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fired opal zellige

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handmade cement tile and moroccan zellige

At Zia Tile, our goal is to deliver perfect handmade encaustic cement tile and Moroccan zellige to every project. We work with designers, contractors, developers, and homeowners nationwide on projects of all sizes. We manufacture standard 8x8, hex,diamond, 4x4 squares and 2x8 subway handmade encaustic cement tile and can customize colors or designs to suit any style. We also carry a wide range of Moroccan zellige colors in 4x4, 2x6, 2x2, and 3.5 inch hexagon shapes. Our cement tiles and zellige are handmade and manufactured by artisans with generations of experience with authentic raw materials to produce tiles with lasting quality and beauty.

Variation in cement tile and zellige is the point! All of our styles will have subtle variations due to the handmade nature of cement and zellige tile. Each tile is made by hand and no two tiles are exactly the same. Zia Tile is based in Los Angeles and ships handmade encaustic cement tile and Moroccan zellige tile worldwide.

how it’s made

Cement tiles are made by hand, one at a time, using mineral pigments, cement, a mold, and a hydraulic press. The individual patterns are made by manually applying separate pigments, one by one, in a handmade brass mold. Cement tiles are not fired; there is no glaze layer on the surface of the tile. They derive their durability from the combination of finely dehydrated cement and a coarse sand and cement layer. The pigment layer is hydraulically pressed into the surface and becomes a part of the tile. Proper installation and protection of cement tile is key. Please ensure that the tile is laid by an installer with experience installing cement tile.
Moroccan zellige (zellij) requires true craftsmanship. Historically used in geometric and floral shapes in the most beautiful palaces, zellige tile is now becoming more widely available.

Our craftsmen start with raw clay, which they soak in water and hand filter for impurities. At this point, the clay becomes a soft, malleable substance that can be placed into various molds. These pieces are then placed side by side and left to dry in the bright Moroccan sun. Zellige tiles are flattened and shaped by hand and left to dry further. Each piece of zellige is hand dipped in glaze and then methodically placed in an earthen kiln. Heat is distributed unevenly throughout the kiln which gives zellige its incredible variation.

Every zellige tile is an expression of the artisan’s work that day—beautifully imperfect and unique. Lastly, the tiles are glazed and cut to perfection. Each tile is a piece of art in its own right.

ordering and shipping

We ship handmade cement tile and Moroccan zellige anywhere that USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL, and any LTL carrier can reach! If you live in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, or a country outside of the United States, please email or call us for a custom freight quote. Our in stock samples of cement tiles and zellige typically ship out within 2 business days of order receipt from our Los Angeles warehouse. Special order and custom design samples are possible with a longer lead time.

All normal cement tile and Moroccan zellige tile orders will deliver using LTL carrier service and are curbside delivery. The LTL trucking company that is contracted to deliver your order will contact you to arrange a specific date and time for curbside delivery. We offer all customers the option to order samples through our website by clicking on the Request a Sample button each tile page. All cement tile and zellige sample orders are limited to up to 4 per tile design, and customers may order up to 10 samples total. We make every effort to ship all samples within the same shipment, but some samples may ship separately if specific samples are out of stock at the time the order is placed.   Some cement tile and zellige tile samples of special order tiles may be available and are limited to 1 sample per customer due to the limited amount of special order tile samples we have on-hand.  Frequently, special order sample tiles will have a lead time that matches the order lead time listed on each individual tile page.  All of our solid color cement sample requests are fulfilled in 4×4 solid sample color tiles.   The first 5 samples in our online cart are complimentary and additional samples are $3 each.  The credit for the first 5 samples is is reflected on the final check out page.  Shipping is $8 for every 3 tiles shipped.  Our samples ship via FedEx, UPS, or USPS ground within 2-3 business days of order receipt.  For questions regarding samples, please email info@ziatile.com.

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