Cement tile

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Cement tiles

The cement tile is a special form of cast stone . Cement tiles are a historical building material for the design of floors and walls, which were traditionally used in France and the Mediterranean in particular and are still used today in urban and rural properties as well as sacred buildings , especially in the countries of the western Mediterranean (e.g. Spain and Morocco ) Find.

origin

Catalan modernism cement tile paving, casa Burés, Barcelona

The development process of the cement tiles has not been conclusively clarified. They may have roots in ancient times . In the 19th century they found widespread use, especially in Catalan modernism .

German builders from the Art Nouveau and Wilhelminian era also used cement tiles. It is currently experiencing a renaissance in new buildings, but also in the renovation and renovation of historical buildings, as existing historical tiles can also be copied and supplemented through the individual manual process.

properties

Cement tiles are available in one color, with motifs and metal inlays (e.g. made of brass ). Cement tiles from handcraft production often stand out from the uniform appearance of modern ceramic tiles due to their slight irregularities and play of colors . In the case of cement tiles with motifs, the transitions between the color fields are often soft.

In order to avoid damage due to subsequent shrinkage, the tiles should be dry and hardened when laying.

After laying, cement tiles are usually oiled, impregnated or waxed to make the surface insensitive to stains. Some manufacturers recommend impregnating the tiles against cement residue or adhesive residue before laying them.

Cement tiles can be prone to cracking . The fine cracks often only appear after the installation.

Manufacturing

Metal mold, France 1920

Two-layer construction of the cement tile. Above the a few millimeters thick, here white decorative or wear layer, below the significantly thicker supporting concrete layer.

Cement tiles are pressed to remove air from the mortar mass. The forms are often still filled by hand. The hardening is based on a cement bond. In contrast to ceramic tiles, there is no firing process .

A typical production process for motif tiles:

1. The motif is worked out as a metal grid, which forms dividing lines between the color fields.
2. The metal grille is placed in a robust steel frame.
3. The individual fields are filled with different colored, liquid mixtures of cement or other hydraulic binders , pigments and fine aggregates ( rock flour , marble dust ).
4. The metal grille is lifted out. If the liquid mass runs into one another, smooth transitions between the color fields can form.
5. The colored wear layer of the tile is sprinkled with dry mortar powder (on the later reverse side) and covered for several millimeters.
6. The mortar mixture is compacted during the subsequent pressing. The water pulls from the decor mixture into the coarser concrete. The pressing and the low water-cement value create a robust, low-pore tile with a resistant surface.
7. The tile is released from the form and stored for several weeks to allow the cement to harden and dry. In order to counter the risk of a too low water content, the tiles can be stored or moistened damp.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Thomas-Ken Ziegler: Superficialities. Part 2 . In: Tiles & Slabs . January 2016, p. 27-29 .