fornace brioni + clé

fornace brioni + clé | traditional cotto grigio | tavella

" x  " x  "

cotto grigio

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a clé heritage tile

clé heritage are artisan tiles that carry the mark of a skilled artisan with each tile embodying variation in tone and surface. these tiles are to be treasured for their hand hewn quality and require a skilled installer.

buy sample

sample

$5.00/piece

full tile order

start your project

$ 37.00/sqft

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in stock | ships from warehouse within 10 business days

calculate your project

sqft needed

industry standard suggests adding at least 15% overage due to tile cuts, potential breakage, or future repairs

0

total sqft

$ 37 /sqft

0

total boxes

$ 193.70 /box


$0.00

subtotal

0 total pieces

IMPORTANT: we recommend a grout joint size of 3/8” with this collection which allows for 1.91 tiles per square foot.

should your project require a smaller joint, keep in mind that additional tiles will need to be ordered as our checkout calculations are all based on 1.91 tiles per square foot.

minimum order of 10 sqft

only 5947 sqft available

product specifications

technical specifications

non freeze thaw resistant icon

non freeze thaw resistant

radiant heating compatible icon

radiant heating compatible

uv resistant icon

uv resistant

sink backsplash icon

sink backsplash

exterior floor icon

exterior floor

interior floor icon

interior floor

heavy residential icon

heavy residential

light commercial icon

light commercial

interior wall icon

interior wall

exterior wall icon

exterior wall

fireplace surround icon

fireplace surround

shower floor + wall icon

shower floor + wall

* see material guidelines guide for specific requirements

description
rating
surface type
unglazed

finish type
unfinished

level 3: medium

level 3: medium

level 3: heavy

level 1: will occur

level 1: will occur

level 1: will occur

dimensions
" x  " x  "
water absorption
avg. 26.4%; non-vitreous

dcof
the textured, unglazed surface can provide slip resistance

Pieces per sqft
1.91 pcs/sqft

Weight per sqft
5.73 lbs

Pieces per box
10 pcs/box

calculated using clé's recommended grout joint size of 3/8"

read before you buy this tile

do i need to seal fornace brioni + clé traditional cotto tavellas?
 
 for fornace brioni + clé cotto tavella, you must apply sealant or a grout release before grouting to minimize risk of grout haze and to allow for easy clean up.
 
 for exterior sealing, clé recommends stonetech heavy duty exterior sealer from laticrete.
 
 for all other sealing and protecting, clé recommends stonetech bulletproof sealer from laticrete.
 
 for more information about sealing please see our fornace brioni terracotta installation & maintenance guide.

do you offer trim for your fornace brioni + clé traditional cotto tavellas?
 
 at clé we follow the international model of no trim and highly recommend our clients to do the same. below are the trim alternatives we recommend for this collection.
 
 - if your project needs to turn a corner either inwardly or outwardly, mitering the tiles to meet seamlessly in a corner gives it the cleanest, crafted finish.
 - a visible tile edge can be sanded to make the side match the main surface of the tile.
 - another way to complete your tiling is to run a bead of caulk or grout along the exposed tile edge.
 - like with any of our tiles, you can also build out the sheetrock so that the surface of the finished sheetrock is flush with the surface of the tile.
 
for more detailed recommendations about trim, please see our trim guide.

how do i take care of my fornace brioni + clé traditional cotto tavellas?
 
 over time, a natural patina will occur on floors as they are maintained and naturally wear.
 
 mild, pH neutral soaps should be sufficient for most cleaning—test before general use. for all other maintenance, clé recommends laticrete cleaning products. 
 
 see our fornace brioni terracotta installation & maintenance guides for more information.

what type of finish should i expect with these tiles?
 
 our fornace brioni + clé traditional cotto tavellas are porous, unglazed, and unfinished with a matte, medium variation surface texture.

what types and levels of variation and imperfections should i expect?

tiles may be exposed to moisture and/or condensation during production or shipping which may affect the color of the tiles once received.  setting tiles out to dry prior to installation will return return the color to normal.
 
 due to the natural materials and production process of fornace brioni + clé cotto tavellas, there will be degrees of variation in color, shade and size in your order, therefore it is important to blend the tiles from all boxes once they arrive and place them in their installation area to ensure you have the layout you want before installing.
 
variation and imperfection ratings:
 
 fornace brioni + clé traditional cotto tavellas are rated 'level 3 medium' for color variation, 'level 3 medium' for texture variation, and 'level 3 heavy' for size variation.
 
see illustrations in the technical specifications section above, and read more about the ratings in our tile variation & imperfections guide.

how will my traditional cotto tavella samples compare to my actual order?
 
 as noted in the variation and add on orders sections of our faq, color and size variation between production batches (or kiln loads) of traditional cotto tile, in addition to variation from tile to tile, is to be expected given the handcrafted nature of the product. this makes it unlikely that your sample will be a perfect match with your actual order.

what should i expect with my order of fornace brioni + clé traditional cotto tile?
 
 efflorescence (salt deposits appearing as a white residue) is a normal occurrence in terracotta, and can be removed.

-store your terracotta tiles in a cool, dry place to prevent moisture build which can lead to efflorescence and other issues.
 -if efflorescence is present, have your installer do a quick sanding with an orbital sander and 120 grit sandpaper before sealing the tiles. 
 -additionally, stonetech restore acidic cleaner can also be used to remove efflorescence. 
 
 see the “sealing, maintenance, and care” section of our fornace brioni + clé traditional cotto material guidelines for more information.

why do you suggest i order at least 15% more than my measurements?
 
 industry standard suggests adding at least 15% overage due to tile cuts, potential breakage, or future repairs.
 
for more information related to ordering and shipping, please be sure to visit our shipping and returns and delivery information resource pages.

grout

we recommend using cementitious sanded grout and  a 3/8" grout joint with our traditional cotto tavellas which allows for 1.91 pieces per square foot. should your project require a smaller joint, keep in mind that additional tiles will need to be ordered as our checkout calculations are all based on 1.91 tiles per square foot.

pieces per square foot comes to 2 when no grout joint is taken into account

what grout type and colors do you recommend?

clé recommends the use of mapei flexcolor cq grout for this collection.

grout color selection is always up to our client and/or their design professional. however, clé is often asked for our opinion on best grout selections for our tiles. and due to the large array of grout colors that are now available, clé would like to offer this general guideline on a foolproof grout color selection for any of your clé tiles.

grout color selection is always up to our client and/or their design professional. however, clé is often asked for our opinion on best grout selections for our tiles. and due to the large array of grout colors that are now available, clé would like to offer this general guideline on a foolproof grout color selection for any of your clé tiles.

first, have your professional tile contractor complete your tile installation, except for the grout portion.

next, when ready to grout, ask your contractor to bring ALL grout color charts from his preferred grout manufacturers, for your review.

lastly, choose a time of day when you are most pleased with the lighting in your space (either natural lighting, installed lighting or a blend of both). during that lighting and time of day, select the grout color that best matches your tile selection.

for fornace brioni + clé cotto tavella, you must apply sealant or a grout release before grouting to minimize risk of grout haze and to allow for easy clean up.

because of the thickness and shape of the tile it may be easier to use a grout bag to fill the grout joints, then float grout over the surface of the tiles.

for more information about grouting please see our fornace brioni terracotta installation & maintenance guide.

collection dimensions

traditional cotto tavella - 6"x12"x1"

disclaimer: please note all dimensions are nominal. additionally, dimensions between tiles can vary +/- 1/4 inch.

 


traditional terracotta designed for the everyday

design: nicole hollis / photo: douglas friedman

an iconic italian look

this traditional tile from northern italy, a custom collaboration between clé and fornace brioni, is an everyday rustic terracotta to suit all design styles and aesthetics, from the modern to the traditional. use moody, earthy cotto grigio anywhere you want some depth of color and textural rusticity.

design: nicole hollis / photo: douglas friedman

why we love this collection

clé partnered with fourth generation italian terracotta tile makers fornace brioni to create an exclusive collection of traditional terracotta tile. we started with a collection of elevated but still-rustic tile–one that brings the earth and soul of italy to life in today's homes. made by hand following age-old tradition, cotto grigio is an elemental mix of clay and water, blackened with a proprietary archaic finish. like the centuries of terracotta that preceded it, this is an ideal tile for use both indoor and out.

design: leanne ford | photo: amy nuensinger, for domino magazine

our italian love affair with fornace brioni

if you, like all of us at clé, love tile, then it’s impossible to not have a passion for the material of the first tile makers: terracotta. the color of baked earth (the literal translation), terracotta is considered an evergreen material in the design world; always granting a project integrity and authenticity. when we were introduced to fornace brioni, we knew we had found our ideal partner for terracotta tiles. this generations-old italian family brings a long history of hand-crafted terracotta tradition to their creation of tiles.

design: nicole hollis / photo: douglas friedman

inspiration