Experience with Saltillo (terra cotta looking) floor tiles and Talavera tiles?
Hello Humans, we are updating our tiny kitchen, and have always been drawn to the nice, rustic look of Salitllo tiles - these are the terra cotta looking tiles that are popular in Spanish and Mexican style homes. Our contractor insists that these tiles are very fragile and will break, and that they require maintenance. I know they need to be sealed - my question is, has anyone had these in your homes, and what are your thoughts, aesthetic, functional, positive, or negative?
We're also dreaming of some pretty talavera tiles for the backsplash. Have you had any experiences with these, and do you have suggestions as to where to buy them - online or local.
Thanks very much for your insight!
Feb 27, 2018
Parent Replies
Import Tile in Berkeley has a wide range of the tiles you describe. Some are appropriate for indoor/kitchen use; others are not - Import Tile reps can walk you through the selection. We successfully integrated some talavera and terra cotta tiles into a sun room floor and it has held up well over 10 years (but a low traffic area). I would definitely *not* recommend buying tile online, especially with such great selection locally.
Hi. I'd talk you out of it. We have these tiles at our vacation home. Yes, they look nice but I want to change them out to a wood laminate. Several reasons: (1) they are very, very cold in the winter, we have to wear socks or slippers at all times; (2) they can crack or the grout can crack; (3) they are very slippery when wet and my son has slipped several times coming from the pool or the shower; (4) there are stains on them that wont come off. In order to remove them, they have to be broken apart. Laminate can not be installed on top of them because they aren't level to the ground and some of them wobble because either the floor underneath is not level or because they came loose from the grout. Grout is also difficult to clean and repair.
I can't speak to durability but for the most beautiful Mexican tiles and other homeware, go to Talavera Tiles in Berkeley. We have a number of items from the store - love them, and are appreciative of the knowledgeable service.
http://talaveraceramics.com/Talavera/Talavera_Ceramics_%26_Tile_Berkele…
At the risk of stating the obvious - Talavera Ceramics on University has a great diversity of Talavera tiles. They're great to work with too.
All Natural Stone (previously Import Tile) just off the freeway has a small but nice selection of decorative tiles of Mexican/Spanish and other (Persian) designs too.
I've had Saltillo tiles in my kitchen for about 25 years and none of them have cracked. The underlayer is pine wood (not concrete) so I don't know if that makes a difference. They are difficult to keep clean. Perhaps they wouldn't stain as easily if I had re-stained them every couple of years. I also find that it's far less forgiving than linoleum or wood, and glass and ceramics shatter easily when dropped. But they are rather pretty.
My mother put these tiles in her kitchen in Tucson. It was post-kid, but here's my 2 cents. In the 20 years she has had the tiles, none have broken. However, the are not care-free. My mom is always worried about too much water messing up the seal. While that might seem like a contradiction, in a home with retirees and no kids, she has been able to maintain them just fine. If your home life is more chaotic, you might keep that in mind. They do look very nice in her Spanish Colonial home