Tiles and Terra Cotta

Tiles are thin slabs used for covering roofs, for flooring or for making drains and may be formed of: (a) Brick earth burnt in kilns, and (b) Concrete. Brick earth used for manufacturing brick tiles is more pure and is prepared more thoroughly than the one used for manufacturing bricks. Tiles, being thinner require careful burning. Roofing Tiles. These may be fiat or may be made to different shapes. Plain Tiles. These measure about 25 cm x 15 cm to 28 cm x 18 cm and from 10 mm to 17 mm thick. These may have a continuous projection at one end or two small projecting nibs. Pan Tiles. The tiles are curved in section. These are 33 cm to 38 cm long and 23 cm to 28 cm wide.

Pan Tiles Plain Tiles

Pot Tiles. These are semi circular in section and taper along the length. Diameter at larger end is about 23 cm and at the smaller end it is about 20 cm. Rows of these tiles are laid with the concave side up Then rows of same tiles with convex sides up are laid to cover the adjoining edges of every pair of the previously laid tiles. Concrete Tiles. Tiles of any shape, size or color could be made with cement concrete. These are more strong, durable and weather resistant. Flooring Tiles or Paving Tiles. These are usually thicker than roofing tiles and vary from 15 mm to 30 ram in thickness. Their shapes are square, hexagonal or of any other geometrical pattern and maybe coloured, if desired.

Drain Tiles. These are curved tiles made in various shapes and sizes to suit the work in which they are to be used Tiles to be used in the construction of sewage carrying drains-should be glazed. Properties of good tiles. i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. It should be of a regular shape and size. It should be free from twists, cracks or flaws. It should be well burnt and have uniform colour. It should give a clear ringing sound when struck. It should be sound and hard. Its broken surface should show an even and compact structure.

Terra Cotta It is a kind of earthenware used as a substitute for stones on the ornamental parts of buildings. Five parts of good quality fine clay are mixed with three parts of crushed pottery, one part of powdered glass, two parts of clean white sand and a suitable colouring substance to have the desired shade. Manufacture of Terra Cotta a) Preparation of clay. Dry clay is sifted, well and then mixed in a large tub with sufficient quantity of water. Powdered pottery, glass and white sand in proper proportions are added to it. The whole mixture is intimately mixed with spades. The intimate mixture thus obtained is then placed in wooden boxes with joints sufficiently open to allow the water to drain off. After the water has drained off the remaining mixture is passed through the pug mill several times till it has become fit for moulding. b) Moulding and drying. Special porous moulds made of plaster of Paris or of zinc are made six to ten per cent bigger in size than the finished product to allow for shrinkage. The prepared clay is pressed in the moulds with hands and after a few days these are taken out of moulds-and dried further. Drying

should be done slowly. c) Burning. Terra cotta has to be burnt with utmost care to get uniformity of colour. The terra cottas are enclosed in a muffle, which is a casing of fire Muffle

bricks built inside the kiln. There is an air space all around the muffle, between it and the walls of kiln, as shown in Fig. Hot air passing through the air space heats the tiles placed inside the muffle.

Varieties of Terra Cotta The terra cotta is of two types: (a) Porous Terra cotta; and (b) Polished or Fine Terra cotta. a) Porous terracotta. Porous and sound proof terra cotta is made by mixing saw dust, or ground cork to the clay before moulding. When the terra cotta is burnt the organic matter burns away leaving the terra cotta porous. It is structurally weak and light. It can be sawed and nailed easily. b) Polished terra cotta or fine terra cotta. This is a high class glazed terra cotta. These have to be burnt twice in the kilns. The moulded articles are at first burnt to a low temperature of 700C after which these arc cooled down. This burning is known as Biscuiting. Cooled articles are then coated with glazing compounds, dried again and burnt at a high temperature of 1200C. Characteristics of good terra cotta. The main characteristics of this are: i. ii. iii. iv. Uses. Used for all sorts of ornamental work, Used as a substitute for stone, and It is used for masonry, fire proof casing of steel columns and beams etc. It is dense and uniform in texture. It is durable, fire resistant and unaffected by acids It can be made in any desired colour and pattern. It is hard and strong but light in weight.