Villa Lagoon Tile | Mosaic Cement Tile

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History of Encaustic Cement Tile

Books About Cement Encaustic Tiles for information and inspiration:

Cement Tile: Evolution of an art form--This beautifully illustrated book explores the evolution of cement tile as a unique floor and wall covering. Information from cement tile's invention during the end of the 19th Century in Europe to its popularization in Northern Africa, the Americas and Asia. Follow its many transformations, from a canvas in the hands Modernist architects such as Antoni Gaudi, to an element of contemporary design. See how each tile is individually made by artisans in over 15 different countries and learn how to install and care for them. Click book cover for more info.

Barcelona Tile Designs by Mario Arturo Hernandez Navarro . Portarricense graphic designer, trained in the USA, a researcher of the hydraulic design of pavements. A fabulous little book, full of graphic representations of mosaicos hidralico tiles and floor layouts. Comes with a CD. Walk into a bar or restaurant in Barcelona and chances are that you will enounter a beautiful tile pattern on the floor. In the late 19th century, mass reproduction of intricately designed floor tiles became possible, and they became a common feature in the interiors of buildings in cities all around the Mediterranean. In Barcelona, the design of such tiles reached its peak in the age of 'Modernismo', the Spanish variety of Art Nouveau, in the early 20th century. Barcelona Tile Designs features a colorful collection of carefully restored and digitized designs. Both single tiles and whole patterns and borders are shown, and the tiles on the CD make it possible to create designs in any shape and size. A great resource for design professionals and hobbyists alike. Click book cover for more info.

Havana Tile Design and CD-by Mario Arturo Hernandez Navarro, for graphic artists and researchers. Similar to above book. Bold, colourful tiles from the early 20th century still decorate homes and public buildings throughout Cuba. Havana Tile Designs contains many stunning examples of these tiles, carefully digitised and included on the enclosed CD-Rom for use as a graphic resource or for inspiration. Agile Rabbit Editions contain stunning images for use as a graphic resource, or inspiration. All the illustrations are stored in high-resolution format on the enclosed free CD-ROM and are ready to use for professional quality printed media and web page design. The pictures can also be used to produce postcards, or to decorate your letters, flyers, etc. They can be imported directly from the CD into most design, image-manipulation, illustration, word-processing and e-mail programs; no installation is required. For most applications, single images can be used free of charge. Please consult our section on image rights for conditions. Click book cover for more info.

We received this kind note from Mario Arturo Hernandez Navarro, May 2008,

I just want to thank you for you web page. I am the author of Barcelona Tile Designs and Havana Tile Designs and it was a big thrill to do a Google search on tiles and find your page and with my books in it. Your page is an excellent source for further research.

Thanks a lot again!
Kind regards
Mario Arturo

1890 Portuguese Tile Floor
1890 mosaico hidráulico. granito Portugal

Some say that in Europe, the first hydraulic presses for making encaustic cement tiles were installed close to 1850 at Viviers on the embankments of the Rhône, alongside the first cement works in France. I read that "from there, the outstanding durability and esthetics of this new floor covering led to rapid development from Lyon to Marseilles where workshops were set up everywhere".

But....

The unusual pictorial book, Barcelona Tile Designs says that the first reference to encaustic cement tile is from the factory Butsems i Companyia in 1857. At the 1867 Paris Universal Exposition hydraulic (encaustic cement tiles) tiles were exhibited by Garret, Rivet i Compania of Barcelona. Later, Orsola, Sola y Compania popularized the encaustic cement tile in Barcelona. They had more modern machinery and the capacity for mass production. Another company was established in 1886, Escofet, Fortuny i Companyia, which was known for its innovative Art Nouveau styled designs. This company had rapid expansion throughout Spain and Latin America.

See some excellent Spanish video of making cement tiles here.

Rosa Pomar's Hidraulic Tile Photo

See Rosa Pomar's photo slideshow of old hidraulic cement tiles.

Even though 'mosaicos hidralico' as they are known in many places have been and are still used extensively all over the world, in the U.S.A. they are relatively unknown. Even the recent comprehensive books on tile totally ignore this entire category. The only books that seem to acknowledge the encaustic cement tile are pictorial books about Havana, Cuba, other Latin countries, ... and the architecture of Europe.

La Maison du Village- Saint Rémy de Provence

India has a region that is famous for this type of floor tile. Since the manufacturing of the encaustic cement tile does not require fueled heat, as the firing of a ceramic or porcelain tile does, it is possible for tile-making to be located in remote and rustic areas . Occasionally you see the tiles referred to as 'rusticos'. In the Miami area our tiles are called "Cuban Tile". In Italy this type of tile seems to be referred to as pavimenti in graniglia even tho this term also applies to some terrazzo like tiles. Also in Italy I see encaustic cement tile called Cementine altho the word in not in broad usage perhaps and Pastina or Pasta Tiles. To the Manilans this type of tile is known as Malaga, and called simply cement tile (carrelages du ciment) in France and Belgium.

Until the 1920's, colorful mosaico encaustic tiles were considered high-end ultimate flooring that decorated the palaces of the Tsars, the mansions of the Côte d'Azure, Gaudi's Barcelona and Berlin's official buildings. Later on, the encaustic cement tile expanded as a creative and durable flooring all over Europe, and the French, Spanish and Portuguese colonies. Around the 1950's the mosaic hydraulic lost importance and was replaced by less labor intensive, and less colorful floors. The beginning of this century, the trend for authentic products and 'green' flooring has brought attention back to the encaustic cement tile. Recent storms along the Gulf Coast have raised awareness of durable, waterproof architecture. We hope to spread the word. We have first hand knowledge of the need for sensible flooring along coastal U.S. Additionally, this type of tile flooring is perfect for high traffic areas and any place where discriminating people gather.

Op-Art Doorway--Portuga

It has never been possible to create an industrialized product that can substitute this handmade tile. The variety of colors, the matt finish and the soft silky texture are characteristics that make this tile absolutely unique. It is very important to note that no two tiles are exactly alike.

Encaustic cement is flooring with character, of great quality, outstanding for its clear, bright finishes, excellent ageing process, elegance and nobility.

Check these antique tiles from Imelda's Blog from Singapore . According to the home owner, the tiles were already there when her father was born in 1922. She was told that the tiles have been there since late 1800s. Look at the sheen and the brilliant colors.

Antique floor tiles form Singapore antique cement tile floor in singapore

See Old Cuban Tiles & Photos

See Antique Cement Tiles Photos

See Antique French and Belguim Floor Tile

New Uses--Old Tiles

Tile table top Benedicte Bodard collects hydraulic tiles from dumpsters of apts being remodeled. She gives them a new life, a second chance as elegant table tops. See them at her blog: mesabonita.blogspot.com

How We Make Our Tiles

The tile maker creates a three part layered stack in a (usually) square mold. A sectioned pattern die is placed in the bottom of the open mold. Manufacturers put the color in the various sections first and them back the tile with other layers of cement products. The liquid color material is composed of ground marble dust, fine white Portland cement, and natural earth pigment. The stacked concrete tile layers are pressed using a hydraulic press and then removed from the mold. Generally the biscuit-like tiles are placed in a rack and submerged in water to allow the correct moisture necessary for the chemical reaction in concrete. The tiles are removed from the water, allowed to dry and stacked and allowed to age for some period of time for curing to achieve adequate hardness before shipment.

The end result is a tile that is about 5/8ths inch thick and quite heavy. The top side is the mosaic type design and backing that layer is a grey concrete layer for strength.
The design layer is about ¼" thick, giving the tile a great surface life, able to withstand all weather conditions and decades of traffic. Encaustic cement tiles can be found in many historic homes and public buildings throughout the world. Traditional cement tile is often used as ornamental motifs similar to carpets, bordered rubs, tapestries or mosaics.

I hope to be able to find time to edit and add my own video and photos of our tile being made.

A very nice French web page gives (in English) the history of the kiln-fired ceramic encaustic tile as well as info on carreaux de ciments tiles, the cement encaustic tiles, similar to our tiles. The Antique Floor Company.

Many terms are used to refer to what we generally call Encaustic Cement Tile: Cement Tiles also called Cement Tiles, Hydraulic Floor Tile, Encaustic Tiles, Hidraulico, Hydraulic Tiles, Ladrilhos Hidráulicos, Carreaux de Ciments, Spanish Mission Tiles, Redondo Tile, Rajoles Hidràuliques, Baldosas Hidráulicas, Pasta Potosi, Mosaicos Hidralicos, also occasionally called incrusted motif tiles.

na terra donde sou

This link has good pictures to show how encaustic cement / marble dust tiles are made.

Manufacturers of Encaustic Cement Tiles Around the World:

Argentina:
www.companiadepisos.com.ar since 1896
I think there must be many more in Argentina...

Bali:

http://www.sadustiles.com/ a beautiful palette.

Belgium:

Emery et Cie--http://www.emeryetcie.com/en/ Very Special !!! A MUST SEE SITE.
Westvlaamse Steencentrale they sell tegels, which is cement floor tiles I think.

Brazil:

Brazil has many manufacturers of encaustic cement tile. In Brazil mosaicos hidráulicos are also called "Ladrilhos de água".
http://www.hibrasil.biz/tiles/story.htm
http://www.ladrilhosaltense.com.br/
www.ornatos.com.br
www.dallepiagge.com.br
www.br-imperial.com.br
www.ladrilhosartesanais.com.br
www.casafranceza.com.br
www.ladrilart.com.br
www.ladrilhosaltense.com.br
www.portaldaspedras.ind.br
www.gaudiladrilhoshidraulicos.com.br
www.hibrasil.biz/tiles
www.ladril.com
www.adagostini.com.br
Imprec Preblok--- http://www.prebloc.com.br/index.php?id_pagina=107&f=
www.ladriminas.com.br
Dalle Piagge armazemceramico http://www.armazemceramico.com.br/dallepiagge.php
Azulejos Antigos http://www.azulejosantigos.com.br/hidraulicos/florais/index.htm
www.gaudiladrilhoshidraulicos.com.br
www.mosaika.com.br--fabrica de ladrilhos hidráulicos situada em Americana, São Paulo, Brasil.

Cambodia:

Cement tile made in Cambodia Tuol Sleng Tiles Handicraft (owner- Phoam Phalla), near the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Mr. Phalla speaks English.
Tiles Handicraft:
#27, Street 360
Sangkat Boeung Keng Kang III
Khan Chamkar Morn
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
+855 12 67 67 68

Canary Islands:

http://www.la-palma.de/artecuadrado/werkstatt.htm La Palma, Canary Islands...artsy tiles, site in German

Chile:

www.baldosas-super.cl

Costa Rica:
1. Mosaico Doninelli S.A. Mosaic Doninelli SA, Desamp, San Jose
2. Fabrica de Terrazos Escama y Alvarez Ltda. Fabrica de Terrazos scale and Alvarez Ltda., Sn Fco de Dos Ríos, San Jose
3. Fabrica de Terrazos Costa Rica Escama & Alvarez Ltda. Fabrica de Costa Rica Terrazos Luska Alvarez & Ltda.Sn Fco de Dos Ríos, San Jose
4. Fabrica de Terrazo y Paladiana Oscar Solera Fabrica de Terrazo and Paladiana Oscar Solera, San Miguel Desamp
5. Fabrica de Terrazo y Mosaicos Don Bosco S.A. Fabrica de Terrazo and Mosaics Don Bosco HS, Tejar El Guarco, CARTAGO
6. Fabrica de Mosaico y Terrazo El Castillo Manufactures of Mosaic and Terrazo Castle, Bo Sn José Alajuela, Alajuela
7.Solobloc, Apdo 90-2250, Tres Rios, Costa Rica
8. Pisos Honey Telefono : (506) 441-3944, 1 km Oeste Aerop Juan Santamaría, Autopista Bernardo Soto, San José, Costa Rica
9. Pavimientos Creta S.A., Telefono : (506) 4282-2873, Fax : (506) 282-2873, Celular : (506) 396-6608
Santa Ana - Brazil de Mora, San José, Costa Rica
Mosaicos Doninelli, Telefono : (506) 250-6070, Fax : (506) 259-3333, Apdo 5287-1000, San José, Costa Rica
10. Mejías, Telefono : (506) 433-8696, Fax : (506) 433-8696, 100 m norte del club de Leones, Barrio San José, Alajuela, Costa Rica
11. Maca, Telefono : (506) 237-2882, Fax : (506) 237-6966, Apdo 122-3000, Heredia, Costa Rica
12. Decantera, Telefono : (506) 203-3690, TeleFax : (506) 282-7654, Centro Comercial Tejas del Sol, 500 m Este de la Cruz Roja, Santa Ana - Costa Rica
13. Castillo (el), Telefono : (506) 433-8110, Fax : (506) 433-3813, Pedidos : (506) 380-2825
14. Barrio San José de Alajuela de la Iglesia, 100 m al oeste, Alajuela, Costa Rica
15. Alajuelense (la) Telefono : (506) 244-0809, Fax : (506) 244-0809, Santo Tomás de Santo Domingo de Heredia, 100 m al este de la Iglesia, San José, Costa Rica

Dominican Republic:

Aguayo, the manufacturer in the Dominican Republic that exports to the U.S. thru a FL wholesale distributor, has a Flash website that is a bit of a pain to use. This company makes concrete items other than the floor tiles, so I am putting the direct click to the flooring part of their site here. Their primary offerings are in The Cuban Heritage Collection, a group of floor tile designs based on antique floors in Cuba. The pdf brochure shows some photos of the original floor tiles on which the collection is based. It is a nice start to learning about these wonderful tiles and floors. http://www.aguayo.com.do/aguayoen.html

Fernández más.--Fabricantes y distribuidores de productos artesanales e industriales para la construcción. This company specializes in the re-creation of Santo Domingo's historic tile and various cement and concrete decorative components. They make various concrete fences and railings, decorative blocks, pavers, etc., in addition to the cement tile. www.fernandezmas.net

France:
www.carocim.com
http://www.lesterrescuites.com/carreauciment/intro.htm
www.mosaika-creation.com
www.139inclusions.free.fr
www.couleurs-et-matieres.fr pdf catalog
www.carocim.com
www.antiques-forain.com

Germany:

VIA Finest Tiles-- http://www.zementmosaikplatten.de
--German cement tile maker with a wonderful turning-page online catalog. Interesting designs and great photos. http://www.zementfliesen.com

Greece:

For three million Euros you can buy a whole cement tile manufacturing plant it seems.

Haiti:

Mosaiques Gardere S.A.,Delmas, Port-Au-Prince

India:

http://www.royaltiles.com/boutique.htm
http://www.tilesforoutdoor.com/athangudi.htm

Indonesia:

http://www.yogyes.com/en/shopping/tile/diamond-baru-tile/
http://www.yogyes.com/en/yogyakarta-tourism-object/places-of-interest/pabrik-tegel-kunci/

Iran:

Siman Tile, 60 Nasibi St. -Valiasr St. -, Tehran, Tehran, Iran (Islamic Republic of)--according to the international trade website that lists them, "Siman Tile" produces high quality Cement Tiles in a diverse variety of designs,sizes and colors for any need and taste.

Italy:

www.recuperando.it many types of used and antique "Cementine Graniglia" tile, including cement tiles. Varies since it is antiques.
www.pisamarmi.com.it Unable to reach a website here, but it is mentioned by others.
www.pavimentisansone.it Paviment Sansone--A "Flash site" that has an English version. Has a design tool, but doesn't seem to work well w/ Firefox, try IE. They make Italian Cementine Tiles.
www.fogazzapavimenti.it--Fogazza Pavimenti --Graniglie E Cementine--
italian marble grit tile www.aganippe.com --Aganippe--Marble Gri- Aganippe is the master of colours, and its innumerable combinations gives the chance to adapt to custom orders.
Antique Italian Tile www.pietranticaweb.it --Pietra Antica--suppliers of antique building materials. They offer "ancient pastina tiles" and "graniglia tiles", not usre exactly what the difference is. but it seems that the graniglia tiles are a type of patterned terrazzo tile.

Maó, Menorca:

www.pavimentostutzo.com

Mexico:
Mosaicos La Peninsular --Merida,
- www.originalmissiontile.com
Fabrica de Mosaicos Santa Ines--Vera Cruz, website not working 2007. Carretera Transistmica 11 - - Cosoleacaque - VeraCruz
www.mosaicosartesanos.com
www.mosaicstorra.com
www.mosaicospino.com
La Ceiba Grafica in VeraCruz-- Mosaiquera , Classes in making Mosaicos.

Tangers, Morocco:
www.mosaicohidraulico.com also at www.artetciment.com
www.saharadesigns.com
Rajae Ouechkifi, Address: Abderrahman Kaouakibi, Tangier, Tangier, Morocco(Morocco)

The Netherlands:

Castelo tile from The Netherlands http://www.castelo.com/ Arte do Cimento Castelo handmade Portuguese tiles- Loenen ad Vecht NL Handgemaakte Portugese tegels in honderden patronen en kleuren in Dutch. Wonderful photos in the gallery...look for little links tha seem to say more photos near bottom of the pages.

Tegel BV http://www.tegelbv.nl--Nice online flash catalog with turning pages. They have good photos of installations and graphics of suggested floor color schemes. Many are two-toned and quite handsome and contrmporary looking. These tiles may be actually made in Morocco, I am not sure.

Nicaragua:

www.conipisos.com

Peru:
www.azulima.pt (Not responding for me)

Philippines:
Habitiles Baldozas y Azulejos de Cemento www.habitiles.com --Baldozas y Azulejos de Cemento. Lovely patterns, Islamic influenced patterns as well as antique tile designs from Spain and other European countries.
Machuca Tile in Philippines www.machucatile.com--oldest tile manufacturing business in the Philippines. Baldozas mosaicos made there are now known as Machuca Tile. The business was originally called Mosaicos Machuca. Traditional patterns and colors.