The use of terracotta for flooring has been around for centuries. During the fifteenth century, Italy, especially in Florence, the rise of terracotta for architecture rose drastically. Partly due to its abundance in the area and how easily workable the materials were.
However, they soon came to find out that it was also extremely hard-wearing, and was a great slow conductor of heat in early underfloor heating mechanisms.
Since then, terracotta has been widely used ever since and outlived fads and fashions to remain a very popular flooring option. Below, we go over the different patterns and types of terracotta available to you.
Modern engineered terracotta
These modern engineered terracotta tiles are a great product if you want a flat, smooth surface that is easy to clean. The deep reddish colour and thin grout lines work well in hot countries and provide warmth to your house both inside and out.
However, as an engineered product they don’t offer too much variation or character and as such if you’re looking to restore an old home, they might be the most suitable.
Reclaimed terracotta tiles
Due to its heavy use for the last 500 years. You can still acquire reclaimed terracotta tiles. Whether you are restoring an old building and want to keep some old features or you have a modern house which you’d like to add character to. Reclaimed terracotta tiles are a great choice.
As you can see from the photos provided below. These terracotta tiles go from a deep reddish colour to pinks and different tones in between.
As these antique terracotta tiles are hand-made and dried in the sun. They are not all uniform in colour and size. Often, customers are looking for this rustic look but if you prefer a smoother more uniform look, this may not be for you.
These reclaimed terracotta tiles need to be sealed too! As they are far more porous than modern terracotta, it is imperative you do so.
Years ago, the only way to do this was with boiled linseed oil and to do this every few years. This was a lot of work and gave the terracotta a very shiny finish. With water-based sealants, a more dusty Georgian look is now achievable and thus terracotta is becoming more and more popular.
Pale terracotta tiles
We usually see terracotta as a red earthy colour. However, certain parts of the world we can see they have a much lighter terracotta available. Colours going sandstones to light pinks. These beautiful tiles look fantastic in modern settings. Red terracotta is often a bold colour and statement. These light terracotta tiles are far more understated and attract less attention without losing their beauty.
The pictures here show different shapes and sizes of light terracotta, working well in both modern and rustic/period homes.
As you can see, the tiles here are long and thin and work really well in a herringbone pattern.
