A guide to buying quarry tiles

According to the National Park Service, quarry tile is one of the most common types of tile found in historic houses. The service defines quarry tile as "unglazed, semi-vitreous or vitreous, and essentially are square or rectangular slabs of clay baked in a kiln." The hard, ceramic tiles work well in various applications. This article will explore these versatile and beautiful tiles.

Benefits

Quarry tile is strong and durable. It's colour makes it fit in well, with many applications and buildings. The tiles are naturally slip-resistant. It can be used indoors and out, as well in places where water is an issue, such as entry ways or around pools. For outdoor use, vitreous tiles that can weather the extremes of frost and heat, are available.The tiles do not need to be sealed.

Shapes, colours and finishes

The quarry tiles can be purchased as hexagons, squares, as well as other shapes. The sizes for the square tiles range from 3 inches by 6 inches, 6 inches by 6 inches, 4 inches by 8 inches and 8 inches by 8 inches. Larger tiles are also available. The less expensive quarry tiles are square and have standard finishes. Other textures and finishes are available such as slip-resistant, wire cut, tumbled, and more. The tiles with the more elaborate finishes or textures are more expensive. The colours of the tiles include red, brown and grey in the earth tone spectrum. Red floor tiles are common.

Install the tiles

When installing quarry tiles outdoors, a flat, stable surface should be the underlayment, such as concrete. The thinset for the tile should be rated for freezing temperature. When installing lighter tiles, especially those without glazing, be careful with using darker grout as this could bleed onto the tile and stain it. To prevent this from happening, applying a release agent on the tile before grouting it, will help. Whether the tile is sealed or unsealed is up to you. Install the quarry tile indoors using a combination of a solid subfloor as well as centreboard. Use a thinset mortar. When installing quarry tiles on the walls, the proper framing and boards should be installed. Thinset mortar will work well in this application.