Saltillo tiles are produced exclusively in the town of Saltillo, Mexico and in the same way that sparkling wines can only be called Champagne if they are from the Champagne region of France, sun-dried terracotta tiles can only truly be called Saltillo if they were Produced in Saltillo. These tiles are molded by hand from natural local clay and then dried in the sun. Later they are baked in an oven. Meaning “scorched earth” in Italian, terracotta can refer to any type of natural clay that is shaped into tiles, dried, and then fired in a kiln. Saltillo tiles typically contain Lime Pops that become exposed over time and are frequently absent from Italian clays. Additionally, Italian, French, and Spanish terracotta can often be more durable due to its extruded manufacturing process.

Terracotta tiles are efficiently made in one of two ways: extruded (machine-made) or hand-made. Both methods will give good customer service as long as the material is installed correctly and the expectations of the end user correspond to the intended use of the product. The main advantage of machine-made extruded terracotta is that the clay is compressed and trimmed to the proper size, producing a strong, solid final product. If we compare this to the process of making a snowball, the more we push the snow, the more we compress it, the harder and stronger our snowball becomes. The less we compress it, the more likely our snowball will break. The machine’s compression process allows less clay to be used during production, which can reduce material and shipping costs. Compression and then firing of the material creates a strong, durable tile that should withstand the daily wear and tear of most consumers.

A handmade material, such as Saltillo, usually requires much more clay during the production process and is made in a similar way to how children make mud pies. The artisans pack the clay into wooden or ceramic frames that define the size of each tile. As the size of the tile increases, the thickness of the material must also increase to maintain the integrity of each tile. An example is that a 12″ x 12″ handcrafted material may need a thickness of approximately ¾”. As the tile size increases to 16″ x 16″, the thickness of the material should increase to a minimum of approximately 1″ to prevent the tile from crumbling or breaking during the installation process. The added clay required in the handmade process typically increases material and shipping costs.

When a handmade clay tile is fired at a high temperature, the heat drives moisture out of the clay, causing several results that must be considered during the selection process. There are small air pockets in the tile where moisture was present before firing, making the product very porous. This porosity means that this type of terracotta is a poor choice for an exterior application in a colder climate where freeze/thaw conditions exist. Also, the tiles bow frequently during firing. The larger the tile, the more exaggerated and pronounced the curl will be during the firing process. The additional thickness of the material and slope (which increases the absolute thickness) must be taken into account when trying to blend the materials with the existing floors. Handcrafted material also typically requires a thicker mortar bed during the installation process, which can further complicate floor thickness challenges. In other words, will the added thickness of the terracotta and installation material allow it to sit next to existing flooring or carpet without excessive trim?

In the end, handmade or extruded terracotta or Saltillo will hold up well if installed correctly and I have seen many installations hold up for over 50 years. The key to a successful project is the selection of quality terra cotta or Saltillo, proper substrate preparation, use of proper materials and installation methods for installation, and completed by a licensed tile contractor who is familiar with this type. of facilities.