Tile Making Clays
Recommended Clay Bodies for Tile Making.
What kind of clay should I use to make tiles?
Any clay body can be used for making ceramic tiles, but some will work better than others.
Here is a guide to help you decide which body is right for you.
The first thing to narrow your search is the cone or temperature at which you fire.The second is the color you are interested in.The third is the size of the pieces you are interested in making which may determine the amount and/or size of the grog in the body necessary to achieve your goals. Learn more
Note: be sure to fire any clay to the top of it's firing range when creating items such as bath tiles. The top number where a clay is given a range such as "cone 02-10" indicates that the clay is fully vitrified at cone 10 and will no longer absorb water after being fired to that temperature.
Shown Here is a Tile by Michael Cohen made with custom Sheffield Pottery Stoneware clay.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF POTTERY MAKING CLAY HERE!
Low-fire Cone 06 Clay for Making Ceramic Tiles:
Low fire tiles are fine for decorative purposes and plaques. If you wish to do low-fire tiles (cone 06) we highly recommend the
Mass White SS. The Mass White SS is an earthenware clay with a silica sand grog which gives a nice tooth for tile making. It is light in color and easy to use.
Cone 6 Clay for Making Ceramic Tiles:
T6B which is buff in color is a nice clay for stoneware tiles.
4D which is good if you prefer a tan/brown color stoneware.
20266 is a cone 4-6 grolleg porcelain which is good choice if you want a white body.
Cone 10 Clay for Making Ceramic Tiles:
If you have a gas fired cone 10 kiln and want a tight body suitable for batroom tiles you should consider a cone 10 clay.
T1S is a fine grog stoneware prefereded by tile makers. This is the darkest of our reduction bodies. Good for large pieces. T-1S includes screen fireclay and Lizella.
45R which is also our stoneware Raku Clay is designed with a high percentage of coarse grog to withstand the thermal shock of fast firing and cooling in Raku. Good structure for slab building and tiles. For tiles fire this body to cone 10 to fully vitrify.
S14 is a similar stoneware body with a coarser grog which is a good choice for larger tiles.
20231G is the choice If you prefer a lighter color cone 10 clay for tile making: it is a white stoneware containing super smooth English Grolleg porcelain. Throws well, very smooth and dependable.
Please feel free to call us if you would like further assistance choosing the right clay for your specific project needs. Call 888.774-2529.
Click here to view our selection of high-quality Tile Cutters.
Clay for Tile Making
OUR PROCESS
Natural Sheffield Clay is mined on our property from as seen at one of the open clay pits. The Sheffield Clay deposit is located in Sheffield, Massachusetts, on U.S. Route 7 in the Southwest corner of Berkshire County.