CLAY PRODUCTS

Compiled By
Ar. S,SONA,
Assistant Professor
Crescent School of
Architecture
CERAMICS
A ceramic can be loosely defined as a hard, brittle, inorganic, nonmetallic
material made from clay and other Earth materials and hardened by firing
(vitrification) at high temperatures; it contains minute silicate crystals
suspended in a glassy cement.

Commonly derived from naturally occurring clay minerals & quartz sand

As old as human race – Neolithic period

Derived from the Greek word ‘keramos‘ meaning potter’s earth.

Starting from weathering agent to metallurgical/petrochemical industries

It is strong, stiff, brittle, chemically inert, and non-conductors of heat and electricity,
but their properties vary widely
CERAMIC PRODUCTS

 Clay Products Common Tiles – Used for paving, flooring & roofing

 Refractories Encaustic tiles – Used for decorative purposes

 Glass
• Clay is an abundant raw material
• When mixed with water it forms a plastic mass
– Easily shaped
– Easily processed
• Structural clay products - intended use in building construction

WHAT IS CLAY?
The term “clay” is used in a number of ways. It can refer to:

1. A member of a large group of fine-grained platy minerals related to micas.

2. It can refer to a mixture of minerals with clay-size particles, i.e. <1/256mm .
These are generally dominated by clay minerals.
Or
3. It can refer to a mass of minerals (primarily clay minerals) that behave
plastically when wet.
Distinct product of chemical weathering of igneous rocks.

Alumina, silica & Felspar forms the basic constituents of clay

+
Silicates of Ca, Mg, Fe3O, Na, Mn, Cr, etc.,

When mixed with water – possess high degree of tenacity & plasticity

Free & combined water can be removed by drying & heating respectively
MANUFACTURE OF COMMON TILES
 Preparation of Clay – Free from impurities-grounded- water added- allowed to settle- fine clay

 Moulding – Pattern/Shape-Wooden moulds/ Potters wheel- cutting using fine wire

 Drying – 2 days – warping is corrected– stacked on edge – dried in shade for 2 days

 Burning – Sialkote kiln

•Circular is shape & protected by shed

•Brick layer at the bottom – with few open spaces
•Long narrow flues
•Dried tiles – placed on edge
•Doorways closed using mud
•Top layer covered by old tiles in loose condition
•800⁰ C- 6 hours then 1300⁰ C for 3 hours
•Repeated with slackening – 6 hours & white heat -4 hours
•Gradually cooled down – 72 hours
PROPERTIES OF A GOOD TILE SHOULD BE
 Free from any cracks, flaws or bends
 regular in shape and size
 Sound, hard & durable
 Well burnt
 Give a clear ringing sound when struck with hand or with one another/ with hammer
 fit in properly when placed in position
 give an even and compact structure when seen on its broken surface
 possess uniform colour
TYPES OF COMMON TILES
1) DRAIN TILES
• Laid in water logged areas
• Purpose made
• Circular, semi-circular/segmental
• Used to convey irrigation water
TYPES OF COMMON TILES
2) FLOOR / PAVING TILES
• Square / Hexagonal in shape
• Flat tiles with thickness 12mm – 50mm
• Square tiles – 150mm to 300mm
• Should be hard, compact so as to resist wear & tear
• Floor tiles of thin section – can be adopted for ceiling
• Coloured – Colouring substance is added at the time of preparation
• Floor tiles of less strength – can be adopted for fixing on walls.
• Advantages – Colour range, easy to lay, lighter in weight, scratch, stain &
damp-proof, anti slip, do not require polishing
3) ROOF TILES

Used to serve as covering for pitched roof

PROPERTIES OF ROOF TILES

* Not absorb moisture more than 20 per cent by weight.

* Give pleasing look.

* Should be capable of taking load of a man safely, after they are supported on
reapers.
* Should be durable.
* Should be uniform in shape and size.
* Warpage should not exceed 2% along the edges and 1.5% along the
diagonal.
ALLAHABAD TILES
• Selected clay - Machine pressed
• Consist of 2 types – Bottom and top tiles
• Bottom tiles – flat, tapered with upturned flanges at the sides
• Over tiles – half round and tapered
• Projections to interlock
• Thicker & larger than country tiles,. Extensively used in N-W india
CORRUGATED TILES
• Have corrugations
• Gives the appearance of corrugated galvanized iron sheets
• Handsome in appearance
• Easily blown away by wind
FLAT TILES
• Ordinary tiles
• To fix 2 or more holes are provided on their surface
FLEMISH TILES
• Shape of ‘S’
• Prepared using mould
• 350 mm x 225 mm
• Do not form a good covering
• Used only for sheds
GUNA TILES
• Hollow tapered burnt clay block
• Conical in shape with base 100 mm dia @ broader end and 75 mm at
narrower end
• Manufactured on the potters wheel for conical shape
• Can be inserted into one another to form a ring
• Ring can be elliptical, circular or parabolic
MANGALORE TILES
• Flat pattern
• Projections to interlock
• Red in color
• 15 no are required to cover 1 sq.m of roof area
• Manufactured in large scale in Mangalore, Cochin and Calicut
• More popular in rural and sub urban areas
• Life extends to 25 yrs with replacement of 5% per yr
OTHER TYPES
EARTHENWARE
•Typically made from secondary clays

•Well suited for the manufacture of thick-

walled vessels such as mugs, plates, and flower
pots

•Cheapest to make (secondary clays more

common than primary clays)

•Not fired to vitrification temperatures

(relatively low T; 900-1100 deg. C)

•Color can range from white to terra cotta (if

iron oxide present)

•Texture ranges from fine to rough, depending on

grog content
STONEWARE
•Made mostly from primary clays bodies

•Suited for the manufacture of vessels that are

stronger (thinner walled) than earthenware

•Also used to make non-porous products such as

floor tiles and drainage pipes

•Typically not fired to vitrification temperatures

(intermediate T; 1200-1300 deg. C)

•Often coarse in texture (contains grog)

•Usually brown due to presence of iron oxide.

•Textured often with fine speckles

PORCELAIN
-Made from primary clays

-Suited for manufacture of very thin objects

that are very strong (e.g. dinnerware)

-Smooth texture (no grog)

-Homogeneous composition and lack of grog

requires vitrification (High T; 1200-1500 deg.
C)

-Porcelain was produced as early as 10th

century in Asia (hence the term “China” for
high- quality porcelain)

-Bone is sometimes added to the clay for more

translucent appearance (hence “bone china”)
GLAZING
After the ceramic has completed its firing process, it is glazed.

The ceramic pieces are glazed to both beautify the item and to give the
item a waterproof finish.

Glaze is basically a form of glass, consisting basically of

• Glass-forming minerals (e.g. silica, feldspar)
• Stiffeners (such as clay)
• Fluxes which lower the melting point of the other glaze components
(calcite and dolomite are common fluxes).

When fired, these ingredients melt (over 2000◦C). A glass results from
cooling of this molten stuff
GLAZE COLOUR & OPACITY
Just as impurities can alter the colour of natural minerals, small amounts of
certain substances can be added to glaze to produce different colours.

Common glaze additives and resulting colours are:

Copper oxide: greens and blues

Cobalt oxide: blues and violet
Iron oxide: yellow, orange and red
Manganese dioxide: deep purple

Additives are also used to increase the opacity of glazes. Common ones are
titanium oxide and tin oxide.
TERRA - COTTA
DEFINITION
The word terracotta is derived from the Latin word terracotta meaning
"cooked earth” or “ baked earth”
It refers to a high grade of weathered or aged clay which, when mixed with
sand or with pulverized fired clay, can be molded and fired at high
temperatures to a hardness and compactness not obtainable with brick.

CONSTITUTES
 SILICA
 IRON-OXIDE
 ALUMINIUM-OXIDE
 SAND
 LIME
 POWDERED GLASS
USES

Its uses include

ovessels (notably flower pots),
owater and waste water pipes,
obricks, and surface embellishment in building construction,

The term is also used to refer to items made out of this material and to
its natural, brownish orange color, which varies considerably.
MANUFACTURE OF TERRACOTTA

Manufactured by clay (having sufficient percentage of iron oxide 5% to

8% & lime about 1%).
Clay free from grit, organic matter, pebbles etc.
Mixed with large quantities of sand and pottery.
Mixture ground to fine powder & pegged thoroughly.
Put into molds of desired size, shape & the molds are dried for a few
days.
Then the articles of terracotta are taken out & further dried in a shed.
Dried products are brunt in special muffle furnaces
PROPERTIES OF TERRACOTTA

 Dense
 Durable
 Fire-resisting
 Non-porous
 Weatherproofing
 Range of colors from red and brown to white
 Can be molded into any shape
 Surface may be flat, grooved, or raised
 Available as smooth or textured and glazed or natural.
TYPES OF TERRACOTTA
i) BROWNSTONE TERRACOTTA

 Dark red or brown block either glazed or

unglazed
 Associated with the gothic and romanesque
revival movements through such ornamental
detailing as moldings, finials and capitals.

ii) FIREPROOF CONSTRUCTION TERRACOTTA

 Made by adding saw-dust, straw to clay

before it is molded
 Inexpensive, lightweight and soundproof
 Can be easily cut,nailed and plastered.
 Suited for floor, wall and ceiling construction
TYPES OF TERRACOTTA

iii) GLAZED ARCHITECTURAL TERRACOTTA: (FAIENCE)

 Also called "architectural ceramics”

 Can be made in any color.
 Prepared by burning the molded article to a temp of 650c in a kiln.
 It is then removed, cooled and glazed with a glazing compound. Again,
burnt to 1200 C.
 Mainly used as a cladding material.
 Has a smooth and a polished surface.
 Resembles stone in appearance
ADVANTAGES OF TERRA - COTTA

Strong and durable material

Available in different colors
Cheaper than ordinary finely dressed stone
Easily cleaned
Easily molded in desired shapes
Fireproof therefore can be adopted with R.C.C works
Light in weight
Not affected by atmospheric agents and acids
Capable of withstanding weathering actions

DISADVANTAGES

Can be only fixed at the final stage of completion

Twisted due to unequal shrinkage during drying and burning
 APPLICATIONS OF TERRACOTTA

 Hollow blocks (later filled with lean

concrete of proportion 1:3:6) and slabs
of terracotta are used for facing work,
cornices, arches, casting of columns etc.
to produce architectural effects.

 Terracotta blocks can be incorporated in

solid 328mm walls or as the outer leaf
100 to 150 mm thick of cavity walling.

 Block size generally do not exceed by

450 X 300 X 100mm, in order to prevent
distortion which can occur during the
firing of large pieces.
 FACING TILE

• COLOUR: OCHRE,RED,BROWN,TAVEL PINK,TOBACCO

• FINISHES: SMOOTH,SAND FACED
• SIZES: 24x30x1.4cm
24x8x1.4cm

SMOOTH FINISH SAND FACED

 INSTALLATION
1. The tiles are installed in horizontal rows with
staggered or aligned joints.

2. The lower lip fits on to the sloped edge of the top of

the tile. The vertical aligned or staggered joints are
left with one free joint of at least 5 mm (to allow
structural movement, possible replacement and to
improve ventilation).

3. The time required for installation in the main body of

the work is evaluated at 40 min/m2.

4. This wall-cladding can be applied either on a

traditional wall or on a frame.

5. The interaxial distance for fixings of the rail is 60 cm

maximum .

6. An air space of at least 2 mm must be included

between the non-absorbent insulation.
EXTERIOR WALL CLADDING
 SLIP TILE
Used to enhance the ext. or decorate the interior giving an authentic look of
a real brick wall. Slip tiles are used to enrich the walls, pillars, beams, doors
and window frames.
SIZE: 22x1.4x5.0cm COLOUR: red, pink, orange, ochre, yellow,
22x1.4x6.5cm jasmine,
28x1.4x5.0cm
28x1.5x6.5cm FINISHES: smooth & sand faced.

SAND FACED

SMOOTH
 MOULDINGS
Mouldings decorate and enhance a façade making it possible to create
cornices protruding from the roof, window and door opening set back from
the wall, stylish window sills, string courses.
Color: red, pink, grey

BAND MOULDING
(28x28x5CM)

OGEE TOROUS
CORBEL FILLET (28x28x5)
(28x12.5x5CM)

CORBEL LINTEL
(40x33x13CM) ECHINUS
(28x15x9CM)
 VENTILATOR BRICKS

 The ventilation bricks are

designed ensuring that they
provide enough ventilation
and air pass through them
without any obstruction,
allowing the room to be
more airy with fresh flow of
air.

 Besides also giving your

home a new look and
distinct style.
BUILDING BLOCKS

BLOCKS USED IN PAVING

 LAYING OF FLOOR TILES

 Start in the furthest corner,  Mix up the tile adhesive according to

having located the center point the manufacturer’s instructions. Some
and adjusted it, and having types of thick-bed adhesive are simply
marked up a grid which will help poured onto the floor and spread out
to keep you straight. to an even level with an appropriate
type of spreader, and then the tiles are
laid straight onto it.
 Other types of adhesive require the
back of the tile to be buttered with
adhesive as well. Apply more adhesive
to the backs of thinner tiles and allow
a wide gap, approximately 12mm
(½in), between the tiles.
 Use a spirit level, check regularly that
the tiles you have laid are level, and
certainly after each grid block.
 CUTTING

 The easiest way to cut terracotta tiles is with an angle grinder fitted with a
stone-cutting wheel.

 Cut a groove into the tile to two thirds of the tile’s depth and then snap it
in two.

 The cutter will, if required, cut or grind through the whole thickness of the
tile - useful for cutting awkward shapes out of a tile to go round pipes and
other obstructions.
 SEALING

 Terracotta and quarry tiles are very porous and must be sealed before you
add grouting in order to provide a hard-wearing and easy-to-clean surface.

 Ensure the surfaces of the tiles are free from dust and any traces of tile
adhesive.

 Brush one coat of boiled linseed oil over the tiles with a brush or short-
haired paint roller. It is important to apply an even coat to avoid the risk of
streaking. The oil will soak into the tile, the surface losing its gloss 2-10
minutes after application.

 Allow the sealer to dry and then grout. A second coat of sealer should be
applied after grouting.
 GROUTING

 Grout terracotta tiles with a grout that is suitable for wide joints; porous
tiles are grouted using a pointing method rather than by simply spreading
the grout over the surface as you would for ceramic tiles.

 Fill the joints using a pointing trowel, and avoid spilling any of the grout
onto the surface of the tiles.

 Finish the grout by making it slightly concave; bend a round metal pipe
into a convenient shape and use that.

 Clean the excess grout off the surface with a damp sponge.
ROOFING TILES
ROOFING TILES
 ROOFING TILES
Terracotta is available as roofing tiles, terracotta panels and pavers depending
on designs and sizes.

1). ROOFING TILES

SIZES - RS./ PIECE

8”x 5” 4.50/-
9”x 7” 6.50/-

2). FACING WORK

SIZES - RS./ PIECE

6”x 6” 4.00/-
9”x 3” 3.00/-