The beveled edges of Zellige tiles allow for extremely narrow and tight grout joints, which lets you create the oh-so desirable, artisan handmade look. The most prominent difference between Zellige and other clay tiles lies in the beveled edges.

What is the visual difference between Zellige tile and conventional clay tile? The same effect is just not achievable with non-lead glazes. The “advantage” of lead-based glazes is the shimmering, high gloss finish it gives the tile. The use of lead-based glazes is prohibited in Mexico, for the well-being of those who create our decorative tile and pottery. Many Moroccan glaze compositions are lead-based, which can be detrimental to the tile makers. Zellige Noir Black-Backsplash design by Samantha Packham of Zebedee Designsīut there's another important reason to start making another type of Zellige tile in Mexico: LEAD. That is before Clay Imports developed an understanding of how Zellige tiles are glazed. Ceramic glaze is an impervious layer or coating of a vitreous substance that has been fused to a ceramic body through firing ( thank you, Wikipedia, for breaking that down so simply). The main difference between Saltillo and Zellige tile is glazing. We also found a similar sense of pride and admiration of the Mexican ladrilleros and Moroccan maâlems for their historical craft and how it connects them to the earth. Look at how similar the firing pits look! Artisans hand stack the tiles in the simple kilns and then fire. Then hand-shaped, dried, and lastly kiln-fired. Similar to crafting Saltillo, Zellige tiles are made of clay mixed with water. It was the much more simple and unrefined Saltillo tile-making process. Surprisingly, it wasn't the glazing techniques that coincided. We encountered countless similarities between tile making in Mexico and Morocco. We were intrigued with the techniques Moroccan artisans passed down from generation to generation. Where and how is Clay Imports Zellige tile made?Ĭlay Imports Product Developers visited several Zellige-making workshops around the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Fez in Morocco. Zellige derives from the word for “faience, ornamental tile”: زايج. The imperfect charm, unconventional finish and unique installation techniques make this product stand out. Designers worldwide have named handmade Zellige tile as one of the trendiest tile right now.

Best grout for zellige tiles