Tile clay questions.
 

I am planning on making tile. I have some ^06 clay but I am not sure
if it's the right type of clay. What kind of clay would be best for
floor tile ? Can the same clay be used for countertop tile ?

I would never use 06 (low fire clay) for floor tiles or counter tops. Of
course I have absolutely no empirical data to back that up with... In my
mind the low fire clay is too porous and will be destroyed under foot
traffic. You want to use a stoneware clay 6 -10. I believe the clay should
go through the vitrification process you find in high(er) fired clay. Am
interested in knowing if I am completely off track. Thanks. Steve in
Tampa, Florida


"DK666" wrote in message
...
I am planning on making tile. I have some ^06 clay but I am not sure
if it's the right type of clay. What kind of clay would be best for
floor tile ? Can the same clay be used for countertop tile ?

No, Steve, you are right on the money. You should only use highfire clay
that has been vitrified for things that will encounter water/liquids.
Here, lots of high-end condos used what is known as "saltillo" Mexican tile.
You've seen it, it has the chicken tracks and dog prints running through it.
Basically it is made from sun-dried mud. Well, they started washing these
floors
and guess what happened? Staining. decomposition, awful messes. So they
then hired cleaners to machine scrub and seal the floors, and the cleaners
thought
they could be slick and acid-wash the stains away. What they are doing now
is
replacing all the tiles. Nightmares, lawsuits for years...it's just NOT
worth it.
Don't go with low-fired clay, DK666.

Best,
Wayne in Key West

"Mud Dawg" wrote in message
. ..
I would never use 06 (low fire clay) for floor tiles or counter tops. Of
course I have absolutely no empirical data to back that up with... In my
mind the low fire clay is too porous and will be destroyed under foot
traffic. You want to use a stoneware clay 6 -10. I believe the clay
should
go through the vitrification process you find in high(er) fired clay. Am
interested in knowing if I am completely off track. Thanks. Steve in
Tampa, Florida


"DK666" wrote in message
...
I am planning on making tile. I have some ^06 clay but I am not sure
if it's the right type of clay. What kind of clay would be best for
floor tile ? Can the same clay be used for countertop tile ?

i second or third that recomendation for NOT using cone 05/06 for floor tile.
although they do sell teracotta tile in the tile stores, around 05/06 - mainly
because it's cheap and they'll certainly be selling tile again...

i think the production floor tile - the good stuff - is cone 6. i have made
cone 10 tile and "glazed brick stones" that i've been walking on in the
backyard for 8 years - but we don't get any frost or snow here...

see ya

steve


Subject: Tile clay questions.
From: "wayneinkeywest"
Date: 9/18/2003 7:17 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

No, Steve, you are right on the money. You should only use highfire clay
that has been vitrified for things that will encounter water/liquids.
Here, lots of high-end condos used what is known as "saltillo" Mexican tile.
You've seen it, it has the chicken tracks and dog prints running through it.
Basically it is made from sun-dried mud. Well, they started washing these
floors
and guess what happened? Staining. decomposition, awful messes. So they
then hired cleaners to machine scrub and seal the floors, and the cleaners
thought
they could be slick and acid-wash the stains away. What they are doing now
is
replacing all the tiles. Nightmares, lawsuits for years...it's just NOT
worth it.
Don't go with low-fired clay, DK666.

Best,
Wayne in Key West

"Mud Dawg" wrote in message
...
I would never use 06 (low fire clay) for floor tiles or counter tops. Of
course I have absolutely no empirical data to back that up with... In my
mind the low fire clay is too porous and will be destroyed under foot
traffic. You want to use a stoneware clay 6 -10. I believe the clay
should
go through the vitrification process you find in high(er) fired clay. Am
interested in knowing if I am completely off track. Thanks. Steve in
Tampa, Florida


"DK666" wrote in message
...
I am planning on making tile. I have some ^06 clay but I am not sure
if it's the right type of clay. What kind of clay would be best for
floor tile ? Can the same clay be used for countertop tile ?













steve graber

saltillo tile is low-fired. they use a cave for a kiln, and light off tires
for the heat. the name comes from the saltillo region of mexico.

http://www.icsmag.com/CDA/ArticleInf...,96808,00.html

regards,
charlie
cave creek, az

"wayneinkeywest" wrote in message
...
No, Steve, you are right on the money. You should only use highfire clay
that has been vitrified for things that will encounter water/liquids.
Here, lots of high-end condos used what is known as "saltillo" Mexican
tile.
You've seen it, it has the chicken tracks and dog prints running through
it.
Basically it is made from sun-dried mud. Well, they started washing these
floors
and guess what happened? Staining. decomposition, awful messes. So they
then hired cleaners to machine scrub and seal the floors, and the cleaners
thought
they could be slick and acid-wash the stains away. What they are doing
now
is
replacing all the tiles. Nightmares, lawsuits for years...it's just NOT
worth it.
Don't go with low-fired clay, DK666.

Best,
Wayne in Key West

"Mud Dawg" wrote in message
. ..
I would never use 06 (low fire clay) for floor tiles or counter tops.
Of
course I have absolutely no empirical data to back that up with... In
my
mind the low fire clay is too porous and will be destroyed under foot
traffic. You want to use a stoneware clay 6 -10. I believe the clay
should
go through the vitrification process you find in high(er) fired clay.
Am
interested in knowing if I am completely off track. Thanks. Steve in
Tampa, Florida


"DK666" wrote in message
...
I am planning on making tile. I have some ^06 clay but I am not sure
if it's the right type of clay. What kind of clay would be best for
floor tile ? Can the same clay be used for countertop tile ?