Saltillo tile is a type of terra-cotta tile that originates in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico. Saltillo tiles are made from clay found in the Northern Mexico area. Saltillo-type tiles are now manufactured at many places in Mexico, and high-fire “Saltillo look” tiles, many from Italy, compete with the terra-cotta originals. The red clay is formed into Mexican tiles, dried in the sun and then fired in kilns, the newly formed Mexican tile can range in color from yellow to red with many tiles having a mixture of those colors. The Saltillo-Mexican tiles are left to dry outside, they sometimes will have the footprint of a dog or a chicken, they remain cool and comfortable in the summer.
Because Mexican tiles tend to be softer than ceramic tile, they do need to be sealed and properly maintained. These tiles have been made in Mexico and the Southwest for hundreds of years and remain in many public places. Mexican Tile Renew Project in South West Florida Where We Strip Off Old Sealer Clean Tile and Grout and Re-Seal Mexican Tile Floors to Like New Appearance. From Venice to Sarasota to Bradenton Fl, Mexican Tile Renew we make like new the good, the bad, and the just plain ugly Mexican tile floors since 1995.
Refinishing Mexican tile is not really a DIY project, many different products are needed to properly strip off the old sealer, grease, oil and set in stains from years ago. Mexican Tile can have occasional cracks on the surface and has a somewhat rough texture to the touch. Mexican Tile can have animal prints. Mexican Tile are not the same color. They can vary in shading with-in the same tile. Mexican Tile are prone to alkali in the clay, to minimize problems they must be properly sealed and kept sealed with a water based acrylic sealer, multiple coats are needed.