CA Builders-Teracotta (Saltillo?) Tile??
My wife and I just got back to New England from an amazing visit to the west coast. Started in LA and drove HWY 1/PCH stopping in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Montery/Carmel along the way… and ending in San Fran . One of the best trips we’ve ever taken. Can’t recommend it enough.
Out there, it seems like every where you look (inside and out) you see those beautiful 12X12 teracotta (or is it Saltillo, perhaps?) floor tiles. Would love to track some down for a kitchen we’re building, but can’t find it anywhere. Anyone have any suggestions? Would love to find a glazed version, ideally, but even unglazed would be brilliant. On the east coast… I can’t find hide nor hair of them.
Much obliged.
Brian
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Brian Roberts, Manager
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If you can make out the tile to the rear, and that is close to the color you want, I can look up the manufacturer. It was purchased and sold as a glazed "saltillo" like tile. The family that wanted it and picked it out have lived in LA for 20 years. They chose this for their house in Oh.
edit: Look to the next post for the attmt.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Edited 8/29/2004 7:45 pm ET by calvin
Here you go
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
I cropped and opened up the shadows a touch (using the color "gamma" feature in Paint Shop Pro) on that pic to bring out the tiles.
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"It is as hard for the good to suspect evil, as it is for the bad to suspect good."
-- Marcus Tullius Cicero, statesman, orator, writer (106-43 BCE)
Edited 8/29/2004 8:31 pm ET by Bob Walker
Thanks bob, I'm going to have to get back in there to that house and get some finished shots. Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
..........you're about 20 yrs late!! I've put down tons of that stuff in the late 70's and 80's!
Not that it isn't a beautiful look, but it's not for everyone.
Try a google for ELON (tile, importers) they used to be a major importer of Saltillo.
You may have to look around for both the tile and a setter. It is just not a popular tile on the east anymore. If you hire someone make sure he knows what he's doing. And it needs to be sealed; boiled linseed oil and butchers wax and maintained.
Do some research before you jump in. Slate is VERY hot right now and give you that warm fuzzy + there are ceramics that closely mimick Saltillo.
Good Luck! Any questions don't hesitate to ask.
Eric
They're very common. Any good tile store should be able to get them. I had no trouble getting them even in the small town of Potsdam, NY.
Saltillo tiles are not the most practical for a kitchen, though. They are fired at a low temperature which makes them porous and soft. They are easily scratched, chipped, and stained. There are look alikes that are more durable.
I just recently applied 450 sq. ft. of the glazed saltillo tiles in a home I built. They are authentic saltillos from mexico.
I got them through Morris tile of Norfolk Va. I think the closest store to Boston is Baltimore. I also went online and found a few other sources through google.
These were $2.90 a piece.
tyke
just another day in paradise
Thanks everyone. So is Saltillo actually the name for the tile I'm thinking of? Calvin, from what I can tell in the pic that looks like what I'm talking about or darn close. Could be the camera/lighting, but I seem to remember the one's in Cali seeming a little bit lighter with more of an "orange" undertone. If they're actually called Saltillo's that could be a big part of the problem I've been having._____________________________HomeBase__________________________ LLC
Brian Roberts, Manager
Here is the name of the tile. I know not who the manufacturer is, but a tile supplier might be able to find the info. We purchased Cotto Provencal Arles in a 13 x 13 size. Retail was 3.62 sf. I ran a search and found this. I believe this to be the same. At least the varied color is very similar. Also, if you can get a sample, the color is a bit more orange. Nice and flat, pretty good for square. For a kitchen, no problem.
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Here's the link for the site, hope you're good at another language. These were italian porcelain. I do remember the fiordo name from the box. This could be the stuff.
http://www.fiordo.it/TED/NewsCottoProvencal.htmRemodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Check out the tile club in anahiem calif. Its on the mile of tile..many many tile storeds there but that is the only one whose name I remember. They do ship accross country. But there are a few things to take into consideration w/ satillo tile..they come in sealed or unsealed you will want the sealed ones unless you wish to seal it yourself.
There are some idiosyncrasies with the tile also so make sure you setter knows how to work with it. Also true satillo tile is about 3/4" or more thick so make sure you allow for that.
Darkworksite4:
El americano pasado hacia fuera ase la bandera
>>Also true satillo tile is about 3/4" or more thick so make sure you allow for that.
And a scratch coat wire lathe base +thinset.
EricEvery once in a while, something goes right!
> it seems like every where you look (inside and out) you see those beautiful 12X12 teracotta (or is it Saltillo, perhaps?) floor tiles.
Would you be using them inside or out? They're very porous, which isn't a problem here where it never freezes. But outside in Boston, I'm not sure if they'd have an ice expansion problem or not. It's something to test before you do an exterior project.
-- J.S.
Did a floor in Saltillo tiles- about 550 Sqft. They were authentic mexican tiles with a light translucent glaze. While they look great, and everybody gets a kick out of the few tiles that have dog prints in them ( I really don't want to know what the splatter marks in some of the other tiles are. I hope they're tobacco juice!) they were a BEAR to install.
Though nominally 8x8 and 3/4 thick, I had tiles that ranged from 7 1/2 on a side to 8 1/2 on a side, not always square, and thickness that varied as much as a fat 1/8th.
Some were simply not usable. I would buy 20 % extra, not the usual 10%.
Used wide grout lines, played with the layout FIRST, some of the really weird tiles were chosen for the edges that were gonna be cut with the wet saw. And had to play a lot with the thinset to accomodate the varied thickness.
Do I like it now? Yes, it looks great.
Would I DIY it again? Lemme think about that. NEVER! Took forever and my back is still sore 10 years later.
Steve
Edited 8/30/2004 11:31 pm ET by Steve
I installed about 200 sf of the common stuff in my kitchen & breakfast area. 12x12xwhatever. Some were reasonably flat, some would hold a cup of water (upside down ... never did find one concave on the finished side). Dimensions varied by +/- 1/4" so wide joints are required. I used every tile cuz we wanted the old mexico look. Yes, it was a killer project. I think grouting was the worst part ... huge grout joints ... like 1/2 to 3/4" wide x 1/2" deep ... it was like pushing wet sand at the beach. We sealed it ourselves. Beautiful floor. Nothing sits level.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Lowes carries saltillo tile. See if your local store can order some.
37091 is plain 12" saltillo, unsealed and quaint.
37090 is called super saltillo, much more consistent size and flatness, frequently pre-sealed.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Seems like the jpeg's here are of the glazed versions of stalllio tile...especially the first image.
I installed some 13 years ago and got it at...ding, ding, ding...Home Depot. The true stuff you have to seal before you drag your grout. I had a couple of the tile with prominent footprints in them i.e. racoon or some other four-legger.