Portuguese Tiles: Everything You Need to Know!

Portuguese tiles, cement tiles, patterned tiles and Azulejos. These are three different names for the same type of tile. In the Netherlands, we mostly use the terms Portuguese tiles and cement tiles. Portuguese tiles come in all sorts of sizes, colors, thicknesses, and with various motifs. They are characterized by their colorful choices and atmospheric patterns. In this blog post, you'll learn more about these beautiful tiles and their rich history.

What are Portuguese tiles?

History of Portuguese tiles

You probably think that these Portuguese tiles, as the name suggests, come from beautiful Portugal. However, this is not entirely true. The Arabs invented mosaic tiles in the early 12th century. They made all sorts of different tiles from clay and a glaze layer and covered their palaces and bathhouses with them. Over the years, this technique spread to Europe.

From around the 16th century, the Spanish and Portuguese began to make tiles themselves. Eventually, they developed their own style and technique. The Portuguese called the tiles "Azulejos," which means "small polished stones" in Arabic. The Portuguese became specialists in making colorful tiles with beautiful patterns and told complete stories with their drawings on the tiles.

Today, it is a piece of Portuguese cultural heritage, and we see these tiles all over the world.

How are Portuguese cement tiles made?

Authentic Portuguese tiles, unlike Arabic tiles, are not made of baked clay, but of cement. The cement tiles are not fired, but hand-pressed in a mold. Various colors are applied to the bottom of the mold so that they are pressed onto the top layer of the cement tiles. Because the tiles are made of cement and are not fired, they need post-treatment.

Cement is porous and allows moisture and dirt to penetrate the tiles. You naturally want to avoid this. That's why Portuguese cement tiles are impregnated before or during installation. The layer protects the tiles so you can use them for floors, in the kitchen, or even in the bathroom.

Different types of Portuguese tiles

Real cement tiles

Of course, you'd prefer to choose the best. Real cement tiles are made of pressed cement with a top layer of marble powder and color pigments. The colors are applied by hand in a mold and pressed onto the cement tiles. Real cement tiles are extremely hard and very durable. They last for hundreds of years when properly maintained. This can be done by impregnating them and cleaning them regularly.

Cement tiles have a 5mm thick layer containing the colors and marble powder. This layer will slowly come to life with traces of use, but will never wear off the tile. Cement tiles can be used for floors and walls, both indoors and outdoors.

Vietnamese cement tiles

In addition to authentic handmade Portuguese cement tiles, these tiles are now replicated in various ways and in different countries. For example, a large portion of modern Portuguese tiles come from Vietnam. In Vietnam, they sometimes still make the tiles by hand using the authentic method, but much more efficiently and cheaply. So, they greatly resemble the original Azulejos, but with a slightly less charm.

Ceramic tiles with a Portuguese print

What you also frequently encounter are ceramic tiles with a "Portuguese" print or pattern. Patterned tiles, of course, don't necessarily originate from Portugal, but many patterned tiles are made in a Portuguese style. Nowadays, ceramics can be customized to suit everyone's taste or preference. For example, many ceramic tiles for indoor or outdoor use are given a Portuguese look. Sometimes these tiles are of better quality than authentic Azulejos, are more dimensionally stable, easier to process, and have other advantages. But in our opinion, despite all that, they still cannot compete with the handmade original version.

Concrete tiles with a Portuguese print

Just like ceramic tiles, concrete tiles can now be decorated with a printed layer. Many patio tiles for outdoor use are made of concrete. But those boring anthracite-colored concrete tiles or grey paving stones are outdated. In the concrete industry, they have therefore developed a technique where a printer can apply a desired pattern to concrete tiles. As a result, you now often find patio tiles with a Portuguese pattern.

Different sizes, colors and shapes of Portuguese tiles

Whether you choose original handmade cement tiles from Portugal, handmade cement tiles from Vietnam, ceramic tiles with a Portuguese print, or concrete tiles with a Portuguese pattern. They come in all shapes, colors, sizes, and with various beautiful patterns.

Authentic or imitation

First, choose between authentic handmade tiles or modern imitation tiles. Handmade tiles are often square and measure about 14x14 to 20x20 cm. Do you want something a little different? Then choose a Portuguese tile in a special shape such as a hexagon, rhombus, fish scale, or rectangle.

Large format or small format tiles

After deciding on imitation ceramic or concrete tiles, you choose the size of the tile. The larger the tile, the more spacious the surface appears. Choose large 90x90cm ceramic tiles with a print to make your bathroom floor, kitchen floor or a wall appear larger in an atmospheric way.

For outdoors, choose concrete patio tiles with a Portuguese pattern, in the size 60x60cm, to create a nice atmospheric terrace with large tiles. It is also true, of course, that the larger the tile, the fewer need to be laid.

Different patterns and colors for atmosphere

After you have determined the type, shape, and size, you still need to choose a suitable pattern. Choose light shades for a spacious modern ambiance. Choose terra tones for a warm sunny look, or opt for dark colors for a unique design aesthetic.

With patterned tiles, it's all about choosing combinations. Tiling your entire floor or wall with a busy patterned tile can be a bit too much. Therefore, combine plain tiles with patterned tiles for the right balance. Below is an example of original Portuguese cement tiles combined with a wooden herringbone floor.

Tips for buying and laying cement tiles

Tips for buying cement tiles

Cement tiles come in many different sizes and shapes and are not all of the same quality. There are now many suppliers of good quality tiles, but also many suppliers of lesser quality tiles. What should you look for when purchasing cement tiles?

Origin of tiles
First, you can look at the origin of the tiles. Do they actually come from Portugal or Spain, or are they imitation tiles from China? Real cement tiles often come from Southern Europe or sometimes from North Africa. Here, it is still a craft, and the quality of the tile is paramount.

Top layer thickness
Also important to check before buying cement tiles is the thickness of the top layer of the tiles. This is the colored glaze layer applied to the cement. The thinner this layer, the faster the tiles will look worn due to abrasion.

Tips for laying cement tiles

Before you start laying cement tiles, we have a few more tips for you.

Grout color
Always choose a lighter grout color than the tile. This looks more aesthetically pleasing, and your tiles will stand out more than the grout.

Impregnating cement tiles
We have mentioned it before, but we want to emphasize it again. You must impregnate cement tiles before or during installation. Cement has the property of being porous. This means that dirt and moisture can penetrate the material. You naturally want to avoid this. Therefore, always impregnate your cement tiles.

Portuguese Tiles Inspiration

Now that you know everything about Portuguese tiles, here are some inspiration photos. Perhaps this blog post will inspire you to choose tiles with a Portuguese print or even authentic Portuguese cement tiles. We are certainly fans!