Mexican fountain tiles for a creative new generation

A fountain in the garden means a source of energy that activates the prosperity and fullness in a home. Especially the Eastern cultures believe that a fountain is something associated with wealth and happiness. And it may create a certain attraction in the surroundings. So, if you need to buy fountain tiles, first of all, try to match the colors, shapes and the location where you’re going to have it in the garden. And finding a perfect fountain tile is not an easy task.  Although there are numerous varieties of tiles in the market, only a few of them win the hearts of the customers. Mexican Talavera fountain tiles are such an ideal variety. Let’s have a better look at the ways and means how they could be used to decorate the fountains in the home garden.  

Why are Mexican Talavera fountain tiles always the best? 

They are created by the skilled craftsmen of Mexico; they do not deceive their consumers by delivering fake products.  So, they have kept a good name throughout the world as a number one variety of tiles that makes you happy and contented. The soil that is used to make tiles is a special kind that comes only from Mexico. The techniques and methods the craftsmen use to make tiles are specific and indigenous to Mexico. Just as the appearance of these lovely tiles performance too attract the attention of the customers.

The details of the manufactures must be carefully added to this nice little story of making Mexican Talavera tiles. Well, it’s a family business of the Cortes family and they add lots of varieties and new ideas to the process of manufacture. And Mr. Cortes, a third-generation representative proves to be a successful employer to his craftsmen. It’s seen by the following utterance made by one of his customers praising him.

“I’m fortunate to have met Mr. Cortes as I’m sure you will when you receive your package a big whaooo awaits you.”

The business always claims the best quality, environment-friendliness and the reliability from all the workers. And they surely extend their fullest support to uplift the business. And they of course become a huge success in that. They have varieties of fountain tiles such as frost-proof tiles, higher-resistant tiles etc., They use the finest quality local and imported raw materials for making them. When once we install these fine tile products in our home, we almost feel at Mexico, because it’s such a fine variety of tiles. That exhibits a real Mexican identity and a uniqueness.

How effective are tiles in creating a fountain?

Fountains are a common architectural element that’s widely used outside private homes, in front of shopping complexes, office buildings etc. They could be built in various shapes and sizes to beautify the exteriors of buildings. They create a wonderful pleasing effect that grabs the attention of people. Although some consider it as an utter waste of water, it could be created in a way of conserving the water resource while still managing to decorate the environment at the same time.

Tiles, of course perform a decorative function in this regard. Color, shape and size of the tiles should be carefully selected in order to achieve the aim. Fountains could be created in a wide variety of shapes. Most common is the circular shape. In the middle of a big circle the fountain is set. And some others are created in a rectangular shape. However, irrespective of the shape, the color of the tiles can add an exciting look to the fountain you create. Mostly, light and dark blue colors are the matching colors to create a fountain. And to decorate the fountain further, you can use lines of hexagon-shaped tiles. Matt tiles should be used to prevent the surface from becoming slippery.

Fountains are a huge success in remodeling homes

In fact, fountains add a lot of color to your old-fashioned home exteriors. Stained, darkened areas could be changed into a fine looking, bright, open spaces by having a little fountain there. Fountain tiles of bright colors would do well in this. Also, you can have a smart little fountain in the garden to serve as a bird bath at the same time.

Fountains are a sign of prosperity

Fountain tiles are of different colors, shapes and sizes. Most people believe fountains to be a symbol of prosperity and wealth. And it also fills up the whole area with liveliness. When you select tiles to cover up this area, mind the colors. The shop keeper would help you by showing the catalogues they have with them to select the matching colors.

However, fountain tiles are really a valuable item in Spanish home décor mostly. Always go in for Mexican Talavera fountain tiles. They are of high quality and durability too. And there are floor tiles in beautiful designs at cheaper prices. Matte tiles are the best for flooring associated with water. So, always use floor tiles with a certain roughness to your floor  

 Talavera tiles are the best

As I stated earlier, Talavera Mexican tiles never give you any trouble and let you have a fine remodeling to your old-fashioned home. All of them are hand-made and hand-painted. Some have beautiful floral designs while some others remain plain.  They all have a glossy finish except in matte tiles which are rough-surfaced. They are created in such a way that they never go waste except in certain unavoidable situations that cause physical damages to tiles. Enjoy your time in front of the newly-built fountain in the garden. It will relieve you of many mental pains and makes a fantastic environment outdoors.

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Handmade Saltillo Mexican Floor Tiles Give a Timeless Look to Your Home

Everyone likes his home to appear neat, tidy and gorgeous all the time. So, you often take much care to preserve that charm forever. But, weather, time and usage disturb that process of maintenance. Flooring in particular, gives you more trouble than other parts of the house since it’s not easy to replace a broken or stained tile. And damaged tiles can never be replaced either.

Here are a few must-consider issues in purchasing, installing and cleaning Mexican Saltillo floor tiles. Just have a look and get your work done in the proper way.

What’s more advisable is to select a fine variety of tiles at the beginning itself in the process of constructing your house. Handmade Mexican Saltillo tiles is the variety that best fits into your needs. They come in a tremendous variety and provide a unique appearance to any place where they are installed.  It’s convenient in installation and usage alike. Now, the improved techniques of installation have made the process much easier. Anyway, you must buy Saltillo tiles of a perfect brand. Finecraftsimports is an expert in the industry and one of the best dealers in Mexican Saltillo tiles. Rely on them for all kinds of tile needs. After all, Saltillo tiles are yet another specification in South Western home decor. If you need to renovate your home, adopt this trend of home decor from South Westerners and change a bit of your traditional ideas. Would you really love it?

Use pre-sealed tiles

Saltillo tiles come without any glazing. They may absorb water quickly as they’re quite porous. So, before the installation you need to take a measure to prevent it, because soaked tiles could not be installed properly. And they won’t be durable either. Better to buy pre-sealed tiles and it would partially solve this problem. A water base sealer or an oil\solvent sealer is sufficient at this stage of installation.  

Why use pre-sealed tiles?               

They are fast-drying and easier to grout. And in about one week, the real, permanent sealing must be done carefully. In this you must apply a grout release on installed tile surfaces to remove stains if there are any. However, this sealing must be done by a professional in order to preserve the glaze.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Just a mild soap and plain water serve as a fine cleaner for Saltillo tiles. Mopping and patting the floor dry or allowing it to dry naturally would be enough in the process of cleaning. Anyway, this should be done regularly in order to preserve the sheen and beauty. Vacuuming or mopping on a weekly-basis will be fine. Harsh chemicals such as vinegar or ammonia-based cleaners must never be used to clean Saltillo tiles. They will damage the gloss of the surface and may cause stains on tiles. And mind you not to leave water on the tile for a longer period of time. It may cause stains with the time.

Mind these peripherals in cleaning

There may be cracks and previous stains of grout on the floor. And certain discolorations on tiles due to weathering may add an ugly, dull look to the floor. Such damaged areas should be cleaned with much care. Before starting to mop, you must sweep the floor well in order to remove debris. Otherwise, the floor will be scratched in the process of mopping. So, you must be careful when cleaning a floor studded with Saltillo tiles.

Fully cleaned Saltillo tiles glisten and look at its best. Their warm, earthy, reddish hue will enliven your spirits. Handmade Mexican Saltillo floor tiles have an immense power to convert any simple place into an extraordinary, majestic-looking mansion. Try your best to stick to a regular maintenance. If not, the natural glow of Saltillo tiles will be diminished making them look outdated.    

And also, you can re-seal the floor from time to time. You have to do it more often if the floor traffic is too much in your home. You must be vigilant about the state of the tiles. Examine their color, sheen and appearance carefully to decide when to carry out this kind of renovation. If the tiles get a darkened amber color, you should give a refinish to the floor. Cleaning and re-coating the floor will bring back the luster once lost.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

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How to Select a Fine Hammered copper Bathroom Sink

A hammered copper bathroom sink is another way of expressing the family pride! They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and styles and often cost a lot to the customer. But it adds a lot of color and luster to a bathroom of any design. Buying a copper bathroom sink is not an easy task. There are low quality copper sinks that destroy all the rich look of your bathroom. Therefore, in order to avoid fake ones, you must select the best hammered sink for your bathroom. Here are some instructions for you to read before you buy.

An elegant copper bathroom sink

Nature of the Basin

This is an important factor you should take into account. The sink must be spacious. But a bathroom sink must not be as big as a kitchen sink. Its basin must be of fine, smart shape and medium or small size. Also, its shape must be either round or oval or a square shaped, attractive one. Unlike copper kitchen sinks, basin of the bathroom sink must not be a lot of roomy. Its washing purposes vary from that of a kitchen sink. So, the shape and size of the basin should meet the washing purposes.

Patina

Pay attention to the patina when buying. It’s the protective layer that changes over the time. See whether it has damages at the time of the purchase. Patina is easily damaged due to acidic chemicals and other injurious substances like bleaching agents. When once it’s damaged, the protection to the vessel is lost forever.

Customer Reviews

Pay attention to the reviews of copper bathroom sinks. What other users have said is something very useful to know. You can get many new suggestions and ideas from what they say about the products. You can know of the pros and cons of the product you’re going to buy. Their reviews are very genuine, because they don’t have any intention of lying about the things they bought. So, better to read reviews and know about their experience.

Do a Google search or Ask from friends

Two of the above are reliable ways to know about the item best. Googling will reveal you certain important factors about copper bathroom sinks and equip you with tips and tricks to get rid of fake products. Asking from friends who have already bought copper sinks for their bathrooms is even a better way than browsing the internet.

Do not make a purchase without following the above processes to find information about the copper sink you’re going to buy. Mexican hammered copper sinks are always the best in the market. Try to get a Mexican product as far as possible.  Make your bathroom look gorgeous by selecting the best product.

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A few tips to maintain a hammered copper sink

Do you complain of any stains or discolorations in your hammered copper sink? If you do, it means you have something to think about. Most probably, the key reason for it may be your negligence. The proper maintenance of the sink can put a stop to most of these problems. Cleaning, washing and patting the sink dry should be done almost every day. Otherwise, you can’t help the stains and discoloration appear in your sink.

Maintaining a sink means cleaning and preserving it from the damages which are likely to occur. Wash out the debris of food and clean it with a piece of cloth using a mild general soap. Then use a spray of hot water to wash the dirt off. This process should be carried out before you call it a day.

Also, you can use sinkology to clean it even better. Apply a fine kind of wax to preserve its glossy appearance. Also, you mustn’t use harsh chemicals and acidic juices like lemon to clean it since they can damage the shine of its surface.

Well, all the above-mentioned tips are 100% trustworthy and practical ones. They will help you to keep the exciting new look of your sink unchanged for a long time. But, when you buy a hammered copper sink, you must select a good brand. Usually, Mexican hammered copper sinks give you almost no trouble. The skilled craftsmanship of Mexican artisans leaves you no room for complains. They’re made in such a way that nobody finds faults with them. Also, they use copper of the most suitable gauge to create Mexican hammered copper sinks. And copper of a thinner gauge cannot be hammered very well to obtain the required shape. You can easily identify a copper sink made of copper of a thinner gauge as it gives an odd ‘tinny’ sound when water is poured onto it. But Mexican hammered copper sinks are made using 100% pure copper and thus they don’t give the consumers any trouble. Their fine finish, good looks and durability makes the buyers happy and contented.  

Buying a Mexican hammered copper sink means a big investment you do for your future. So, if you buy a hammered copper sink, it should always be a Mexican hammered copper sink. They’re worth for the money you pay.  

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See what a change copper could do!

Have you ever thought of installing a copper sink to your kitchen, bathroom, bar area or anywhere at your home? It will be a perfect selection that adds a fine, improved, modern look to the interior of your home. Copper sinks have a lot of variations according to the place they’re meant to install. There’s a wide variety of copper sinks in the market and consumers can choose the most appropriate one that would best fit into their homes. Anyway, you need to consider a few factors before making a purchase. Then only you’d be able to make it a successful transaction.  

farmhouse hammered kitchen copper sink First thing is the space in your home. The buyer must decide the kind of sink that suits the available space where it’s to be installed. There are single bowl sinks that brighten a little space whereas a double bowl one fits into a fairly spacious room. And for those who wish to select a sink of a different shape, there are ones which are curved at the front. If you need a bit decorative type, you can select one with an embossed front. Whatever the kind you buy, it will definitely add a lot of color and value to your home. And surely you must select the most suitable type that goes with your needs.

Mexican copper sinks are always hand made and of the finest quality without a doubt. Therefore, you must always go in for a hammered Mexican copper sink. It reflects the dedication and skilled craftsmanship of Mexican artisans. Buy a hammered copper sink. And preferably, it could definitely be a Mexican hand hammered copper sink since they are all hand made, perfectly built and of great looks. Every hand hammered Mexican copper sink is a collective effort of at least five of the most skilled Mexican artisans. Before it reaches your hand, it undergoes series of changes to obtain the fine finish you always admire. Everybody craves its living, hand hammered finish with a lot of color effects in the patina. And that’s why Mexican copper sinks always have a good demand. Moreover, you must think of the durability of your copper sink. The gauge of the copper metal used to build it is an important factor you must consider. You can directly ask the manufacturers about the gauge and quality of the copper metal taken to make your sink. Read the manuals, user guides carefully to have a good idea about it. Copper sinks made of thinner gauge copper wear out quickly. So, have a good focus on its durability.

So, intelligent customers never make wrong purchases. They always go in for Mexican brands since they fit into any place or situation.

                                                                                                                                                                                              

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DIY Tile Tray

I am Courtney Hamby from Hamby Home Décor and I’m excited to have the opportunity to share this simple tutorial with you. You may remember my DIY tile coasters that I shared with you last month and now I’m back with another DIY tile project!

I really love trays and can’t get enough of them! There are so many sizes, materials, textures that you can use for food or to decorate with. I picked up an unfinished wood square tray at a local thrift store for $2 that needed some love but had potential. I had plans to paint and distress it but when I found those awesome blue and white tiles for my coasters it gave me an idea, why not tile the bottom of my thrift store tray so it will match all my blue and white ceramics.

I should preface this and say that I have ZERO tiling or grouting experience but I figured this was a good project to give it a try! If I mess it up, I lose a tray, not a floor or wall. 😉

DIY Mexican Talavera Tile Tray

Supplies Needed:

Supplies Needed for the DIY Mexican Talavera Tile Tray Project

  • Wooden Tray
  • Tiles
  • Glue
  • Grout

How to make them:

Step 1: Prep Tray
Paint or stain tray to your desired color. I spray painted my wooden tray with a flat white paint and primer that I had in my collection of paint.

Step 2: Purchase Desired Tiles
While I was ordering the tiles for the coasters  online from Fine Crafts & Imports, I noticed these blue and white tiles that made a pattern when used together and thought they would work perfectly for my tray. Fine Crafts & Imports has a great selection of Clay-Made Mexican Talavera tiles, especially for my fellow blue and white lovers!
Another thing to keep in mind is the size of your tray. My tray was 13″x13″ which worked out perfectly for the 4″x4″ tiles. I knew I could order 9 tiles and have just enough room for the grout. You’ll want to do the math and figure out how many tiles and what size tiles work best for the tray you’re using.

Step 3: Arrange and Glue the Tiles
Arrange your tiles on your tray. You can use spacers here if they’re needed but I only had one interior tile so I decided it wasn’t necessary. If you had a larger tray, you may want to consider spacers to keep the tiles evenly spaced. I used Gorilla Glue for this project but you can use any industrial grade glue that you may have around the house. Follow the instructions of the glue used and glue each tile in the desired location. Once they are all glued in place, set something heavy on them and let the tiles set and dry. I used catalogs and a canister of flour and let mine sit and dry overnight.
Glueing Tile Tray Project

Step 4: Grout in-between the tiles
I didn’t have any grout on hand so I picked up this small thing of white grout at Home Depot for about $5. Do any prep work necessary for the grout by following the instructions on the grout container (mine required me to add water and stir). Then just spread the grout in all the cracks of the tile. Don’t forget the sides of the tile next to the tray. I didn’t have a “grout float” or any special tool for grouting and didn’t see a reason to purchase one so I just used a paint stirrer and my fingers (which I actually found easier).
Grouting Tile Tray Project

Step 5: Smooth and Clean grout
Using my finger I just smoothed the grout lines to make sure the grout wasn’t bumpy. To clean it I used a wash cloth and gently wiped off the grout on the tile. I had to wash my rag frequently and clean off layers about 6 times before I got all of the grout off the tiles. If you accidentally remove some grout where it’s needed, just fill it back in and clean the tile area around it again. Once the tiles were clean and the grout was smooth you just set it aside and let it dry!
Tile Cleaning Tray Project

That’s all! I actually enjoying tiling and may consider doing more of it in the future! I plan to use this tray for decorative uses only but if I wanted to use it for food I would use a grout sealer first to protect the white grout.
Tile Cleaning Tray Project

DIY Talavera Tile Tray

This blog post was created for the the Landeelu blog. You can view the original post here.


Hamby blog profile picI’m Courtney, from The Hamby Home blog. I am a wife and mother of two fur-babies and marketing coordinator by occupation. I have lived in Alabama my entire life. I have always had a love for DIY and frugal home décor projects and that’s usually what you’ll find me doing during my free time. I am a bargain hunter, trash-to-treasure lover and thrifting enthusiast that’s just trying to create a beautiful home on a small budget.

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Maintaining Copper Tiles

Copper tile is an elegant addition to any room whether you want a few tiles for decoration or to cover a large surface area. Finecraftsimports.com offers a number of decorativeCopper Tile In A Bathroom Backsplash
Weathered copper tile in a va
tiles.

It is important to know the proper way to take care of your copper tile to maintain its attractiveness and the value of your investment. Copper needs particular attention because the metal will definitely change with age and it is up to you to decide whether it becomes more or less attractive.

Seal Your Tiles

One of the best ways to ensure that your tiles retain their luster is to properly seal them. A suitable sealant and instructions on how to apply it can be found at your local hardware store.

Some choose to leave their copper tiles unfinished because they like the appearance of the aging copper. If left unfinished your copper tiles will darken and likely develop a pantina. You may be able to buy pre-aged copper tiles that are already finished. Buying this kind of tile is a good way to attain the aged-copper look without placing your investment in a dangerous position.

Cleaning Sealed Tiles

Cleaning sealed copper tile is very similar to cleaning other types of tile. A wet washrag is adequate to remove everyday dust and dirt. Soap and water may be used to treat a tough stain but it is important to avoid chemical cleaners because they may interact negatively with the sealant that you applied. A well-applied coat of sealant will prevent any dirt or stains from negatively interacting with the actual copper.

Cleaning Unsealed Tiles

Styles of copper tiles
Different styles of hammered copper tiles
Unsealed tiles will age at a much quicker rate. You can clean unsealed copper tiles with soap and water, which will allow them to age naturally. Another option is to apply a copper-cleaning product to the tiles. Be careful about using such a product in the kitchen, as they are often abrasive. Using a copper cleaner will significantly slow down the tile’s aging process, maintaining the original luster for a longer period of time.

Copper tile is an attractive accent in your kitchen or bathroom (or any other room!). With proper knowledge of how to care for the tile you can ensure that your tile will become more appealing as it ages!

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