Materials & makers / 01
Glaze, fire and variation
If you are comparing glazed wall tiles, look past the colour swatch. See how light moves across the surface and how neighbouring pieces work together.
Surface and glaze
Colour that belongs to the material
Glaze begins as a composition of minerals. During firing it can move across the body beneath, gathering at an edge or settling into a recess. This is why two tiles of the same colour may reward a second look. The surface has depth rather than a flat, repeated appearance.
Fire and transformation
Variation, within judgement
The kiln transforms the glaze. Heat, atmosphere, minerals and position can make the same finish reveal itself differently from one tile to the next. The maker decides which differences give the wall life and which fall outside the intended quality standard. Natural variation is not a licence for defects.
Across the wall
See more than a single piece
One sample is useful, but the finished wall is a composition. Look at close-up details and full installations, then consider grout and the room’s light. Where variation is pronounced, ask to see more than one piece together before committing to a large area.
