How Are Tiles Made? Inside the Five-Stage Process

Have you ever wondered how the beautiful ceramic and porcelain tiles that adorn your home are made? The process is a fascinating blend of craftsmanship and design, beginning with raw clay and culminating in stunning finished products.

Here is a brief outline of the five-stage process.

Stage One: Cleaning & Blending

Clay is often the primary ingredient in making ceramic and porcelain tiles. The clay is first cleaned and then mixed with minerals to form a semi-fine powder. Water is added to form a liquid slurry with a uniform consistency, after which the mixture is pumped into a dryer. This blending process ensures a homogeneous mixture which contributes to a more consistent finish in the fired tiles.

Stage Two: Pressing

After the raw materials are prepared, they are pressed into moulds. During this stage, the mixture is forcefully compressed into the desired shape and size using a hydraulic press with pressures ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 tonnes.

Stage Three: Drying & Glazing

After they are dried, a liquid glaze may be applied to the tile’s surface for a wide range of effects and finishes. Coloured glazes are often applied using printing techniques or, increasingly, with digital glazing machines that function similar to an inkjet printer. These glazes allow for photorealistic patterns and decorations.

Stage Four: Firing

The tiles are then placed in kilns where they are fired at extremely high temperatures. Supported by rotating ceramic rollers, the tiles travel through the kiln in less than an hour. Porcelain tiles are fired at temperatures exceeding 1200 degrees Celsius, while ceramic tiles are processed at 1050 to 1100 degrees Celsius to harden and set the glaze.

Stage Five: Packing & Polishing

Finally, tiles undergo a series of advanced inspections — many of which are now automated — for defects such as pinholes, edge chips, glaze lumps, stains, cracks, and colour consistency. They also verify dimensional accuracy, including size, calibration, and straightness.

This information is sent to the sorting line and packaging unit, where tiles are grouped by grade, shade, and size. They are then carefully packed into cartons that correspond to their specifications.

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