Metlakh tiles of the USSR. Where and how to use metlakh tiles: recommendations from designer Ekaterina Lovyagina. Characteristics of metlakh tiles

At least a dozen new varieties of finishing materials appear on the market of finishing materials every year. Some of them successfully replace the old ones with the best ones. technical specifications and operational performance.

But this is not always the case. For example, metlakh tiles appeared more than a century ago in the German city of Mettlach (hence its name) and still remains one of the most popular types of tiles.

It was made of multi-colored porcelain and was used mainly in the decoration of palaces, for which it received the second name - "Victorian".

What is this article about

Metlakh tiles - manufacturing features

Refractory clay is used as raw material for tiles. In Russia, the main place of its extraction is the Dmitrovsky quarry. In his district, the main factories involved in the production of products are located.

A tile is formed from this clay, different forms and standard sizes, then glaze is applied to it and sent to ovens, where it is baked in a temperature range from 1100 to 1300 degrees.

Due to the powerful compaction, the resulting product becomes wear-resistant and is able to withstand a large number of freezing cycles, which allows its installation not only in residential premises, but also in various administrative and public ones.

Technical parameters and advantages

Those who already know what Metlakh tiles are in operation note its high strength, color fastness, and ease of maintenance.

Even from heavy objects installed on its surface and regularly moved, cracks and scratches do not appear on the material. Many experts recommend it for use in those places where a significant operational load is regularly practiced.

Also, the material is practically non-porous, so metlakh floor tiles are used not only for cladding indoors, but also outdoors. The same quality makes it possible to install it in rooms with strict hygiene requirements.

If we talk in more detail about its technical coefficients, the following parameters should be highlighted:

• On the Mohs coating hardness scale - 7 units out of 10 possible for tiles;
• Hydrophobicity from 0.1 to 0.5%;
• The bending strength is also high - 250 kgf / sq. cm;
• Water absorption is 0.1-0.5%. These indicators allow installation even in places with extremely high humidity and temperature fluctuations - in pools, baths, saunas;
• Thermal stability complies with existing standards - this is the ability of a tile to withstand a certain stress during dimensional deformation, as a result of a sharp change in the temperature range;
• Deep scratch resistance - 2.4 cm;
• Pressure holding - 3200-5550 kg/cm2;
• Frost resistance - 150 cycles at temperatures from -15 to +25 according to the results of the study. Lower temperatures have not been officially tested in laboratory tests;
• Acid resistance is higher than standard indicators - 97.71;
• Compressive strength - 90.8 MPa kg / cm2;
• High hollow wear resistance;
• The coloring elements penetrate almost the entire depth of the porcelain tile, which makes it possible to speak of high resistance to UV rays.

All these technical indicators are checked and in practical application. So, for example, ceramic metlakh tiles are perfectly preserved in the historical interiors of ancient buildings of the capital and St. Petersburg, in the palace premises of the Victorian era, centennial plants and factories.

Sizes and shapes

Metlakh tiles can be patterned, glossy, corrugated and even grainy. It can be plain or patterned.

She also has a variety of shapes - rectangular, triangular, cruciform, square, octagonal.

Size range - 6.5-15 cm.

Its thickness is 6-8 mm.

Areas of use

As mentioned above, the possibilities of using this product are practically unlimited.

• Floors in residential premises, administrative, industrial, public buildings;
• Pools, baths, saunas, bathrooms;
• facades;
• Arrangement garden paths, terraces, porches.

Step by step installation

Metlakh floor tiles are no more difficult to install than ordinary ones, except perhaps for the fact that even in one pack, products may differ slightly in size from each other. It also freely allows you to combine prints, shapes and sizes, due to which the effect of an incredibly beautiful, exotic tiled carpet is achieved.

Stage 1 - Foundation preparation

Preparing the surface carefully is very important, since you have chosen such an expensive type of tile, it must lie perfectly. Therefore, the surface must be carefully leveled, excluding drops, cleaned and primed.

Stage 2 - Layout

At this stage, you need to lay out the tiles on the floor from the central point of the plane, and also, if the pattern is complex and was selected independently, create a preliminary drawing of the location of the elements.

At the same time, please note that the joint gap to achieve the greatest effect should be no more than 2 mm. These actions will allow you not to spoil the given floor print and simplify the work of creating a specific layout.

Stage 3 - Installation

Laying begins with large elements if products of different sizes are used.

The thickness gauge is adjusted by increasing or decreasing the adhesive layer.

Do not forget to regularly check the level of evenness of the coating.

Stage 4 - Curbs

Borders are laid from the corner to the center. If trimming is required, this should be done with a special machine and a porcelain stoneware cutting disc.

Stage 5 - Joint grout

If you are laying out a colorful carpet, the grout for the seams should be plain, dim.

First, clean the joints from dust and degrease them. Then wet the seams with a brush or spray.

The mastic is applied with a rubber spatula, ramming it into the surface so that there are no gaps.

When the grout dries, dampen it lightly with water to prevent cracking.

Metlakh tile care

Caring for this tile is easy. Especially if the Metlakh tiles are of high quality and properly laid, it will not be necessary to repair and replace parts for a long time, at least 50 years.

To ensure the long-term coloring, the coating is washed warm water adding vinegar (a glass to a bucket of liquid) or use specialized household chemicals.

On the market building materials Dozens of new titles appear every year. Among the thousands of finishing materials, there are those that do not lose their relevance even hundreds of years after the development of production. These, of course, include metlakh tiles. Surprisingly resistant and original finishing material is used very widely, however, not every owner has full information about it.

Metlakh tile, what is it

The secret of making metlakh tiles was found more than a hundred years ago in Germany, in the city of Mettlach, from where it began to spread throughout different countries. From Germany, the intricacies of obtaining special material migrated to Italy, Portugal and France, and metlakh tiles are becoming more and more popular in our country. Russian production.

There are only a few factories in the Russian Federation that can produce competitive tiles according to those recipes. One of these enterprises is the EuroKeramika plant, which was built in the city of Pechory back in the USSR. Products comply with all international standards and current state standards, and its price is an order of magnitude lower than Italian and German tiles. The price per square meter of Metlakh tiles (dimensions - 300x300x20 mm) produced in the Russian Federation does not exceed 200 rubles. The technical characteristics of the material are given in the table, and the photo shows samples of ornaments from it.

There are not too many branded tiles on sale, made according to old technology. Only a few plants producing such material remain abroad, and the French Winckelmans plant is considered the most famous in the world. The company, despite complete replacement equipment, has been operating since 1886 and produces ceramics according to old technological maps. There is another plant in Portugal, but its tiles are not so well known, especially in our country. The price of imported tiles starts from 0.3 to 17 euros per square.

Production technologies

The second name of the metlakh tile is Victorian tile, since it was actively used to decorate the interior surfaces of the palace premises. Then the tile differed from other types of tiles not only in small size, shape and high strength, but also in the ability to realize absolutely fantastic patterns thanks to deep colors. All this made it possible to use it as a tool for work, corresponding to the style of many artists of that time.

Refractory clay remains the main material for the manufacture of such a tile. It is in the places of its production that factories are located. For the Russian Federation, this is mainly the Dmitrovsky quarry. Tiles of various sizes and shapes are formed from clay, glaze is applied, and then baked in an oven at a temperature of about 1100-1300 degrees. Due to the high degree of compaction, the tile becomes very wear-resistant, frost-resistant, which makes it possible to use it not only for arranging residential premises, but also for finishing administrative and public buildings.

Benefits and properties of tiles

Thanks to the characteristics of clay and a special production technology, it is possible to achieve excellent performance properties of the material:

Physical strength and color fastness. The results of strength tests are shown in the table, but the strength properties of tiles can be indicated by the fact that many historical buildings in Europe are finished with it and look like new for hundreds of years. The tile withstands pressure from an average car and barely loses color saturation over time. In addition, ceramic tiles withstand more than 300 freeze and thaw cycles. Rare material can show such frost resistance.

Metlakh tile is a versatile material. It is equally successfully used both for interior work and for exterior finish facades, platforms, paving of paths and finishing of entrance groups.

The high firing temperature provided the tile with extreme moisture resistance, so this tile can be used to finish not only approaches to the building, but also wet rooms- pools, baths, bathrooms.

Fire resistance and environmental friendliness. The tile does not lose its properties and does not crack, does not burn out at high temperatures. This makes it possible to use it for finishing fireplaces and stoves, it also does not include synthetics and when heated, the tile does not emit harmful fumes.

Laying metlakh floor tiles

In fact, laying metlakh tiles is not much different from finishing other types of tiles, but has some minor features. Experts recommend laying it only on a prepared and planned surface. Before directly laying on the adhesive, the ceramics are laid out in the form of a conceived ornament, taking into account the tile joints. The tile is soaked in water for about two hours, after which it can be laid on the marked plane.

First, large tiles are laid, and the adhesive is applied to reverse side material. After laying fragments of a smaller size, the seams are rubbed either with a special grout that meets the operating conditions, or with cement mortar to the entire depth of the seam.

Caring for tiles is no different from caring for any other ceramic tile. Choose the finishing material to your liking and good luck to everyone!

Among the huge variety of tiled materials, metlakh tile occupies a special place. If you are looking for a unique floor or wall covering, capable of decorating almost any style in the interior, Metah tiles or its imitation is exactly what you need.

History of creation

Mettlach ceramic tiles were so named after the German city of Mettlach, where this finishing material began to be produced in the 19th century. At first, the ceramics manufacturer was called Villeroy & Boch, when the two families, having opened a family business, created a partnership with a board in Mettlach. Metlakh tiles quickly became a household name thanks to original design and unique strength.

Tile was especially popular in the Victorian era, it was not without reason that it was then called “Victorian tile” and covered the floors of cathedrals with it, public spaces and private residences. Coatings from Mettlach were also brought during the construction of the famous Titanic, and to this day they are present in the decoration of many architectural monuments.

AT late XIX- At the beginning of the 20th century, the Villeroy & Boch trademark became a supplier of ceramics for the Russian imperial court.

This finishing material was especially actively used in St. Petersburg, where at the beginning of the 20th century there was even a specialized store of this German company on Nevsky Prospekt. A clear confirmation of the technical properties of this tile is the ancient interiors of the historical buildings of the northern capital - in the decoration of St. Petersburg palaces, this particular finishing material was often used, which adorned not only interior interiors, but also picturesque front doors.

In our country, the peak of popularity of Metlakh ceramics came in the second half of the 20th century, when it was used in the construction of multi-storey residential buildings and plinth cladding.

Currently, metlakh tiles are produced in several countries at once (most of the factories are located in France and Portugal), including Russian-made tiles (the EuroCeramics plant).

The French factory "Winckelmans" is one of the oldest, which still functions today. It is here that ancient techniques have been preserved. Adding modern design ideas to them, the company's specialists create a unique "piece" product, which is characterized by such characteristics as reliability, impeccable quality, natural texture, the most natural shades and patterns, as well as a pleasant matte sheen.

Peculiarities

The main material for the manufacture of metlakh tiles is refractory clay. Factories are located, as a rule, in places where clay is mined; in Russia, this is the Dmitrovsky quarry. Broom - the hardest tile compared to others. Even after a fall or impact, there will be no scratches or chips on it, because such material is able to withstand pressure from 3200 to 5550 kg.

In fact, Metlakh tiles are endowed with all the properties of natural stone - they withstand heat and frost, and are also absolutely acid-resistant.

The peculiarity of the design of such a tile is the use of a unique decorative reception“broomstick”, when the tile is first painted with a natural pigment, and only then it is sent to the oven to be fired at a temperature of about 1100-1200 ° C. The result is a durable tile of a natural shade. Thanks to firing and pressing ceramic coating acquires high performance characteristics, in terms of strength, it is not inferior even to porcelain stoneware.

Such a monolithic and durable coating is used not only in apartments, but also for finishing facades, terraces or paths in front of the house.

Sizes and shapes

Metlakh tiles are usually small in size, about 10x10 cm, although there are various shapes and designs. Sizes can vary from 3.5 to 20 cm. At the same time, the shapes of the tiles can be completely different - these are squares, rectangles, crosses, triangles, octagons. There are also additional decorative elements for decorating floors and walls.

Most often, tiles are used within the same composition. different sizes. First, a pattern is laid out from large tiles, and then from small ones. Since the thickness of the tiles varies, when laying, make sure that the ceramic surface is on the same level.

And be sure to make a drawing on the surface: in order not to make mistakes during installation, you will need special markings.

Advantages of metlakh ceramics

There are plenty of features and advantages of metlakh ceramics over other finishing materials:

• Versatility(tile is used as in interior decoration floors and walls in the house, and for terraces and paths in front of the house, as well as public buildings).
• original design(a variety of shapes and ornaments will help create a unique pattern "not like everyone else").
• natural composition from high-strength clay, as well as its environmental friendliness.
• Hardness and strength(it is very difficult to damage brooms, and even if you drive over the tile in a car, it will not crack).

• Durability(the service life can be not only decades, but also centuries, which is proven in practice), while the color does not fade with time. This is achieved by impregnating the tile with pigments, when after firing the product becomes even more monolithic.
• wear resistance(resistance to humidity and temperature changes, therefore suitable for outdoor decoration, whether it is hot, snow, wind or rain outside).
• Chemical Protection detergents, acids and alkalis.

Of the minuses, we note only the complexity of laying, problems with cutting, and the fact that it will be very difficult to create a competent drawing on your own without a professional designer.

Design features. Options for use in the interior

Of course, not everyone will “understand” Metlakh tiles. This should be a person with artistic thinking, because you need to have a mature taste in order to choose an interior with a complex ornament. The use of such ceramics is acceptable both in modern and vintage interior. Ethnic and oriental themes go well with such tiles.

Metlakh tiles will help create a decorative accent in the room - for example, make a plain floor and decorate it with elegant skirting boards.

Such a coating is suitable for decorating a bathroom, as it does not slip and does not absorb moisture. You can also lay out a luxurious carpet for a living room or a spacious kitchen from a broomstick. A rather unusual, but effective technique will be decorative panel broom on the wall.

Also, a small-sized metlakh tile will perfectly fit into the interior of a kitchen of any design - with the help of such ceramics, you can decorate kitchen apron or work surface.

Broomstick is also suitable for decorating terraces in front of the house, because it is not afraid of snow, rain or frost.. And with the help of rounded elements, you can effectively decorate the steps on the stairs. great idea will begin to revet with such tiles a fireplace, as well as a platform in front of it. You can even ordinary doors decorate around the perimeter with broom tiles in the form of a mosaic.

Agree, such a finishing material is truly a godsend for the designer. Metlakh tiles can be used literally everywhere.

Choice of color and size of metlakh tiles

In modern collections of metlakh tiles, a huge variety of shades and ornaments is presented. It's not easy to stop at something without the help of a professional designer.

So check out these helpful tips:

• Larger tiles of non-staining shades are suitable for facing the tracks.
• To decorate the room from the inside, use medium-sized tiles, beige and pastel shades. This will visually enlarge the room and add space.
• When choosing a tile, consider the lighting in the room, because artificial light sources can change the shade of the coating. For example, under a yellow lamp, a blue tile will appear greenish.
• To emphasize the metlakh tile ornament on the floor, lay out around the perimeter floor covering homogeneous tiles without a pattern, which will give an interesting accent to the interior.

Curiously and paradoxically, even the professional environment can produce "segmented" laymen. Most tilers (and even good ones!) are confident not only in their own skill, but also in theoretical knowledge, which includes, among other things, an understanding of ceramic classification. Ask any master if he knows about metlakh tiles. The answer, most likely, will be a puzzled look: “Who do you take me for?”.

Meanwhile, provoking a deepening into the details, you can run into the exposure of a frank gap in this part. In fact, even many experts know quite a bit about metlakh tiles. Perhaps this is forgivable. Today, "broom" is an alternative to popular solutions: the usual tile and relatively young porcelain stoneware. Preference the brightest representative more than one era, real connoisseurs give more and more. But there were times when factories and palaces were “paved” with metlakh tiles ...

However, the story is round. An example of metlakh tiles in this sense is very clear. The technology of its production has been developed over the centuries and lost, restored and again disappeared into oblivion. Today there are many manufacturers specializing in tiles that have survived more than one mass "sclerosis". It is quite possible to expect another such mass reincarnation of the "broomstick" in the minds and cloisters of Russians. Therefore, it would be a good idea for both tilers and consumers to get acquainted with the history and technological nuances of a wonderful example of ceramic art and craft.

A bit of history

Name roots

Why "metlakhskaya"? The history of the origin of the name is akin to the history of the naming of a copier - the Russian-language historical version. Like the case with copier, the name to which migrated from the name of the company that first launched it on the market, metlakh tiles got its name thanks to the German city of Mettlach, in which the Villeroy & Boch factory launched the production of tiles.

In fact, Russia also had its own production facilities that produced "brooms". But at that time, the attitude towards foreign products was reminiscent of the attitude towards those in the USSR in the Brezhnev and post-Brezhnev era. And since imported Metlakh tiles were mainly supplied to Russia by the specified company, the name turned out to be appropriate.

If you think that only our ancestors “suffered” in this regard, you are very mistaken. Today, "broom" is called anything that resembles the "carpet" original. Here we digress a little from history and recall that the visual distinctive feature Metlakh tiles are characterized by their small format and variegation - from small-sized ceramics of completely different formats and shades, countless compositions are built, achieving similarity with the best examples of carpet products.

So, it was this visual nuance that became the reason not to bother your head and call any tile of this design “metlakh”. Very often, cement tiles are recorded in this category. Indeed, this material is very similar to the original, but the desire of European manufacturers of the fifties of the 19th century to reduce the cost of metlakh ceramics, which was gaining popularity, is responsible for its origin.

Sometimes clinker suddenly becomes a broomstick. It happens that they are called names for any large mosaic made of colored clays. Less often, but it also happens - ceramics with color printing applied to the canvas also become the object of tiled "mythology". It is appropriate to make a reservation here, what falls under the definition of "metlakh tiles":

• ceramic tile;
• plate not covered with glaze;
• having a very low water absorption coefficient;
• made using high temperature firing;
• tonally homogeneous - the tile is completely, to the full depth, painted in one color.

In order for ceramics to be classified as "Metlakh", all the characteristics described must be present in without fail. Therefore, if in houses built during the Soviet period, someone shows you a glazed ornamental tile of the 20x20 format, which was very common at that time, calling it metlakh, know that this is another victim of myths.

With a shovel of research, we will turn the layers of history

We doubt that you will be interested in a dissertation on the topic, because the roots of the "broomstick" go back to the ancient Roman and ancient Greek eras. Already there you can find a prototype of what today has become a good find in tile stores.

As for the period closer to the present, here the history of metlakh tiles branches. In the UK and in the middle of the 19th century, and today the industry leader is Minton. America today can no longer boast of manufacturers (the Great Depression "killed" all the then tile manufacturers), but 150 years ago the leading company had about 20 thousand employees! This is three times more than that of the already familiar German company Villeroy & Boch. The latter, by the way, and now feels good.

And again small digression. We are not the only ones who have fallen victim to the naming nonsense. Our Western "colleagues" -consumers are mistaken no less than ours - they call Metlakh tiles "encaustic tile". This is because “encaustic” literally means “scorched out”, and in the Victorian era - another period of restoration of lost technologies - the ancestors of our foreign brethren decided that even more ancient craftsmen burned the image onto the tile.

It is not in vain that we made a brief historical digression. It will help get rid of misconceptions about metlakh tiles. Next, let's talk about the characteristics of this ceramics.

Characteristics of metlakh tiles

Despite a certain oblivion, metlakh tiles are famous and in some circles are still in high demand. Of course, this would not have happened if this ceramic did not have excellent technical characteristics. Indeed, “broomsticks” are in many ways similar to ceramic granite, which has gained popularity thanks to performance. Below you can see the virtues of the good old ceramics of one of the companies in an ordered format.

• Water absorption - 0.1-0.5%. Despite the fact that European standards allow a coefficient of up to 0.6% for such a tile.
• Hardness. The parameter is determined on a ten-point Mohs scale. "Broom" takes the seventh position (and, again, the norm is 6). Note that the highest hardness is given to the tenth line, and we are talking about the assessment of materials in general, and not strictly ceramics. By the way, at the very top is a diamond, so seventh place is impressive.
• Frost resistance. The tile is capable of withstanding up to fifty transition cycles from sub-zero temperature to positive (-15 - +20). This indicator corresponds to European standards. Such a high rate was made possible due to the density of the tile and its, as a result, low water absorption.
• Chemical resistance. According to the norms, the reaction with active substances should not cause a change in the weight of the product by more than 1%. In the case of metlakh tiles, we observe weight fluctuations within 0.2%.
• Bending strength. Standards require the ability to withstand loads up to 250 kgf/cm². Plates withstand from 380 to 450 kgf per cm².
• Pressure resistance. The norm is more than 1500 kgf per cm². Fact - 3200 to 5500 kgf per cm².

In addition, or rather, precisely due to the described characteristics, Metlakh tiles are a heat-resistant material that is resistant to potholes and scratches. Let's remember the uniformity of the product - this quality determines the resistance to abrasion. Crowds of human feet are not capable of erasing ceramics to a state of unusability over a reasonable period of operation.

It is curious that metlakh tiles, which were laid in churches in the Middle Ages (and then, mainly, religious institutions and were decorated with ceramics of this type), in many places still retained an acceptable quality. True, the “broom”, which was produced in the 19th century, no longer possessed such parameters - the production technology was deliberately simplified (and the tiles, respectively, were cheaper), and with it came a decrease in the properties of ceramics. But even so, the tile was able to last for many decades. Modern tile is not inferior to its predecessors.

Metlakh tiles owe their impressive characteristics to high-quality refractory clays from which they are produced, and high temperature firing (about 1200 degrees). Summarizing the properties of the plates, we note that for the consumer they result in the ability to use the facing material for both internal and outer cladding, both for laying on walls and for decorating floors. Most often, metlakh tiles are used as flooring.

The dimensions of the slabs vary from 3 to 20 cm. In this range, you can find a variety of formats and shades that allow you to create intricate compositional illustrations. The spectrum of metlakh tiles includes not only banal rectangular ceramics, but also polygons. All this serves a wealth of possibilities for laying colorful ornamental “carpets”. This "broom" and conquered many generations. For the design of non-standard places, there are additional elements: corners, sides, plinths ...

Calculation and installation

We will not affect general principles lining. Let's touch on the nuances of laying the Metlakh tiles directly.

• This type of ceramic is not characterized by perfect uniformity of tones and dimensions, therefore, before facing, it is recommended to “shuffle” the slabs in order to avoid spotting the final coating.
• Facing with metlakh tiles is not an easy process, requiring high qualifications. The very essence of the tile delivers problems, which, from a decorative point of view, is obliged to form a mosaic panel. Of course, you can get by with a monocolor, but in this case, only the technical part remains from the tile. In order for the laying to match the idea, you must first make a “dry” layout of the tiles. An accurate calculation will help to avoid discrepancies with the project.
• If the floor contour does not have right angles, it is desirable (and with a significant departure from 90 degrees, it is necessary) to “pass” along the perimeter of the floor rectangular tiles. Usually it is a tile 15x15 or 10x10 cm.
• The calculation should take into account the seams, the width of which varies between 1-7 mm. The size of the joints is determined based on the size of the tiles.
• The usual situation is a combination in the design of large and small tiles. It is correct to start laying with a larger tile.
• Metlakh tile is not an option that you can work with on an unprepared basis. The surface must be leveled; without this, preliminary layout is impossible and the laying of small products is very inconvenient.
• Fugue of neutral shades is better suited for grouting. Not all putties are suitable for wide joints, so if the composition involves volumetric joints, check this point with the seller.
• The presence in the assortment of manufacturers of "broom" spectrum auxiliary elements expands the possibilities, but complicates the lining. It must be remembered that each of these components must be in its place. So, for example, corner curbs, of course, must be in the corners. However, the dimensions of the room are fixed, which forces you to more accurately calculate the layout - you need to rejoice at the result, and not regret the resulting miniature trimming or overly stretched seams.

Perhaps you will never become a participant in the "Metlakh" issue. Maybe, on the contrary, you are purposefully looking for your encaustic tile. Be that as it may, in the end I would like to recommend combining the tiles beloved by our ancestors with technologically advanced ceramic products of our time. Porcelain stoneware and clinker are especially good in terms of interior or exterior company. The first resembles "brooms" with technical characteristics, the second - not only in operational properties, but also visually. The combination of legacies from different eras, with a trained eye and skillful hands, leads to excellent design results.

Metlakh tile has gained recognition and spread throughout the world because of its unique beauty, amazing reliability and durability. The first copy of this tile was produced 125 years ago. Nevertheless, even today she is in the forefront of the sought-after decorative materials, while the most popular is metlakh floor tiles, although tiles are also produced for wall decoration. The question is open - how can such ancient production methods compete with modern building materials? Let's discuss this.

But before discussing, look at the photo of metlakh tiles, this is exactly its traditional look in the minds of the consumer, shabby and “heavy”, but in fact the tile can be different.

The “pie” of metlakh tiles looks exactly like this, both texture and texture will appear in the production process
The heyday of the popularity of this material came in the middle of the XIX century, when the era of industrialization was gaining momentum. Tiling has become one of the characteristic features of retrospectivism in victorian style. Due to the strength unprecedented at that time, combined with a picturesque view, metlakh floor tiles adorned large and small palaces, theaters, stations, and factories. Medieval metlakh tile is considered an antique item and is carefully preserved during the dismantling and restoration of buildings. Restoration of tiles, in principle, is not used, primarily because of the high cost of reconstruction. Mostly professionally made replicas are used.

Now these ancient examples surprise visitors to historical sites, such as the Bolshoi Theater, Cologne Cathedral, etc. Metlach tiles have even been found on the infamous Titanic, which was known to be a very luxuriously decorated sea vessel.

An interesting fact: this tile got its name from the city of Mettlach in Germany, where its large-scale production was first organized. The origin of Metlakh tiles is clearly connected not with the method of production, but with the name of the place where production began. In the south of France, places have been preserved in which there is a metlakh spirit, where the material is made traditional way. Today, these small businesses are visited by tourists. Such is the history of this material, which is not interrupted even after the lapse of years.

By the way, in Soviet industrial buildings, you can still find such tiles that were supplied from abroad and they also have historical value. Such old material suitable for sale to customers as a historical exhibit.

The official website of metlakh tiles is not an original source, in general, these are merchants who have bought domain names and therefore can sell you not only original tiles, but also imitations (tiles for metlakh tiles) and outright fakes. This situation is similar both for our country and for the whole world of domain names. Therefore, we do not recommend making a choice only on the condition that the domain name of the site uses the name of the metlakh tile or has a similar look to the official representative. Metlakh tile manufacturers do not follow this story, and there is no such ban at the legislative level. How many such fakes on the world market of ceramics is unknown. So do right choice buyers must themselves use their knowledge and of course read reviews about this or that seller.

Applications

The main area of ​​​​use of tiles is the decoration of public places and large private property. In terms of quality parameters, Metlakh tiles are similar to modern unglazed porcelain stoneware, but in terms of aesthetics they significantly surpassed it for a long time. The variety of patterns, colors and relief can make a work of art out of an ordinary house.

Most often, this material is used for flooring, as the strength indicator of the tile provides a long period of operation without visible wear. In any setting, metlakh tiles form creative sensations and unique images. Its strength is almost sky-high. The tile is indifferent to moisture and temperature fluctuations, therefore it is successfully used in the bathroom and in the kitchen. In the hallways retains street dirt. When facing the veranda and porch of a private house, it is not afraid of frost, snow, heat and mechanical stress. Thanks to the many colors, the tile has found application even in the decoration of furniture.

Manufacturing methods

Despite the rapid growth of technology and capabilities, manufacturing methods remain the same. The basis for the production of tiles is a special type of high-strength clay. First, the molding process takes place, then a layer of glaze is applied to the blanks, followed by firing in ovens at a temperature of 125–140 degrees. During heat treatment, clay and glaze are firmly sintered. Thus, according to the method of production, it can be called as a metlakh ceramic tile, and GOST is most often assigned 6787 2001.

The finished tile receives greater wear resistance, long service life, resistance to caustic chemicals. Such properties make it possible to successfully use metlakh tiles in in public places with high traffic. Incredibly, for 150 years, the manufacturing method has not changed in anything, except for an increase in the color gamut, the number of patterns and patterns. In a word, the former advantages of the material have only intensified.

Many artisans today take a deep interest in the original tile recipes used during the reign of Queen Victoria. Now such material is used in the reconstruction of historical sites.

Tiles are packaged in characteristic boxes after production. terracotta color, and the average weight is about 12 kg. I would like to note that initially a wooden box was used to pack the tiles, but then cardboard almost completely replaced this method.

Classification

It has already been noted that real tiles are comparable to porcelain stoneware. But the difference lies in the variety of shapes and colors. The dimensions of the sides of the material vary from 3 to 14.5 cm. The style of traditional options is a triangle, square, hexagon and even an octagon. According to the manufacturing methods, cast, pressed and extruded tiles are distinguished. According to the structure, rough (with a granular surface) and thin (with a uniform texture) ceramics are distinguished. But the main classification is based on the degree of wear of the tile and allows you to divide it into four groups.

The main dimensions of metlakh tiles: 100x100, 200x200. For example, a modern metlakh floor tile with markings on the manufacturer's box 200x200x8 has a size of 20 cm and a thickness of 0.8. For outdoor use, you need to use such a tile, the thickness of which will withstand temperature changes.

Strength classes

• The first one is the most fragile. It is used only in private premises, in rooms remote deep into the house. You can’t walk on it in shoes, except for soft, homemade ones. The wall of the building can be primarily decorated with such material.
• The second class is more resistant to wear. Has found application indoors in places with moderate traffic, but without a direct entrance from the outside. It is used in hospital wards, kindergartens, bathrooms.
• The third class has high strength. Suitable for interior spaces such as kitchen, hallway. This tile does not wear out, is durable, retains the brightness of the color for many years.
• The fourth - with the highest threshold of strength. Such tiles are resistant to damage, heavy loads and corrosive environments. It is used in public places with high traffic, such as banks, shops, theaters. It is also used for laying terraces and garages of private houses.

Characteristics

Metlakh tile has properties characteristic only of it:

• Color constancy. The coloring pigment is evenly distributed over the surface of the tile.
• Long service life. Resists any destructive factors.
• Endurance - this type of ceramics is resistant to wind and frost. It is not subject to destruction upon contact with alkalis, acids and other chemical environments.
• Strength. It has an extraordinary hardness that provides resistance to high pressure.
• Versatility. The scope of tiles as floor coverings is wide. It is also placed indoors. for various purposes, and on the street. In addition, an extensive range of colors and shades makes it possible to create ornaments of any complexity.
• The moisture resistance of the tile is high, so even a bath can be lined with it.

Aesthetics of Choice

For aristocratic styles and interiors, we can recommend a floor covering made of metlakh tiles. It allows you to create original patterns that resemble exquisite carpets and decorate the interior of the room. The texture of the metlakh tile makes it possible to assemble infinitely large ceramic carpets, since the pattern on the background tile is repeated. Thus, metlakh tiles in the interior are used where they want to focus on the floor and outdoor items. Photo of interiors with metlakh tiles various projects you can see next.

Laying metlakh tiles

Laying metlakh tiles is no different from laying tiles of different colors. First, take out and lay out all the material from all the boxes on the surface, if it is to be laid on a vertical wall, then mark the place on the floor and lay it out on it. Rearrange the tiles so that they match in thickness, color, pattern, or so that the final solution suits.

Do not try to use tiles when laying from one box that came from the manufacturer's factory. On the contrary, “mix” the tiles from different boxes to get a natural color surface with the laid material.

Then collect the tiles in rows that you will lay along basic principles tiling:

• Need to do flat base(hollow and sagging floor must be reinforced);
• Apply waterproofing (if the room is with a humid environment) and a primer;
• Apply glue with a spatula-comb;
• Lay the tiles with a seam (when the tiles are laid on the floor, they are pressed lightly and moved from side to side, as if slightly sinking, this is the method that is suitable for laying the floor material);
• Rub the seams with grout;
• Wash out;
• Wait for full adhesion and use.

Grout for metlakh tiles is used similar to that for any ceramic tiles and porcelain stoneware. Many companies recommend additional impregnation for tiles, but in fact, if the material is of high quality, it does not need to be improved.