Intro
| The Tile-Making Process | Historical
Background | Ceramic Floor Tile Types | Laying
Ceramic Tile Floors | Historic Ceramic Floor Tile: Preservation and
Maintenance | Historic Ceramic Floor Tile: Damage and Deterioration
Problems | Historic Ceramic Floor Tile: Repair and Replacement | Summary | Some Sources for Replacement Tiles
Historic ceramic tiles are a
common flooring material in many different kinds of small, as well as large, private and
public, structures throughout the United States.
Whether plain, or decoratively patterned, traditional ceramic floor tiles are important
in defining the character of historic buildings. Although ceramic floor tiles are a
practical material, they are also fragile, and can be easily damaged by improper
installation techniques, insensitive remodeling, harsh cleaning methods, and even regular
daily use. Preserving them requires careful day-to-day maintenance. This should begin with
using gentle, non-abrasive methods and materials to clean them, and, in some instances,
using an appropriate coating or impregnator to protect them.
Some historic ceramic tile floors, due to their manufacturer, their unique design, or
their location in a certain room or within a particular building, may have greater
significance than those that are purely utilitarian. Such floors should be accorded
special care, and a ceramics conservator or preservation specialist should always be
consulted to prepare responsible maintenance plans and to provide guidance concerning
repair treatments and replacement techniques for them.
Unless an historic ceramic tile floor is extensively damaged with many missing and
broken tiles and, therefore, potentially hazardous, it may be preferable to leave it
alone. An unevenly worn floor surface, worn colors or patterns on the tiles, or slight
cracks, chips, or scratches in the tiles themselves does not necessarily mean that the
tiles should be replaced.
Such relatively minor imperfections seldom detract from the character of an historic
ceramic tile floor. They may, in fact, impart character, and be less noticeable or
obtrusive than replacement of a single tile or a larger section with new tiles that do not
match the originals exactly. Each situation should be evaluated on its own basis before
selecting the preservation approach best suited to the project.
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