Italian S Tile
Unfortunately, even our sector is not immune from the presence of scams. Over the years, I have seen many examples of clients who have been taken in by inexpert floor layers.
There are two things clients need to be wary of:
- The first is that the hand-made floor is in fact machine made.
- The second, is that the floor is not a “Made in Italy” floor.
Leaving aside the ethics of scammers, how can you tell what to avoid?
- Colour
A dull brown terracotta. This is very different from our vibrant pink and red terracotta and is a clear sign that there has been a flaw in the firing process, meaning that the terracotta has not reached the ideal temperature to make it freeze resistant. If you buy a floor like this, you run the risk of the type of damage seen in the photograph. - Grainy texture
If the terracotta is grainy to the touch, then it is not an Italian terracotta. - Smooth Sides
Examine the sides of the tiles (see photograph). Our terracotta tiles are smooth, because after it has set in the wooden mould, we shave the product with a knife to eliminate irregularities. If it does not exhibit this finish it has been machine-made in an iron mould.
