Terracotta Effect Tiles

The warmth of Tuscan cotto and Mediterranean terracotta, with no wax to redo and no porosity: porcelain stoneware for rustic interiors, kitchens and porches. Full technical data sheet and the price per m² including VAT.

Terracotta effect stoneware: the warmth of cotto with no wax and no upkeep

Real terracotta is a porous material: it has to be sealed, waxed and touched up over time, and in a kitchen it soaks up grease. Terracotta effect stoneware takes its colour, its mould marks and its surface imperfections and gives them water absorption below 0.5%: no wax, no treatment, and it is cleaned with a neutral detergent. It is how you get a farmhouse feel in a newly built house.

Square tiles, hexagons and Mediterranean sizes

The classic square remains the most recognisable terracotta size; hexagons and small sizes work well in kitchens and in Mediterranean-style bathrooms, often alongside patterned encaustic-look tiles. The more generous grout joints typical of this look are forgiving of substrates that are not perfectly level.

Indoors and under the porch

The terracotta effect was born for outdoor use and belongs there, provided the item is frostproof and has a slip-resistance rating suited to wet surfaces: for porches, paths and poolsides look for R11, and for dry laying on gravel or pedestals for the 20 mm thickness. Slip-resistance ratings explained · 20 mm stoneware for outdoor use.

High shade variation: it is the design, not a defect

A believable terracotta is almost always V3 or V4: every piece has a slightly different tone, like bricks fired in a kiln. While laying, pieces from several boxes are mixed, and everything is ordered in one go, adding 10% wastage allowance for straight laying and 15% for diagonal. How to read shade variation · working out boxes and wastage.