How cement tiles are made

The process for creating cement tile is both elaborate and simple. Simple because there are few ingredients and little equipment needed. The tiles are not fired or glazed and they air cure. The complex part involves the training necessary to make the tile, and the level of intricacy of the design.

First a mold is created, which, depending on the pattern, could be simple or very intricate.Preexisting molds are antique or modern. The customer can also create a custom design.

To make a tile mold, an artist draws the individual design that will be created, keeping in mind the overall pattern.  From that drawing, an artisan metalworker produces a single tin or copper mold.  It depends on how elaborate the design, but according to tile manufacturer Jorge Aguayo, vice president of Aguayo Tiles in the Dominican Republic, says, "A design with a medium degree of difficulty usually takes about three weeks to make.” 

Once the mold is ready, natural mineral pigments are poured into the compartments. Dry cement is sprinkled onto the color surface, then a mixture of damp sand and cement is dumped on top. Intense pressure compacts the layers and makes the tile strong. The drying and curing process takes 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the humidity and other factors. 

According to Original Mission Tile's Wilhem Stevens, "To make good quality tiles, you must have well trained workers who love what they do. It takes one to two minutes of hand labor to produce each tile."

Usually, the workers who manufacture cement tile learn the skills as apprentices and pass the craft to subsequent generations.  According to Aguayo, “Our tile factory has been making cement floor tile for three generations. The artisans are very proud of their work and this shows in the finished product.”

Handmade cement tiles are each unique and are expected to have slight imperfections, which give them character and depth.  "It is interesting how everyone's tiles are different," says Granada Tile's Stephens. "Each manufacturer makes choices. Everyone's color palette is different. They use different formulas and pigments. The aggregates and other variables result in differences in the finished tile."

A brief history of cement tile

Karen Witynski and Joe P. Carr's series of eight books on Mexican design and architecture includes four titles that highlight cement tiles, most notably, Casa Yucatan and Hacienda Style. Many images prominently feature cement tile floors in appealing patterns and colors. Witynski says, "You can't get away from cement tiles in the Yucatan--they are an important part of the design aesthetic."

"In Mexico, there is a lot of humidity and with the warm climate, wood and carpets would not have held up well. The walls are very sparsely decorated, so tiles became the design solution to add color and interest to the rooms."

Interestingly, depending on the manufacturer, the origin of the tiles is explained differently. One thing is certain-- the tiles were first manufactured sometime shortly after Portland cement was invented in the mid-nineteenth century.

Since then, cement tiles grew in popularity. They're created and installed all around the world. Around the turn of the twentieth century, they were even popular in the United States. They lost popularity in the US sometime between the 1920s and 30s and only regained popularity in the 1980s and 90s.

According to Wilhem Stevens, sales manager at Original Mission Tile in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, "For a while, cement tiles went out of style. In the 1970s, cement tile in Mexico was used in government housing projects and they were very cheap. Only a cloud pattern was made and the quality wasn't always very good."

Now, with a resurgence is the antique patterns and an interest in new designs, there has been a renaissance for cement tile floors.  The popularity seems to be growing, since the number of new manufacturers showing at Coverings and Surfaces expands each year.

El Mosaico Hidráulico: Arte en Evolution/ Cement Tile: Evolution of an Art Form is a coffee table book with loads of beautiful images. The book details the history of cement tile in much more detail. Plus, it was edited by Moi!