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Ceramic Tiles for walls and flooring have been in use since the Renaissance. They are durable and resistant to fire, frost, stains and moisture. Surprisingly a ceramic tile is just processed clay which has been formed, glazed and baked. The basic manufacturing process remains unchanged over the centuries but has been refined and advanced for mass production of a superior product.
Today ceramic tiles are manufactured by a process known as dry pressing or dust pressing. A base of clay is mixed with sand, quartz, feldspar and water and ground into a ball which is known as a ‘body slip’, which forms the essence of the tile without its glazed topping. The body slip which contains 30% water is placed in a dryer where the water content is reduced to 6% which reduces it to powder or dust. The powder is put into molds and subjected to immense pressure in a press to form the body of the tiles. The tiles are then glazed and colored with pigments, using a variety of surface finishes for a matte or high-gloss appearance. At this stage the tile is known as a ‘green tile’. The tiles are then placed in a kiln where they are fired at temperatures going up to 2,500°F. The process of firing is what gives the tile its strength.
Monocottura firing or ‘fired once’ is what gives the tile the strength to be used as flooring. For a variety of colors and patterns the tile will have to be Bicottura fired, that is, fired twice or more often as required. The tile is now ready for finishing and packing.
