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Our phone rings everyday with some very common questions about Mexican Tile terminology.
Listed below are some common phrases you may run across while doing research on these rustic floor tiles.
SALTILLO: Saltillo is a city in the state of Coahuila Mexico that is known for it’s durable clay found in local riverbeds. Hence the name, Saltillo Tile. Pronounced “Sawl-tee-o”
SALTILO: Common misspelling for Saltillo.
TERRA COTTA or TERRACOTTA: This basically means “baked earth”. Terra Cotta used to be an actual brand of tile but today it is a term commonly used to describe many types of clay tiles. Since authentic Saltillo tile is clay, it is often referred to as Terracotta tile. Saltillo tile is terra cotta BUT not all terra cotta is Saltillo. If the clay tile is not made specifically of the riverbed Saltillo, Coahuila clay, it cannot be referred to as Saltillo tile. This is very high quality clay.
MEXICAN TILE: Any tile that comes from Mexico. The country of Mexico is known for beautifully producing a plethora of floor and decorative tiles. This include Saltillo floor tiles, Talavera painted tiles, Cantera stone tile and pavers, terra cotta pavers, travertile tile, and other types of Mexican flooring and accent tiles.
SUPER and REGULAR Saltillo or Terra Cotta: Super does not mean “better”. The term super simply refers to a tile mold that produces rounded corners and edges. Regular is a term also known as “Paperback”. This is a mold that produces saltillo tiles with sharp corners and edges.
SEALED or UNSEALED (Raw): The Mexican terracotta floor tiles are naturally raw clay. The clay is porous. Without the application of a floor sealer, the clay will discolor with dirt, debris, weather elements, and spillage. Sealed Saltillo means that the tile has already been sealed with penetrating sealer. It’s beneficial to shop for pre-sealed Saltillo in order to save cost on labor and material of sealing the raw clay at the jobsite. It’s a messy job and likely for mistakes by inexperienced installers.
MANGANESE SALTILLO: Authentic saltillo tile that has the added element of Manganese Dioxide. This turns the clay varying shades of browns, black swirling, and the normal terra cotta shades found in traditional saltillo tile.
ANTIQUE or RUSTIC SALTILLO: This is a custom tile produced to give the illusion that’s its a very old traditional saltillo tile. The antique finish has more texture and a special darkening rub. The term RUSTIC is the same as ANTIQUE as used in describing our Saltillo tile varieties.
If you need further explanation on other terms or things found on our website, please contact us by calling 512-260-9111 or email info@rusticots.com . Happy Tiling!
Did you know that Saltillo tile can be installed in an outdoor environment? Recommendations are different for varying weather climates but this article should answer most of your questions. If not, contact us for more details! Call 512-260-9111 or email info@rusticots.com . We are the SALTILLO TILE EXPERTS!
A. Hot and Cold temperatures alone do not tamper with the terra cotta clay tiles. The clay comes from Saltillo, Coahila Mexico where the weather can get cold, and it definitely gets hots! These Mexican floor tiles are burned in a kiln so heat is no problem. At Rustico Tile and Stone, we even have people use raw clay tiles as baking stones in their ovens.
B. Freezing and Wet conditions matter. If you live in a climate where it freezes and precipitation exists, then you need to take certain measures to care for your terracotta tile.
The first thing to consider is an underlayment for water protection….is there a water barrier to prevent water from getting into the back side of the raw saltillo clay. Even if your saltillo floor tile is sealed, the back side is not sealed or protected from water absorption. If water seeps into the clay and freezes, it can expand and crack some tiles. This may not happen to all of your mexican tiles but it can happen.
Secondly, is your tile and grout sealed very well with GOOD sealer. If you can make the top of your saltillo floor water-proof (and protect the bottom side from water absorption), then you can install it outdoors in a freezing climate. However, poor quality sealer will not suffice. You need a good quality top coat sealer for the tile and grout (something ike our WB or GREEN sealers). A good sealer should last several years but it needs to be inspected prior to every winter. Reapplication may be necessary if sealer has worn away.
C. Saltillo tile can be used on driveways and in carports. It’s imperative that the tile is installed correctly and we recommend sizes of 12×12 or smaller for these purposes because they have less curvature than the larger tiles. Remember that authentic saltillo is handmade and do not always lie perfectly flat. In concave areas of the terracotta tile, the backside may need to be buttered with extra thin set to maintain the integrity of strength in this type of floor. In lieu of saltillo tile, some of our clients opt for using a cut stone such as Cantera architectural stone. With either material, a good quality topcoat sealer will maintain the look and protection of the surface of these beautiful floor tiles.
Check back later for more useful information about Saltillo Mexican tile. If you have specific questions, don’t hesitate to call one of our experienced experts at 512-260-9111 or email info@rusticots.com. Happy floors!
We receive phone calls every week asking how to clean Saltillo tile floors. This process is actually much more simple than most people expect. Assuming your Mexican tile floor is sealed saltillo, you can confidently follow the advice provided below. If you have unsealed terra cotta, you’ll need to be more cautious about what you use to clean the floor so as not to stain the raw clay.
First, vacuum the whole terracotta floor. We use a vacuum with a brush so that it kicks up any small dust that could be settled in the grout lines.
Second, inspect your floor for hairline cracks, recent chips, or lime pops. If you find these characteristics, it’s best to swipe on extra Saltillo floor sealer to prevent the clay from deteriorating.
Third, clean the floor with your tile cleaner of choice. We recommend diluting most commercial cleaners in order to preserve the life of the saltillo tile sealer. Our StoneClean 104 is a good deep cleaner that helps remove dirt, grease and other debris. For a general weekly cleaning, you can also use a mixture of water and white vinegar. Alternatively, you can use a floor steamer that requires no chemical.
That’s it! Voila… your terra cotta floor should be clean. We do not recommend waxing these saltillo floor tiles Applying a wax requires on going maintenance. It’s much less work and less costly to seal your floor with a good quality sealer that will last 5-7 years. It’s worth paying a little extra for quality sealer. To inquire about our floor sealers, just give us a call or email info@rusticots.com. In the meantime, enjoy your lovely Saltillo tile floor!
This is a common question we receive on a daily basis about authentic handmade saltillo tile. . There is a lot of conflicting information about saltillo tile today. There are also a lot of knock-off versions of this beautiful terra cotta floor material. So…how do you know if you’re getting the real Mexican tile?
There are a few factors to consider when deciding on authenticity and quality of these Mexican tiles.
1. Where is the tile made? Authentic saltillo clay tiles are made in Saltillo, Coahuila Mexico. This is the only place that real saltillo clay is found and the artisan process of manufacturing is on site local to the riverbeds of clay.
2. Is the tile handmade? Traditional terra cotta tile is handmade and only made of Mexican saltillo clay. There are no machines involved — it’s a process that is completely done by hand. At Rustico Tile and Stone, the only machine we use is after the tiles are made…an airless sprayer seals the tiles with 5 coats of sealer and a forklift loads up the crates onto our trucks. Everything else is done by hand with careful attention to the artisan detail. The end result is a beautiful Mexican floor in your home or business.
3. How thick is the tile? The thinnest good quality saltillo floor tile should be no less than 1/2″ thick. Most sizes average 3/4″ thick or thicker for larger sizes. Terracotta tiles need the thickness for the clay to have the quality needed for these terracotta floors to last a lifetime. Fake saltillo tiles that are thinner than this are too brittle and will break or chip very easily.
4. I’m buying sealed tile — How do I know if it is well sealed? At Rustico Tile and Stone, we are a low-cost leader in the market for our fully-sealed saltillo tiles. Our tiles are not just “primed” with 1 or 2 coats of sealer. We’ve sprayed 5 coats of an oil-based sealer that is made at our facility in Mexico. The sealer color enhances this clay tile to produce the traditional shades of terra cotta, golden, oranges, and reds. When you receive the tiles, you’ll find that you can pour a cup (or more) of water onto the clay and you will see the water stand on top. This illustrates the quality of our sealing process. This also SAVES YOU MONEY because you are able to install the tiles without soaking them and you do not have to apply mulitple coats of sealer to finish out your saltillo tile flooring. While we recommend a final coat of sealer for abrasion resistance, UV protection, and grout coverage, you’ll find that 1 very thin coat of sealer is your last and final step. Add this to the wholesale price you pay for this Mexican tile… it’s a win-win for you to get a great value and a gorgeous Mexican floor.
We encourage our customers to shop our competitors. Not only will we BEAT ANY COMPETITOR’S PRICE IN THE U.S., but we also stand by our quality of authentic hand-made saltillo tile. Call us today for a quote!! 512-260-9111 or email Info@rusticots.com
Do-It-Yourself Directions on How to Install Saltillo Tile
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 local contractor or installer for more precise advice relevant to your specific floor and tile purchased. 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 2nd 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. For other sizes, consult with your 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”. Any grout line that is wider is for cosmetic purposes. 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. 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.
