Tessellated Tiles

FAQs

• What patterns are suitable for my style of house?

  Some patterns have a general appeal across a range of architectural styles - Georgian, Victorian, Federation, Inter-war & modern. Patterns such as the Bath (checkerboard), Olde English (octagon & dot), Killara and Stanmore fall into this category. However, in the case of the octagon & dot, what does change from period to period is the colour combination.

  Geometrically complex patterns are somewhat more period specific than the above classics. Tessellated patterns like the Bristol, Devon, Brighton and Fitzroy, to name just a few, are well suited to the Gothic Revival style. They can also be found on Italianate, Boom Style, Queen Anne and early Federation homes, but with subtle variations. Highly elaborate patterns e.g. Woollahra, Westleed, Manchester and Petersham, reflect the decorative richness of Boom Style architecture, but as the 19th century came to an end and the Federation period got into full swing, the patterns reverted to the relative simplicity of the pre-Boom era - Raglan, Annandale, Leeds, Windsor and York being particularly popular but with one significant difference - the gradual rejection of encaustics.

  By the time California Bungalows were the dominant architectural style for homes, tessellated patterns had become simpler still. The Raglan, Killara, Olde English, Liverpool, Chester and Brighton were common choices. Added to the simplicity of the patterns was a corresponding simplification of the colour palette.

• Can I change the colours in a particular pattern?

  The simple answer is, “Yes”. Because tessellated patterns are supplied as loose componentry, any and all the colours of any pattern can be changed to suit your taste and decor. Some people can find this degree of freedom to choose intimidating, and prefer the reassurance of knowing what colours are appropriate to the style of their house, just as some people prefer to know what patterns are best suited to their style of house.

  What determines a pattern’s suitability for a particular style of architecture is less the pattern itself than it is the colours that are used.

  A typical 1880s - 90s colour palette would include dominant colours of red, oatmeal and coffee, with accents of black, white and a hint of deep sky blue. From the late 1880s to the late 1890s certain colours - pale blue, mauve, pink, light green were introduced, but always with restraint. Their use typifies the floors of Boom Style houses. By the beginning of the 20th century not only had these colours fallen out of favour, but the use of deep sky blue, virtually ubiquitous in the floors of the 1870s - ‘90s, had become a far less common element. As the century progressed even the use of black and white as accents had decreased significantly till, by the end of the 1st World War, tessellated floors were being executed in a very limited colour palette of brown, coffee, oatmeal, with red as an optional accent colour.

• Do Olde English’s tessellated tiles need to be sealed?

  Olde English Tiles are the exclusive importers of Winckelmans complete range of fully vitrified unglazed porcelain tessellated tiles. They have a porosity level of 0.1% - 0.5%, which is lower than the European standard required for porcelain tiles. This level of porosity means the tiles are virtually impervious to staining. Winckelmans advise that sealing is optional but not necessary. If you elect to seal these tiles it is recommended that it should be done a few days after the tiles have been laid and after the cement film has been thoroughly removed. Only use a quality sealer designed for use on vitrified porcelain tiles. Just to reiterate - sealing is optional.

• How much does it cost to lay tessellated tiles?

  The cost of laying a tessellated floor depends on a number of factors including: the type of pattern (octagon & dot v. Fitzroy), the location of the area being tiled (pathway v. upstairs bathroom), size and shape of the area (a curved path v. a square verandah), access to the site, and the amount of preparation required, but the rule of thumb is that the cost of the tiles will give you a rough indication of the cost of installation.

• Do tessellated floors come sheeted?

  The simple answer is, “No” - for several reasons:

  i/ Weight - because of the thickness of the tiles (9mm) and the great variation in the sizes of the components that make up a pattern, plus the size of certain pattern repeats, it is not recommended to sheet tessellated patterns, as it does not yield a satisfactory result.

  ii/ Laying - because tessellated floors need to be laid on sand and cement, not synthetic adhesive, sheeting is not possible. Sheeting would result in an inadequate bond with the sand and cement bed.

  iii/ Joints - tessellated floors need to be laid with a very narrow joint between the individual components: 1-1.5mm. If you look at an original old tessellated floor the pieces appear to be almost butting up to each other. Sheeting components so close together is likely to result in them becoming chipped.

  A skilled tessellated tiler (and would you want anything else?) actually will prefer to have loose pieces, which allow him to create a more seamless, authentic look.