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Where Color Meets Craft Original Ceramic Tile

Where Color Meets Craft: Reintroducing Original Ceramic Tile

See Featured Blog →
New traditional bathroom floor subway green tile 3

Nicholas Potts: Historic Primary Bathroom

See Featured Gallery →
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2023 img hi res full usage design Atypical design Studio photo jordan Layton wainscott offset cardamom 3x9 floor tile iron ore 2 hexagon FC596427 1

Original Ceramic tiles showcase handmade qualities with unique variations in color, crazing, and finish.

  • All Original Ceramic Colors
  • Studio Glazes New
  • Ceramic Stains New
  • Shop Shapes
  • Shop Patterns
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Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BROWSE ALL SAMPLES
2024 residential full usage 4x4 terre verte satin red jasper satin indigo satin 2x2 red jasper satin bathroom checkerboard straight set 6x12 cove base indigo satin Pluck Architecture Leonid Furmansky FC796720 2

Our budget-friendly ceramics line, Natural Press is made with your largest indoor and outdoor projects in mind.

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Your first 5 color samples are FREE through a rep

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Modern blue subway wall glass tile 2

Our radiant Glass Tile provides a freshness that pairs perfectly with today’s modern designs indoors or out.

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Glazed Thin Brick Destination Eichler Blue Brick Fireplace

Brick’s hand-mixed glazes enrich its surface, delicately exposing its unique textures and variations with the colors of the environment around us.

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2022 img hi res full rights residential photo design plural design studio bathroom floor tile mini star and cross antique white grout FC 407104 2

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Learn More →
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Enscape 2025 04 08 12 57 54

Visualize our tile in your space with our comprehensive design packages.

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Where Color Meets Craft Original Ceramic Tile

Where Color Meets Craft: Reintroducing Original Ceramic Tile

See Featured Blog →
New traditional bathroom floor subway green tile 3

Nicholas Potts: Historic Primary Bathroom

See Featured Gallery →
Blog
  • All Blog Posts
  • Design + Inspiration
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  • Tile School
Gallery
  • All Gallery Entries
  • Bathroom
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Where Color Meets Craft Original Ceramic Tile

Where Color Meets Craft: Reintroducing Original Ceramic Tile

See Featured Blog →
New traditional bathroom floor subway green tile 3

Nicholas Potts: Historic Primary Bathroom

See Featured Gallery →
Blog
  • All Blog Posts
  • Design + Inspiration
  • Project Spotlight
  • Tile School
Gallery
  • All Gallery Entries
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Commercial
Where Color Meets Craft Original Ceramic Tile

Where Color Meets Craft: Reintroducing Original Ceramic Tile

See Featured Blog →
New traditional bathroom floor subway green tile 3

Nicholas Potts: Historic Primary Bathroom

See Featured Gallery →
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  3. Tile School: Ceramic vs. Cement Tile

Know Before You Buy

Tile School: Ceramic vs. Cement Tile

By Kali Gibson

2017 Img Hi Res Rights Q4 Karen Tsay Personal David Tsay Photo Kitchen Backsplash Padma Black And White Motif French Linen 3X6 Foundations Offset Backsplash Fc203681 5

With so many tiling options, choosing the right tile for you and your project can seem like an overwhelming task. We (of course) are partial to ceramic tile at Fireclay, but we want you to know what sort of material will work best for you, as well as the area you are using it for. Both can be used for many applications, their differences mainly lie in the materials they are made out of. We're sharing a few things you ought to know about these two tiling options on the blog today!

3x6-Blue-Spruce-design-emily-henderson-ginny-macdonald_photographer-Zeke-Ruelas.jpg?mtime=20190307162022#asset:440583

Tile Shown: 3x6 in Eucalyptus // Design: Ginny Macdonald // Image: Zeke Ruelas
 

What they're made of: 
This is how these two tiling options can differ the most. We think it is important to know what things are made of, where they come from and the affect materials can have on our environment.

Recycled-Materials-test-tubes.jpeg?mtime=20190314161104#asset:441730

Image: Some of the raw materials used to make our ceramic tile.

Ceramic:
Our Recycled Clay Body is made of a mixture of clay, recycled granite dust, talc and recycled glaze waste, all sourced in the US.

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Image: Our greenware clay

4IqQQ03M.jpg?mtime=20190314112732#asset:441683

Image: Unglazed Picket tiles (aka Bisque)

Cement:
Generally made with two layers, the first layer (the tile's face) is a mixture of white cement, powdered white marble and natural colorants. Color, brightness and wear resistance (cement tiles generally do not show much wear and tear) depend on the quality of of the first layer. The second, is a mortar made of fine sand and standard portland gray cement.

Both cement and ceramic tile can go to work commercially:

20150828_CafeGratitude_108-1.jpg?mtime=20190307161305#asset:440581

 

Tile Shown: 2x8 tiles (this color has been discontinued, for a similar look, choose Sand Dune) // Design: Wendy Haworth
 

The environmental impact of concrete (to which cement is a main component) can have sustainable benefits, but can also have harmful effects. The cement industry is one of the primary producers of carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas. Cement also emits a tremendous amount of CO2 and because a lot of it is made overseas, it leaves quite a large carbon footprint.
 

What they can be used for: 
Both ceramic and cement tiles can be used in an array of applications, from kitchen backsplashes to fireplace surrounds to flooring.

Handpainted Padma tiles bring pattern and movement to this sleek kitchen

Tile Shown: Padma in Black and White Motif // Design: Karen Tsay // Image: David Tsay

Ceramic:
Our Recycled Clay Body can be used in any indoor application, for exteriors (depending on the region) and pools too.
 

Our Recycled Clay Body tiles installed in a pool:

6

 

Tile Shown: 6" Triangles in Ivory Gloss and Sand Dune // Design + Image: Sara Combs and Rich Combs

Our Recycled Clay Body is perfect for flooring, in both residential and commercial spaces. Learn more about floor tile here.

Q1_2017_image_commercial_cosube_floor_tile_hexite_flagstone_iron_ore_magnetite_tidewater.jpg?mtime=20181121132431#asset:426617

 

Tile Shown: Hexite in Flagstone, Iron Ore, Magnetite and Amalfi Coast Matte

Ceramic and cement tiles side by side in this colorful hotel lobby:

Our speciality shape Picket in a braided pattern in Crater Lake Matte in this colorful hotel lobby.

 

Tile Shown: Pickets in Crater Lake Matte // Design: Janice Camp // Image: Andres Garcia Lachner

Cement:
Like ceramic tile, cement can be installed nearly anywhere, but if you live in a damp area or a region that experiences below freezing temperatures, it is better suited for indoors as it can absorb water.

Chaine-Homme-White-Gloss_Photographer-Tessa-Neustadt_Emily-Henderson-Guest-Bathroom_3.jpg?mtime=20190307162135#asset:440584

 

Tile Shown: Chaine Homme in White Gloss // Design: Emily Henderson // Image: Tessa Neustadt

You can see from the image below just how well ceramic tile and cement floor tiles can work together:

Ceramic and cement tiles in perfect harmony in this master bath that features our 2x6 tiles in Calcite Gloss in a herringbone pattern.

 

Tile Shown: 2x6 in Calcite Gloss // Design: Becki Owens

What they cost:
Relatively, similar in cost, both ceramic and cement tiles become more expensive per square foot/per piece the more detailed they become (for example, handpainted or patterned tiles).

Ceramic: our tile ranges from $12SF and up.
Cement: From ~$9SF and up.

Handpainted Harvest Tiles in White Motif outfit this kitchen backsplash.

 

Tile Shown: Handpainted Harvest tiles in White Motif // Design + Image: Kirsten Grove

Do you like any of the feature colors? Order samples online now. Need some help? Simply call, chat, or fill out our Design Assistance Form and one of our talented Design Consultants will get back to you shortly.

Shop the Story

2x8 Tile in Sand Dune Gloss
2x6 Tile in Calcite Gloss
Picket Tile in Crater Lake Matte
  • 1/ Sand Dune Gloss, 2x8
  • 2/ Calcite Gloss, 2x6
  • 3/ Crater Lake Matte, Picket

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