How are mosaic tiles made?

Mosaics can be made in different ways. All but natural stone mosaic tiles at The Mosaic Factory are made in moulds with the shape of the final mosaic tile. This applies to ceramic and glass mosaic tiles.

What is ceramic?

Ceramics is a term for materials and products made of clay and fired at higher temperatures. The term ceramic comes from the Greek Keramos meaning ‘work made of earth’.

How are ceramic mosaic tiles made?

The process of making ceramic mosaic tiles starts with choosing the right type of clay. The clay is then kneaded/compressed under high pressure to remove air and any impurities. This creates a pure mass ready for shaping.

For mosaic tile production, the clay is processed in a mould made of hard plastic. This is done for all of The Mosaic Factory’s mosaics, except natural stone mosaics. An alternative option is to make large pieces of ceramic from which smaller mosaic tiles are cut. The disadvantage of this is that the mosaic has less attractive edges and may break; mosaic tiles from a mould have a nice rounded edge and do not need to be cut.

After filling the hard plastic mould, the ceramic mosaic tile is dried to remove moisture and allow the clay to harden. After the drying process, the dried clay is ready to be fired in a so-called ceramic kiln or oven. The clay is fired at high temperatures (~1000-1200°C) which makes it hard, stay and also keep its shape. This process is called the biscuit firing. Chemical reactions occur, causing all the residual water to disappear and permanently turning the clay into ceramics.

The final step is the application of the glaze layer, called glaze firing. A thin layer of glaze is applied to give the mosaic colour, texture and protection. Again, the mosaic tile is fired in kilns after which it is ready after a period of cooling!

Note: this step is optional. The Mosaic Factory has both mosaics with and without glazing. Each with its own advantages. Mosaic tiles without a glaze layer, for example, are more suitable for floors because it is fired through and through. The layer of glazed mosaics wears off from walking with shoes and so the intended design is lost. However, glazed mosaic tile again have more possibilities in terms of colour, effects and gloss.

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