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A ceramic tile is a non-metallic, inorganic material made by heating and further cooling it down. The word ceramic is derived from the Greek word “Keramos” which means pottery, and it is also related to Sanskrit which means “burnt stuff”. Ceramic is not only used for making tiles, but also for making sculptures that can be preserved for years. Ceramic tiles were the first made 4000 years ago. Samples of ceramic tiles have been found in the ruins of Greece and Babylon. Even though these people used ceramic tiles, they weren’t decorative.
Handmade Ceramic Tiles
Decorative ceramic tile work was first invented in the East and various beautiful designs were produced. In India, we can find lot of monuments, where ceramic tiles were used. This was because of the Islamic and Persian influence. The art of making ceramic tiles has been handed down for generations.
Earlier ceramic tiles were handmade and baked or dried in the sun. Later, a wooden mold was used to make patterns on the tiles, Now-a-days, a method called ‘dust pressing’ is used and the dry clay is pressed between two metals and then dried. This method has revolutionized the whole system of making tiles.
These tiles are further decorated using various methods like hand painting, tube lining, transfer painting, Sgraffito, Luster painting, Plain glazes, Mosaic, unglazed, carved and modeling tiles, Single motif, patterns and tile pictures, etc. Ceramic tiles were used almost everywhere and it is still popular among builders and home owners. These tiles can be used on the floors, walls, murals, exteriors of a building, fireplace, etc. It can also be laid outside on the pavements in the garden as they are durable and water resistant. They are also strong and stain resistant. These properties make it an amazing decoration piece.
