Encaustic Talavera Tiles

Traditionally made from clay, most encaustic tiles are now made of cement. 

The encaustic tile is boasts intricate patterns that appear inlaid, encaustic tiles are made up of at least two (and up to six) colours of clay that comprise both the design and the body of the tile.

Our encaustic tile range are authentically hand made and hand painted in either Portugal or Spain. 

Some crazing marks will be noticeable and the tiles may not be perfectly flat or square. These characteristics are not faults. The imperfections of Talavera tiles are what give them their antique look, personality and charm. Talavera tiles are a form of ceramic art and should not be compared to machine-made tiles.

Important Talavera Tile Information

​Please note that the following information is offered as a guide only and in all cases professional advice should be gained from a qualified industry specialist.

All talavera tiles are made by hand, therefore noticeable variations in thickness, colour, shade and size are to be expected. Edge chips, blowouts, scratches, crazing and warping are a normal occurrence for this archaic tile. These irregularities give Talavera tiles their unique and enduring beauty that has a wonderful organic and natural feel.

IMPORTANT: Due to the noticeable colour and shade variations, it is very important to blend the tiles from ALL BOXES once they arrive and place them in their installation area to ensure you have the layout you want before installing. Do not install without blending tiles from all boxes. There is also colour and size variation between batches that will be hard to match with an add on order, please keep this in mind when calculating your order, and be sure to purchase enough material.

What may be considered a flaw, fault or defect in other tile ranges such as vast colour variations between tiles, varying shapes and sizes is NOT a flaw, fault or defect. We do not accept returns of talavera tiles. They are sold with the understanding that all the characteristics as outlined here have been explained and or shown to the customer.

Lipping of the tiles is normal and cannot be avoided.

Talavera tiles are a form of ceramic art and should not be compared to machine-made tiles. A grout joint of 5mm -/+ is recommended to accommodate for the size variation that can be -/+ 8mm.