Every day we receive phone calls with questions about how to lay saltillo tile.  There are many myths about the complexity of installing saltillo tiles and how to seal terra cotta floors.   We hope to help clear the confusion with this easy step-by-step guide on prepping your floor and laying this Mexican tile.

The directions below are recommendations.  Many variations to these steps may exist for your specific floor and terra cotta tile.  Please consult with your experienced local contractor or installer for more precise advice relevant to your specific floor and tile purchased.  Installing a knock-off machine made saltillo or terra cotta is not the same process as installing an authentic handmade saltillo tile.  Due to the size, thickness, and shape variations, we recommend an “experienced” installer for authentic saltillo.  Rustico Tile and Stone is not responsible for saltillo installations not completed by one of our contracted installers.

Two types of terracotta tile installations exist: (1) on wood subfloor or (2) on a slab.

(1) Wood Subfloor guide: If you have some type of wood subfloor, basement or 2^nd story floor, you will first need to:

(A) Prep the subfloor.  Some options for prep include: hardi backer, lath sheet and concrete, or DITRA.  At Rustico Tile and Stone, we recommend DITRA over all other materials.  (Schluter-DITRA is a polyethylene uncoupling membrane with a grid structure of square cutback cavities and an anchoring fleece laminated to the underside.  In conjunction with the saltillo tiles installed on top, DITRA forms an uncoupling, waterproofing, and vapor management layer, while providing support/load distribution.  The combination of these four essential functions allows for the successful installation of terracotta tile over a wide range of subfloors including plywood/OSB, concrete, gypsum, heated floors, and more.  Ask Us for more details about DITRA and how to purchase this tile installation material.

(B) Once the subfloor has been prepped, you are ready to apply thinset.  If using the DITRA product mentioned above, you do not need elastic thinset.  We recommend inexpensive basic thinset which can be found at a local home improvement store.  ½” x ½” trowel is recommended for a basic 12×12 size saltillo tile.  Increased thickness of thinset is required for tiles larger than 12×12 in size.  For other sizes, consult with your experienced installer.

(C) Lay the terra cotta tile (assuming it is presealed.  If it is unsealed, see tips at the bottom of this guide).  With a standard 12×12 size tile, a minimum grout line recommended is ½” (thicker for larger size tiles).   We do not recommend using spacers with authentic handmade saltillo tile to allow for the size/shape variations.  Your installer will need to pay attention to detail to keep the pattern of tile layout consistent.  This is not a complicated process.  The terra cotta tiles can easily and precisely be cut with a wet saw.

(D) Grout saltillo tile floor after thinset dries (usually overnight waiting period).  Recommended grout includes a sanded grout or mortar mix.  This can also be found at a local home improvement store.

(E) Clean saltillo tiles.  You will need to clean your Mexican tile floor very well to remove any grout haze or debris accumulated during the installation process.  Once the floor is thoroughly cleaned, allow it to dry for several days.  Our StoneClean 104 cleaner, water, and a sponge or brush can be used for cleaning the floor.  If you choose to you any other type of chemical cleaner, follow this step by a few mop-washings of 50/50 mixture of acetone and water.  Any residual cleaning chemical must be fully removed prior to applying your top coat of saltillo sealer.

(F) Seal saltillo floor.  Once your installation is complete, cleaned and thoroughly dried, you can now apply the top coat of tile sealer.  Follow manufacturer’s instructions for applying tile sealer.  An ideal top coat sealer will last several years and can also be applied to the terra cotta grout lines.  Allow the terra cotta sealer to fully dry and cure.  Once cured, installation is complete.  Enjoy your Mexican tile floor!

(2) Slab Subfloor guide: If you have a concrete slab subfloor, you first need to:

(A) Prep the subfloor by examining for any cracks or foundation issues.  If there are surface cracks, fiberglass mesh and elastic polymer (i.e. Red Guard) can be used.  DITRA(see description above) can also be used and is highly recommended if foundation problems exist or if the slab is on sandy soil (or if foundation is apt for movement).

Once the slab subfloor is prepped, you can follow steps B through F listed above.

A few tips:

• If you are installing presealed saltillo tile (most common), we do NOT recommend soaking the clay tiles prior to installation.  Soaking these sealed tiles can create bigger efflorescent issues in the future if water is trapped in the clay for long periods of time.
• If you are installing unsealed saltillo tiles, you can soak these tiles prior to installation OR apply saltillo tile sealer prior to installing the Mexican tiles.
• Do NOT dry stack saltillo tile installations.
• Make certain that top coat sealer to be applied is compatible with any sealer already on presealed tiles.
• Accommodate for size and thickness variations by attending to detail of thinset and grout thicknesses.  An authentic saltillo tile floor is not a smooth, completely level floor.  The tiles are pillowed as part of their handmade characteristics.  This is completely normal and not considered a defect.  Larger tiles will have more of these levels of variations.

Do you need to repair, refinish or match a Mexican tile?

We receive many phone calls every week with these questions. Most often, we can help people bring their aged or soiled tiles and pavers back to life or we can refer you to a qualified professional to do the work for you!

How to match a new Saltillo tile to an existing/older Saltillo tile:

Matching tiles can be difficult, but it is possible. As Saltillo and terra cotta tiles age, the clay takes on an ever-changing look in color and texture. If you have never re-sealed your clay tile, your existing Mexican floor is probably showing dark hues of terra cotta reds, oranges, and golden colors, and your grout has darkened. If you compare your floor to a new Saltillo, the new tile will appear brighter and less dark. Don’t despair; if you have an authentic Saltillo floor, we stand a good chance at being able to match your tile. Just send us a photo of your floor and dimensions of your tile to info@rusticots.com.

How to clean a soiled or dirty Saltillo tile:

Do you have problems with lime pops, Alkali, or Efflorescence?

These imperfections are a natural part of Saltillo tile. If you have these characteristics, you do not have defective tile. Lime pops exist in the clay and can expose chips over the course of years. It’s natural and adds to the aging and rustic appearance of authentic Saltillo tile. Just simply clean your tile and apply a coat of sealer over the chip that results from the lime pop. This will prevent the clay from washing away. Saltillo tiles have salts and alkali naturally present in the clay which is used in manufacturing the tile. Soaking Saltillo in water can release these salts and cause efflorescence on the surface. As the water evaporates upward, the salts rise to the surface of the clay. Often times, this can be sanded off, clean, dry, and re-seal. To minimize the look of this efflorescence, we do not recommend soaking Saltillo clay prior to installation. When possible, purchase the tile pre-sealed, install, allow drying, and applying a top-coat sealer across the tile and grout.

One additional note about Saltillo Mexican tile sealer:

A good quality sealer and give you a very low maintenance floor for many years. Choosing a poor quality sealer will create many headaches and high-maintenance. If you are planning re-sealing an existing floor with a new sealer, it’s imperative that you apply a new sealer that is chemically compatible with the existing sealer on the floor. When in doubt, test an inconspicuous area with the sealer of your choice first. If you plan on sealing a raw clay tile, save yourself time, money and headaches and purchase quality sealer. We have sealers available online or call one of our Stone and Tile Pro experts for advice. Qualities you should find in good sealer include: abrasion-resistance, non-yellowing, long life-span of at least 5-7 years, UV protection, multiple gloss finish options, and anti-skid alternatives.