Discover Our NEW Thinner ½” Zellige Tile — Now Available
At Riad, we’re proud to provide the highest-quality handmade Moroccan tiles for our design and retail customers. This includes Zellige tile, an age-old hand-cut Moroccan tile that has adorned walls, fountains, pools, floors and more across the Islamic world for hundreds of years.
Zellige tile has recently surged in popularity thanks to its beautiful glazing, colors and “perfectly imperfect” quality, which creates a dappled, textured effect that thrills today’s designers and homeowners alike. These subtle variations help Zellige stand apart from uniform, mass-produced tiles and create a genuinely eye-catching custom look.
Riad’s NEW Thinner ½” Zellige Tile
Zellige tends to be one of the thicker tiles on the market, at about ¾” thickness. Our new thin 2×6 Snow White and Natural White Zellige tiles make installation a bit easier and provide a leaner, sleeker overall look.
Our ½” Zellige tile is perfect for bathroom use, including shower walls and floors. If you prefer a brighter white look, go for Snow. If you want something a little more dark and subtle, reach for Natural White, which offers shade variations of whites, grays, and both warm and cool tones.
An In Depth Look at Zellige Tile
One of the best qualities of Zellige tiles is that each is hand-produced and has unique color, size and texture variations. Artisans start with raw clay from the Fez region of Morocco, which they mold into shape and leave to dry in the Moroccan sun. The tiles are then hand-dipped in glaze and fired in a kiln, which heats the tiles unevenly and creates the signature color variations.
Furthermore, the process of firing Zellige tiles often causes crazing—an intricate network of tiny hairline cracks—on the surface of the glazed tiles. Zellige tiles are also hand-chiseled, making size variations common. Be prepared for some variation in width, length and thickness.
“The glazing, color, and imperfection of Zellige tiles evoke their handmade quality,” designer Nicole Hollis told Architectural Digest. “Because the glazes are hand applied, no two tiles are exactly the same. It creates a watercolor effect.”
Zellige tile is also extremely versatile, and it’s currently a popular surface covering for backsplashes, showers and bathroom walls—especially since Zellige tiling is one of the best options for damp environments.
Due to the raw materials and timeless methods of making Zellige tiles, you will likely receive tiles pitted through the glaze. About 20% of the tiles will contain cracks, crazing and edge chipping. You will have no issues installing these tiles to get the traditional Zellige finish. If you don’t wish to have these imperfections, we recommend ordering 20-30% more tiles.
Ready to start exploring the world of Zellige tile for your future projects? Visit us online today to browse our handmade tile, order samples, and embark upon your renovation journey. Make sure to document the process and tag us on Instagram at @riadtile. We may highlight your work on our blog!
