of Mexico. Coahuila borders the Mexican states of N ...

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

. It is one of the two most famous products of the city, the other being multicolored woven ''

sarape The serape or jorongo is a long blanket-like shawl/ cloak, often brightly colored and fringed at the ends, worn in Mexico, especially by men. The spelling of the word sarape (or zarape) is the accepted form in Mexico and in other Spanish-s ...

s'' 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

originals.

Description

Saltillo tiles vary in color and shape, but the majority of Traditional Saltillo tiles range in varying hues of reds, oranges, and yellows. Manganese Saltillo tile has light and dark brown colors with some terracotta tones. Antique Saltillo 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. Tiles are shaped either by pressing quarried

clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay part ...

with a wooden frame (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. 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.

Installation and sealing

Saltillo tile is highly

porous Porosity or void fraction is a measure of the void (i.e. "empty") spaces in a material, and is a fraction of the volume of voids over the total volume, between 0 and 1, or as a percentage between 0% and 100%. Strictly speaking, some tests measure ...

, 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 Grout is a dense fluid which hardens to fill gaps or used 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 sec ...

grease pencil The grease pencil, a wax writing tool also known as a wax pencil, china marker, or chinagraph pencil (especially in the United Kingdom), is a writing implement made of hardened colored wax and is useful for marking on hard, glossy non-porous sur ...

s, 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 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 ''caulking'' and also serve the purposes of blocking dust, sou ...

. 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-yourself "Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and se ...

ers. 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. 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

prior to grouting (as mentioned earlier), applying an admixture of

linseed oil Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil or flax oil (in its edible form), is a colourless to yellowish oil obtained from the dried, ripened seeds of the flax plant (''Linum usitatissimum''). The oil is obtained by Expeller pressing, pressing, some ...

and

paint thinner A paint thinner is a solvent used to thin oil-based paints. Solvents labeled "paint thinner" are usually mineral spirits having a flash point at about 40 °C (104 °F), the same as some popular brands of charcoal starter. Common sol ...

, applying natural stone color enhancers, applying floor hardeners, applying shine, painting them with a water-based

paint Paint is any pigmented liquid, liquefiable, or solid mastic composition that, after application to a substrate in a thin layer, converts to a solid film. It is most commonly used to protect, color, or provide texture. Paint can be made in many ...

, coating them with

wood stain Wood stain is a type of paint used to colour wood and consists of colourants dissolved and/or suspended in a 'vehicle' or solvent. Vehicle is the preferred term, as the contents of a stain may not be truly dissolved in the vehicle, but rather ...

, 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 Polyurethane (; often abbreviated PUR and PU) refers to a class of polymers composed of organic chemistry, organic units joined by carbamate (urethane) links. In contrast to other common polymers such as polyethylene and polystyrene, polyurethan ...

makes an excellent coating for adding slip resistance, beautiful appearance, and protection from penetrating stains. Look for a polyurethane coating that has no

VOCs Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that have a high vapour pressure at room temperature. High vapor pressure correlates with a low boiling point, which relates to the number of the sample's molecules in the surrounding air, a ...

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 Acrylic may refer to: Chemicals and materials * Acrylic acid, the simplest acrylic compound * Acrylate polymer, a group of polymers (plastics) noted for transparency and elasticity * Acrylic resin, a group of related thermoplastic or thermosett ...

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.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saltillo Tile Pavements Floors Masonry Building materials Terracotta Saltillo