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Metlakh tiles has gained wide popularity and fame due to its unique beauty, amazing strength and impeccable functionality. The first examples of this decorative material appeared about 125 years ago and since then, it has remained one of the most popular options for facing tiles. So, why are products of such “ancient” technology still able to compete on equal terms with cutting-edge building materials? Let's move on to a detailed consideration of this issue.

History of creation

The peak demand and prevalence of Metlakh tiles occurred during the era of early industrialization (mid-19th century). It even became one of the distinctive features that arose a little later than eclectic retrospectivism in the Victorian style. Possessing an exceptional combination of wear resistance and picturesqueness, Metlakh tiles were actively used for decorating both luxury apartments and small areas, palaces, train stations, theaters and factories.

Nowadays, fragments of ancient decoration created from extravagant Metlakh tiles can be seen in many popular historical places, for example, in the Bolshoi Theater, the Hamburg metro, the Cologne Cathedral, etc. In addition, it was used in the design of cabins and reception halls on the famous Titanic. During recent deep-sea explorations, numerous fragments of this particular finishing material were recovered from the sunken liner.

Curious! The tile got its name in honor of the German city of Mettlach, where the first large-scale production of ceramic products was established in the middle of the last century. Today, the classic production, which has preserved all the original manufacturing stages unchanged, can be visited in the south of France!

Application

The main area where Metlakh tiles are actively used is decorative finishing public places and large private houses. By operational characteristics the tile is almost identical to durable porcelain stoneware, but in terms of decorative parameters, it significantly surpasses it. It can easily boast of a variety of colors, patterns and shapes. Thanks to these advantages, Metlakh tiles transform the floor into a real work of art, which retains its original beauty for three to four decades.

Of all the options, the most popular is Metlakh tiles for flooring, which have extraordinary properties that ensure its long service life without noticeable damage.

In the interior of any room, Metlakh tiles will create a unique exclusivity that creates a creative ambiance. For example, in the bathroom it will successfully resist water splashes from the sink, shower or tap, in the kitchen it will easily withstand regular temperature changes and fluctuations in humidity levels, and in the entrance area it will prevent the spread of street dirt. This finishing material will also be appropriate in a restaurant, small office or boutique, where it will create a unique atmosphere.

Concerning country houses, then verandas, terraces and porches are covered with Metlakh tiles. The material is not afraid of heavy loads, rain, heat, snow and frost. If you decorate with metlakh tiles local area(paths, paths, barbecue area), then it will turn into a spectacular place for relaxation and entertainment.

Thanks to a fairly wide variety of colors and shapes, Metlakh tiles can be used advantageously not only to create decorative cladding walls and unique floor coverings, but even for the purpose of decorating furniture.

Manufacturing technology

Despite industrial progress and great opportunities modern manufacturers manufacturing technology remains unchanged. The main component for the production of Metlakh tiles is special high-strength clay.

After molding, the clay blanks are covered with a layer of glaze and placed in an oven, where they are fired at a temperature of 125-140°C. During heat treatment, the glaze and clay are sintered so tightly that the product acquires amazing wear resistance, durability, and resistance to the destructive effects of aggressive chemical compounds. These qualities also allow the tiles to be used on streets, factories and public places.

It seems unrealistic that throughout its one and a half century history no modifications have been made to the production process other than an increase in ornamentation options and an expansion of the color range. Simply put, the tiles have become richer and better quality without losing their advantages, while losing almost all of their disadvantages.

Some enthusiastic craftsmen are trying in various ways to learn all the secrets of the original recipe in order to create primary tile samples. Their products are absolutely identical to the options used during the reign of Queen Victoria. As a rule, most of it is used during restoration work in archaic buildings.

Classification

It was noted above that Metlakh tiles are very similar to porcelain tiles in their performance qualities. But it has a more diverse (shape, colors) and extensive model range. The sizes of the tiles vary from 3.0 to 14.5 cm, and the shape is always classic - square, rectangle, triangle, hexagon, and sometimes octagon.

A large assortment of shapes and sizes of Metlakh tiles gives the opportunity to lay out patterns of the rarest beauty, as well as transform the floor into a unique work of art.

According to the production method, there are cast, pressed and extruded tiles.

There is also a division into coarse or fine ceramics. The difference is clearly visible on the fault: coarse - has a fine-grained surface, and fine - the structure is smooth, homogeneous.

The main classification is based on the technical characteristics of the tile and is a wear resistance coefficient on the four-stage Mohs scale.

It helps to decide on the choice of specific tiles for the room, when the approximate daily load on the floor is known.

Modern industrial enterprises produces four classes of products that differ in wear resistance:

1st strength class - this option is the most “gentle”. Such Metlakh tiles can be laid exclusively in residential premises in the rooms furthest from the front door. It is better to walk on floors with such a covering in slippers with soft soles.

Wear resistance class 2 - more durable than the previous version. It is used in places with average daily traffic, where direct contact with the tiled surface when entering from the street is excluded. This best option for hospital wards, kindergartens, bathrooms and other similar premises.

Tiles of the 3rd strength class are suitable for installation in corridors, kitchens, and hallways. This option has a high strength coefficient and is capable of safely removing sand, clay, soil and other contaminants. The surface of the material does not crack, is resistant to scratches and retains its original appearance for a long time.

Strength class 4 is the most stable option, able to withstand damaging factors for a long time. It is used in public buildings and structures with significant traffic, for example, theaters, supermarkets, shopping centers, large banks, etc. In addition, fourth class tiles are often laid on the terraces of townhouses, country cottages and in garages.

Properties and Features

Metlakh tiles, thanks to the optimal composition recipe and competent production technology, have a number of exceptional features and unique properties:

Color stability - achieved due to the uniform distribution of the coloring pigment throughout the entire volume of the tile and subsequent sintering with clay during firing;

Durability - high resistance to destructive influences;

Endurance - the finishing material is not afraid of hail, rain, frost, snow, etc. It has amazing resistance to alkalis, saline solutions and acids;

Strength - the tiles have amazing hardness, which determines the ability to withstand enormous pressure;

Versatility - Metlakh flooring is used not only indoors, but also outdoors.

Besides, wide choose colors allows you to lay out almost any ornament or pattern on the floor.

Exquisite selection

When the need arises to create an exquisite design, a noble interior and a floor with excellent performance parameters, you should choose flooring from metlakh tiles. With its help, you can create non-standard, eccentric colored carpets that decorate the floor and form a single harmony in general interior premises.

Metlakh tiles are intended for decorative design floor or walls. Such tiles were produced back in ancient times. We’ll talk about it today.

Thanks to its excellent performance, today it is also used in some enterprises of the country. For a long time, Metlakh tiles have not lost any of their popularity.

Nowadays, not only apartments and houses are decorated with it, but also painted carpets are made in museums and other important institutions.

This video will tell you about the pros and cons, as well as the use of Metlakh tiles:

Advantages and disadvantages

Why is this product so in demand? The secret lies in its positive qualities. So, Metlakh tiles:

• Universal. Tiles are used everywhere: indoors, on buildings, for... Fresh air and precipitation will not harm the metlakh coating. Multiple options for shapes and colors of tiles allow you to create original and never-before-seen designs.
• Natural. The composition of the tiles includes water and natural high-strength.
• Durable. Thanks to special technology, Metlakh tiles are very hard. Even the heaviest object falling will not be able to damage it. It turns out that the heaviest loads are not terrible for the Metlakh carpet.
• Durable. The initially laid coating will retain its appearance and color for a very long time. This property is achieved through deep impregnation with color pigments. With their help, after firing, the product turns into a single whole that is not capable of losing its qualities.
• Multitasking. The tile is good for both interior decoration, and for outdoor. Metlakh tiles will help you create various and bold patterns on the surface.
• Hardy. The tiles are well suited for exterior decoration. Snow, hail, rain, and wind are not scary for her. If we take others for comparison, then Metlakh tiles resist acid and alkali best of all.
• Reliable. Metlakh tiles are reliable in terms of operation. It can be easily used in rooms with a large concentration of devices and people.
• Availability. Construction material affordable to absolutely all segments of the population in terms of price.

This, in every sense positive coverage, has several disadvantages:

• Difficulty in installation. Make it interesting designer drawing from such tiles to an ordinary person will be problematic.
• Difficult to cut with a tile cutter.
• Old fashioned style. Many people don’t like the antique look of the tiles.

Metlakh tiles in interiors different rooms(photo)

Bar Bath Living room Kitchen Hallway Hall

Kinds

Metlakh tiles have several types, which depend on the production method.

• First view: cast tiles. This tile has a significant drawback: the resulting products have different thicknesses, as a result, when laying the coating, the lion's share of the products is sent to waste. It's all about production technology. The raw materials are poured into special molds, then dried and sent to the kiln for firing.
• Second view: pressed tiles. The products are made from powdered clay, water (no more than 6%) and special additives. During the manufacturing process, the mixture is pressed under pressure and then cut into shapes required size. Pressed tiles have a porous structure. These tiles are often used for flooring.
• Third type: extruded tiles. This is the most best view tiles It is obtained using a mouthpiece through which the raw material passes, forming a ribbon. After this, the tape is cut into pieces and fired in a kiln. The thickness and size of the tiles can be adjusted using the settings.

Appearance

Describing the appearance of the tile, we can say that it looks like a mosaic. The tile can be in the shape of a square or rectangle.

• The sides of the tile can be 48 mm and 23 mm.
• The thickness of Metlakh tiles can be from 6 to 8 mm.
• And it can also be multifaceted. The number of edges can be 3, 5, 6 and 8. The length of the edges is usually from 50 to 150 mm, thickness 10-13 mm.

The front part of the tile can be smooth, embossed or embossed. The color of the tiles can be a single color (for example, gray, red or yellow), or they can have several shades with patterns.

Role in the interior

Metlakh tiles allow you to bring to life quite bold and original design solutions. Its shape allows architects to create various stylistic compositions on the floor or walls.

Metlakh tiles are successfully used for finishing baths, corridors and kitchens. Because of its practicality and durability, Metlakh carpet is used to lay hospital corridors, hotel halls, reception areas of administrative buildings and other crowded places.

Composition and properties

To produce Metlakh tiles, high-strength clay, water and coloring pigments are used. This raw material is mixed and sent for formation. Here it is important to control the quality of the supplied raw materials.

The produced Metlakh tiles are characterized by the following properties:

• Frost resistance. The tile easily withstands low temperatures and chemical influences.
• Fire resistance. The tiles are not damaged by high temperatures.
• Environmental friendliness. Metlakh tiles do not emit toxic substances when cold or hot.
• Water resistance. The material perfectly resists moisture.
• Resistance to aggressive influences. The material easily withstands the effects of alkali and acids.

Application and production

Good performance indicators made it possible to use Metlakh tiles when finishing the floors and walls of restaurants, cafes, shops, ordinary houses. It is well suited for decorating porches, garden paths and gazebos. This coating will add zest to any interior.

The tiles have earned good characteristics thanks to old and special production technology. A special glaze is applied to the formed raw material (the layer must be strong enough), after which the products are sent to the oven, where they are sintered at a very high temperature (at least 1200º). As a result, the tile receives excellent density. It provides the coating with the declared characteristics.

Read below about analogues of Metlakh tiles.

This video will tell you how Metlakh tiles are made:

Tile analogues

Metlakh tiles are made from special raw materials and using complex technology. Therefore, there are no 100% analogues of these products.

But metlakh tiles can be replaced with ceramic ones facing tiles Carra (manufacturer Euroceramics) and . These materials have slightly similar properties.

Laying

Laying a complex metlakh carpet can only be done by professional craftsmen. The process is complex and painstaking. A beginner clearly cannot handle it.

Equipment and raw materials

During the work you will need:

• Metlakh tiles in sufficient quantity to fully realize the conceived idea.
• The base is tile adhesive or.
• Special grout.
• Trowel with teeth 3-6 mm.
• Machine for porcelain stoneware (not in all cases).

Technology

Laying of Metlakh tiles should take place in the following sequence:

1. Surface preparation. The tiles must be laid on a perfectly level base. Therefore, any, even slight, difference in height must be eliminated. The durability of the coating will be extended by pre-made concrete screed and waterproofing the base. If metlakh tiles are laid outdoors, then a frost-resistant base will need to be laid underneath.
2. Surface measurement. It is very important to measure the entire area of ​​the masonry with bends, protrusions and doorways. Next, you need to determine the center of the base and draw center lines from it in different directions.
3. Pre-layout. You need to complete one horizontal and one vertical row. Here it is necessary to leave a gap of 1 mm between the metlakh tiles. After this, you can adjust the position of each tile. Laying out is carried out without glue.
4. Applying glue and laying out tiles. A trowel is used for these purposes. The adhesive must be suitable for the material being fixed. If the future design of the Metlakh carpet contains large and small tiles, then laying them out should start with the large ones. When complex pattern it is better to lay it out in advance without glue. In addition, it is worth remembering that tiles from different batches may differ from each other.
5. . This stage is carried out after the glue has set. Gray, white or beige grout is best suited for these purposes. During surface treatment, it must be applied to the entire depth of the seam.

It is important to immediately remove any mortar or grout that gets on the surface of the tiles.

At the end of the work, the quality of the coating can be checked using water. To do this, pour water onto the base. Drying should occur evenly, without puddles.

Price of work and materials

Now let's talk about the price per m2 for laying floor and other types of Metlakh tiles.

• Prices for tiles depend on the manufacturer, shape, type and size. Average cost square meter Metlakh tiles start from 200 rubles.
• The cost of work starts from 2000 rubles per square.

Can old metlakh tiles be used and is it possible to recreate floors from them? Read below.

Metlakh carpets in home decoration

What can be done with old raw materials

Metlakh carpets have been used since ancient times. Therefore, when carrying out renovations in houses and administrative buildings, you can currently find similar old coatings. What to do with him? Taking it off is quite problematic. What to do?

Many people practice laying out new tiles to the old one. In this case, for better adhesion, a layer of primer and special glue must be applied. When working, you should always try to lay out only a flat surface.

To obtain a durable and perfectly smooth floor, old Metlakh tiles are usually removed. And the new coating is laid out from scratch.

This video will tell you why it’s still worth laying Metlakh tiles at home:

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

Meanwhile, by provoking you to go deeper into details, you can run into the exposure of a blatant gap in this area. In fact, even many experts know quite little about Metlakh tiles. Perhaps this is forgivable. Today, “metlah” is an alternative to popular solutions: the usual tiles and relatively young porcelain stoneware. True connoisseurs are increasingly giving preference to the brightest representative of more than one era. But there were times when factories and palaces were “paved” with Metlakh tiles...

However, the story is rounded. The example of Metlakh tiles is very clear in this sense. The technology of its production has been developed and lost over the centuries, restored and again faded 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 similar mass reincarnation of the “broom” in the minds and abodes of Russians. Therefore, both tilers and consumers would do well to familiarize themselves with the history and technological nuances a wonderful example of ceramic art and craft.

A little history

Roots of the name

Why exactly “metlakh”? The history of the origin of the name is akin to the history of copier naming - Russian-language historical version. Similar to the case with the copy machine, the name of which migrated from the name of the company that first launched it on the market, Mettlach tiles received their name thanks to the German city of Mettlach, in which the Villeroy & Boch factory established tile production.

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 supplied to Russia mainly by the indicated company, the name turned out to be appropriate.

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

So, it was precisely this visual nuance that became the reason for not bothering oneself and calling any tile of a similar design “metlakh”. Very often, cement tiles are included in this category. Indeed, this material is very similar to the original, but the desire to European manufacturers fifties of the 19th century to reduce the cost of Metlakh ceramics, which was gaining popularity.

Sometimes clinker suddenly becomes a “broom”. It happens that they “call” any large mosaic made from colored clays. Less often, but it also happens - ceramics with color printing applied to the canvas also become the object of tile “mythology”. Here it is appropriate to clarify what falls under the definition of “metlakh tiles”:

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

In order for ceramics to be classified as “metlakh”, all the described characteristics must be present. Therefore, if in houses built during the Soviet period, someone shows you glazed ornamental tiles in the 20x20 format, which were very common in that period, calling it Metlakh, know that this is another victim of myths.

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

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

As for the period closer to modern times, here the history of Metlakh tiles branches out. In Great Britain, both in the mid-19th century and today, the industry leader is the Minton company. America today can no longer boast of manufacturers (the Great Depression “killed” all the tile manufacturers of that time), 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, is still doing well.

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

It was not in vain that we made a brief historical excursion. It will help get rid of misconceptions regarding 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 are still in high demand in some circles. Of course, this would not have happened if this ceramics had not had excellent technical characteristics. Indeed, “metlah” is in many ways similar to ceramic granite, which has earned popularity due to its performance qualities. Below you can familiarize yourself with the advantages of good old ceramics from one of the companies in an organized format.

• Water absorption – 0.1-0.5%. Despite the fact that European standards allow for such tiles a coefficient of up to 0.6%.
• Hardness. The parameter is determined on a ten-point Mohs scale. “Metlah” takes seventh position (and, again, the norm is 6). Note that the highest hardness is given to the tenth line, and we are talking about assessing materials in general, and not strictly ceramics. By the way, there is a diamond at the very top, so seventh place is impressive.
• Frost resistance. The tile can withstand up to fifty cycles of transition from subzero temperature to positive (-15 – +20). This indicator corresponds to European standards. Such a high figure was made possible due to the density of the tiles and its, as a consequence, low water absorption.
• Chemical resistance. According to the standards, 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%.
• Flexural strength. Standards require the ability to withstand loads of up to 250 kgf per cm². The plates can 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 thanks to the described characteristics, Metlakh tiles are a heat-resistant material that is resistant to potholes and scratches. Let us remember the homogeneity of the product - this quality determines its immunity to abrasion. Crowds of human feet are not able to wear ceramics down to a state of unusability over a reasonable period of use.

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

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

The sizes of the slabs vary from 3 to 20 cm. In this range you can find a variety of formats and shades, allowing you to create intricate compositional illustrations. The range of Metlakh tiles includes not only banal rectangular ceramics, but also polygons. All this serves a wealth of possibilities for laying colorful ornamental “carpets”. These “brooms” conquered many generations. To design non-standard places there are additional elements: corners, sides, baseboards...

Calculation and installation

We will not touch general principles cladding. Let’s touch on the nuances of laying Metlakh tiles directly.

• This type of ceramic is not characterized by ideal uniformity of tones and sizes, so before cladding it is recommended to “shuffle” the slabs to avoid spotting of the final coating.
• Facing with Metlakh tiles is not an easy process and requires high qualifications. The problem is caused by the very essence of the tile, which, from a decorative point of view, must form mosaic panel. Of course, you can get by with monocolor, but in this case, only the technical part remains of the tile. In order for the installation to correspond to 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 advisable (and if there is a significant departure from 90 degrees, it is mandatory) to “walk” along the perimeter of the floor rectangular tiles. Usually this is a tile 15x15 or 10x10 cm.
• The calculation should take into account seams, the width of which varies between 1-7 mm. The size of the joints is determined based on the size of the tile.
• The usual situation is a combination of large and small tiles. It is correct to start laying with larger tiles.
• Metlakh tiles are not an option that can be worked with on an unprepared base. The surface must be leveled; without this, preliminary layout is impossible and the laying of small items is very inconvenient.
• Fugue is better suited for grouting neutral shades. Not all putties are suitable for wide joints, so if the composition involves voluminous joints, check this point with the seller.
• The presence of a range of auxiliary elements in the assortment of broom manufacturers expands the possibilities, but complicates the cladding. It must be remembered that each of these components must be in its place. So, for example, corner borders, 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 should be happy with the result, and not regret the resulting miniature trim or overly stretched seams.

Perhaps you will never become involved 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 for interior or exterior companionship. The first resembles “broomsticks” in terms of technical characteristics, the second - not only in operational properties, but also visually. The combination of heritage from different eras, with a trained eye and skillful hands, leads to excellent design results.

Metlach is a decorative technique that can add artistry to the interior, become a spectacular accent of the room, not only aesthetically pleasing, but also completely practical solution for street areas. We learned from the founder of the Faktura studio, designer Ekaterina Lovyagina, in which interiors and in combination with what materials Metlakh tiles will reveal themselves in all their glory, and why they are not suitable for everyone.

Metlah is different from other species ceramic tiles in that it is painted before firing: natural pigment is added to the mixture, then it is shaped and sent to the oven. As a result, the color turns out more natural, “honest”. The design is applied to the tile in two ways: either by a method reminiscent of cloisonne enamel (the form is immersed in a die and another pigment is poured into it), or by a more accessible technique like silk-screen printing.

The video below shows how a French factory produces brooms.

Typically, broom shapes are geometrically simple and regular - multi-format squares, rectangles, triangles, hexagons and octagons, crosses, “candies” (in addition, the palette includes details for decorating steps, baseboards, sides and corners). When joining tiles different forms And different colors The result is stacked carpets. The number of possible patterns can hardly be counted.

3 facts about Metlakh tiles

Thanks to firing at high temperatures (at least 1200 °C), brooms are highly durable. It is resistant to moisture, natural acids, high and low temperatures. Therefore, the material can be safely used in residential and public spaces, as well as on the street.

Tile sizes vary from 3.5 to 20 cm (length of one side). Most small element- triangle 3.5 × 3.5 × 5 cm, the largest is a square 20 × 20 cm.

The color of the broom is determined by natural pigments that are added to the clay mass. In the 2015 catalog of the French brand Winckelmans, the main palette includes 16 colors. Plus, the collection contains several patterns.

We asked designer Ekaterina Lovyagina from, who uses this material in almost every project, to talk about the features of using Metlakh tiles in the interior.

The material is not for everyone

Metlakh tiles are not suitable for everyone. It is a rather bold decorative technique that allows you to achieve the so-called wow effect and add artistry to the interior. To live in an interior with ornaments, you need to have mature taste. This is the choice of an educated, accomplished person who understands how the material will manifest itself in the space of the house, because he has already seen similar solutions while traveling.

Interior of a private country house. Project by Svetlana Galfayan and Marina Volkova

For what interiors?

The use of Metlakh tiles is acceptable wherever we like to see some kind of geometry. It could be modern interior with graphic patterns (zigzags, herringbone, squares), and historical European classics with English carpets, medieval castle ornaments. With brooms it’s great to create oriental interiors - in general, any ethnic style. Unless we are unlikely to use it in completely minimalist interiors, although even in this case we can take tiles gray and line the wall with it - it will turn out beautifully and delicately.

Today, Metlakh tiles are a decorative accent; they do not create any tense atmosphere around them. On the contrary, if we strive to somehow express a room, we decorate it with a pattern. And if we want to move a person’s gaze from the floor to the walls, then we can make the central plane - the floor - dark and empty, and go out to the elegant ones through a frieze and plinth made of broom.

In which areas is it best to use?

Metlach is also ideal for the bathroom, as it does not absorb moisture and does not slip.

In my decorating practice I love and often make beautiful rich carpets, mainly for spacious halls, living rooms, and large kitchens.

A non-standard move would be to use tiles in the corridor as decorative panel all over the wall.

Apartment in Paris, designed by architect and decorator Alirez Razavi

Due to their high strength and wear resistance, brooms are ideal for decoration kitchen aprons and work surfaces in the kitchen.

Metlach is suitable for outdoor terraces, as it withstands rain and dirt, snow and frost.

The broom has special rounded elements on the steps, which allow you to form very beautiful stairs. In my projects I regularly create decorative risers from broomstick.

Metlakh tiles are suitable as exterior cladding for fireplaces. And if it’s a potbelly stove that lags behind the wall, then with the help of a broom you can create an apron-heat breaker behind the fireplace and lay out an area in front of the fireplace.

We can make baseboards from broom - no problem. If a person has ordinary doorways, but wants to achieve decorativeness, you can put a mosaic strip of broom around the perimeter of the door frame.

What materials can it be combined with?

Brooms interact best with natural materials - stone, wood, including thin parquet. In one house, I joined three trees in the hall - from the living room, the kitchen and the staircase, and in the middle I placed a beautiful broom carpet, above which I hung a lamp. It is closed on all sides except the bottom - the lamp effectively illuminates only the carpet.

Interior of a private house in Krasnodar. Project by Ekaterina Lovyagina

Which brand of broom should I use?

Today there are few traditional factories for the production of metlakh tiles left. One of these factories is Winckelmans in France, operating since 1894. His official representative in Russia is the Greta Wulf company. We have been working with them for more than 10 years. When a client comes to us, we first show him big book patterns from Greta Wolf. This is a kind of rubricator, which presents the key patterns characteristic of each style. Then, based on these graphic diagrams, we assemble color scheme. You can view some samples of Metlakh tiles available in the Faktura studio here.

Every year on the market finishing materials At least a dozen new varieties of finishing materials appear. Some of them are successfully replacing the old ones with better technical characteristics and performance indicators.

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

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

What is this article about?

Metlakh tiles - manufacturing features

Refractory clay is used as a raw material for tiles. In Russia, the main place of its production is the Dmitrovsky quarry. The main factories producing the product are located in its district.

Tiles of different shapes and sizes are formed from this clay, then glaze is applied to it and sent to ovens, where they are baked in temperature range from 1100 to 1300 degrees.

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

Technical parameters and advantages

Those who already know what metlakh tiles are in use note their high strength, color fastness, and ease of maintenance.

Even heavy objects installed on its surface and regularly moved do not cause cracks or scratches on the material. Many experts recommend it for use in those places where significant operating load is regularly practiced.

Also, the material is practically non-porous, so Metlakh floor tiles are used not only for tiling 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.m. cm;
• Water absorption is 0.1-0.5%. These indicators allow installation even in places with extreme high humidity and temperature fluctuations - in swimming pools, baths, saunas;
• Thermal stability meets 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;
• Strength to deep scratches- 2.4 cm;
• Pressure endurance - 3200-5550 kg/cm2;
• Frost resistance - 150 cycles at temperatures from −15 to +25 according to research results. More low temperatures not officially tested in laboratory tests;
• Acid resistance is higher than standard values ​​- 97.71;
• Compressive strength - 90.8 MPa kg/cm2;
• High void wear resistance;
• Coloring elements penetrate almost the entire depth of porcelain tiles, which suggests high resistance to UV rays.

All these technical indicators tested in practical application. For example, Metlakh ceramic tiles are perfectly preserved in the historical interiors of ancient buildings in the capital and St. Petersburg, in palace premises of the Victorian era, hundred-year-old plants and factories.

Sizes and shapes

Metlakh tiles can be patterned, glossy, grooved and even grainy. It can be plain or with a pattern.

Its shapes are also varied - rectangular, triangular, cross-shaped, square, octagonal.

Size range - 6.5-15 cm.

Its thickness is 6-8 mm.

Areas of use

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

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

Step-by-step installation

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

Stage 1 - Preparing the base

It is very important to prepare the surface thoroughly, since you have chosen such an expensive type of tile, it must lie perfectly. Therefore, the surface must be carefully leveled, excluding differences, 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 arrangement of the elements.

Please note that the seam gap to achieve the greatest effect should be no more than 2 mm. These steps will allow you not to spoil the specified floor print and simplify the work of creating a specific layout.

Stage 3 - Installation

Laying begins with large elements if different-sized products are used.

Adjustment of the thickness gauge occurs by increasing or decreasing the adhesive layer.

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

Stage 4 - Curbs

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

Stage 5 - Grouting

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

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

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

When the grout is dry, moisten it lightly with water to prevent cracking.

Caring for Metlakh tiles

Caring for such tiles is easy. Especially if Metlakh tiles are of high quality and laid correctly, you won’t have to repair or replace parts for a long time, at least 50 years.

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