zellige are terracotta tiles from morocco. zellige (pronounced zill-eejh') acquires its coloring from the historic clay body that is a rich terra cotta, inherently forcing it's hue through all the glazes.

if you're tired of the same-ol same-ol, then this tile born from a 10th century tile-making craft has arrived just in time for you! clé zellige is handmade in morocco. formed from the moroccan earth, and baked in kilns fired by burning olive pits.

available sizes? 2"x2", 4"x4", 3.5" hex, 2"x6" (nominal size)" 

color variations? it isn't authentic zellige without wild variations of color and shade!

glaze variations? the zellige glazes have a lovely gloss surface that will have specks, pits, chips and flaws, as well as, undulations of surface. this varying and glossy finish can best be described as a "sequin-like" surface.

how much variation should i expect?
zellige are created from natural glazes, pigments and terra cotta clay. every one of these natural materials is completely unfiltered allowing for maximum variation and irregularities. plus, they are fired in hand made kilns that are fueled using olive pits. all of this hand craft is what makes zellige so magically varied- tile to tile. please enjoy the extreme variation of color, shade and surface texture. what does this mean to you? your zellige order will contain the following:

• size variation
• thickness variation
• cracked tiles
• chipped edges (from hand chiseling each tile)
• pitted glaze surfaces (from the unfiltered terra cotta reacting with the kiln heat)
• crazing (from the glaze and the clay body cooling at different temperatures)

please note that, once installed properly and grouted, the above issues will bring you the textured zellige look that is so treasured by the design world.

HOWEVER, do the above irregularities differ from your expectations for a "proper" zellige installation? if so, then clé highly recommends you select another  tile that will yield more surface regularity.

are there best practices for sampling zellige?

due to the high variation in color of our handmade zellige tiles as well as the variation in texture of each tile (pits, specks and chips from the wood-firing process) we strongly encourage sampling more than one piece to get a full sense of what this tile offers. if you want a uniform looking glazed tile we do not suggest purchasing zellige.

what grout joint size, type, and color do you recommend?

zellige is traditionally set without the use of any grout. in Morocco the installations are done with a butt joint and no grout whatsoever–and they have withstood the test of time. however, at clé we recommend as tight of a grout joint as possible: butt joint or 1/16", with mapei flexcolor cq tile grout for natural zellige, and mapei ultracolor plus fa tile grout for glazed zellige.

We recommend using a dark grout color if installing dark colored zellige, due to the thin crackle/hairline crazing on the tile surface that is undetectable unless a contrasting grout is used. If you choose to use a contrasting grout (i.e. white grout with black tile), you must make sure to apply a penetrating sealant or grout release prior to grouting in order to minimize the possibility of the contrasting grout curing in the inherent hairline cracks.

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.

Note that the full Mapei Ultracolor Plus FA & Flexcolor CQ color catalogue contains 40 colors to choose from. Visit the Mapei website to view.

what is the standard grout joint size for zellige?

because all zellige is hand cut after firing into the individual tiles, they are crafted to allow for a very tight grout joint. in order to increase DCOF in wet area applications of 4”x4” zellige (especially shower floors), we recommend broadening the grout joint size on the setting of the pan tiles, vertical staggering of the tile layout or cutting the tiles into 2”x2” squares. for hexes we recommend at least a 1/8” grout joint for shower floors.

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.

Note that due to the firing methods and raw materials used to create glazed clay tiles, your order of zellige tile will have a percentage of tiles greater than 15% with cracks, crazing, edge-chipping and pits through the glaze to the clay body.

clé WARNING: having an installation with tiles that experience any of the above imperfections is the traditional look for zellige installations. Any editing of these naturally occurring imperfections from your tile shipment will greatly reduce the traditional appeal of your installation.

If these imperfections do not fit your project’s needs we recommend ordering more than 15% overage. This allows your contractor to cherry-pick these imperfections from your order.

For more information related to ordering and shipping, please be sure to visit our shipping and returns and delivery information resource pages

interior floor, exterior floor (bejmat only), interior wall, exterior wall, shower floor, shower wall, steam shower, residential low traffic, residential high traffic, commercial low traffic, backsplash, kitchen, fireplace surround, pool & fountain waterline (GLAZED zellige tiles only) for non-freeze thaw locations only. Limit all exterior usage to locations not affected by freeze thaw.

installation and maintenance guides