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Central Kansas | I am not a professional tile setter....more of an advanced 'do-it-yourself' guy, so you can take this for what that is worth. Clay tile (Mexican tile, terra cotta tile, salito, etc.) if authentic, are mostly hand made. They have imperfections in color that would be considered defects in cermaic or porcelain tile On the other hand, they impart a great 'Southwest' appearance and are widely used in many applications both inside and outside. These tiles tend to be pretty porous and thus, really need to be sealed so they do not stain with cooking oil, food, coffee, etc. The trick is to wait until the thinset mortar dries completely and the tiles have stopped drawing the moisture from the substrate before sealing. If sealed too soon (even pros do this to get the job done), there can be a hazy look to the tile that might not dissipate over time. Re-sealing will be necessary from time to time. Grout lines are the only part of ceramic or porcelain tile jobs that need sealing. Porcelain is much harder, break resistant, and the preferred material for high traffic flooring.
The clay tile is a great look if you want a rustic type of finish....and in outdoor patios, etc. it along with quarry tile is a super look, especially with a lighter grout. From my experience, the cost savings with these clay tiles might not be the best long-term, low maintenance tile type to install in a kitchen. I think I would go with porcelain. Tile backer board is generally a necessity....1/2" being the best and it is placed with thinset mortar and screwed to the subfloor with special countersinking underlayment screws. | |
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-ceramic or clay floor tile
