Handmade Ceramic Tile
Basically, there are two types of handmade ceramic tile: art tile and pavers. Let's talk about the pavers first and save the fancy-shmancy art tile for later.
Handmade pavers are made in Mexico and Europe. They can be glazed or unglazed. They are usually quite thick, from one-half to 2 inches! Their color is terra cotta, an often uneven mixture of yellow and brown. Mexican pavers have a reputation for poor quality.
Pavers are made from clay or porcelain. They are rolled out in thick sheets like cookie dough and hand cut. This makes them more irregular than their machine-cut comrades. Handmade ceramic tile pavers also have "signatures". These are (usually small) imprints left on the tile from fingers, hands, tools or even animals! The cut tile is allowed to dry and then fired in a kiln at a low temperature. I have heard stories of Mexican tile makers using wreaked cars as kilns with the fire supplied by burning tires. More reputable companies use real kilns but the quality of the work can still be dicey.
Pavers can be glazed or unglazed and are used for floors and walls. Counter tops are a different matter. Handmade ceramic tile pavers are usually uneven, which really stands out on a counter top. Also, they need to be sealed. Most sealers are not recommended for food-handling surfaces. They can be used on a back-splash, however.
Art tile is the exact opposite. Made for beauty they are usually very fragile and should only be used on walls and back-splashes. Handmade ceramic tile may be arty because it is painted or because of it's relief. Relief means that part of the tile sticks out from the surface. The relief is made from a mold, then the tile is dried, fired, colored and fired again. Often, it is fired two or three times (sometimes more) as each layer of color is applied. This makes handmade ceramic tile much more expense. Relief tile is often used as an accent piece on a wall near a window or door. It is never used on a floor for obvious reasons.
Hand painted ceramic tile starts life as regular tile, usually white. A picture is painted on the finished tile and it is fired again. If may be painted and fired several times before the process is complete. The resulting glaze is very fragile and the tile should only be used on walls or as a backsplash. The picture may cover several tiles that will have to be placed correctly. In a worst case scenario one of the tiles is broken and the whole set will have to be replaced. Depending on the artist the price runs from expensive to outrageous, but as long as you like it, and can afford it, that's okay.
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