PROFIL D border tile - series WITJES - 4.5 x 13 - white
More information
Product details and dimensions
- Dimensions
130 x 45 x 22/7 mm
hand-painted, glazed
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General product information
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Delft tiles and tile pictures are reproductions of Dutch or "Delft" wall tiles, which have been produced since the 16th century. Tile culture began to flourish at that time and Delft in the Netherlands developed into the centre of tile production. Later, the tiles were also produced in Friesland. They are therefore also known as "Frisian Witjes" - as white blind tiles or as tiles with the typical blue painting.
The Witjes tiles we offer are made by hand using the old faience technique. The painting is based on old original patterns. Only through traditional production can a product be created that comes close to the old original tiles and has their special aura.
Specific product information
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Size and shape
Witjes tiles are manufactured in the historic small tile size of 13 x 13 cm. Due to the handmade production, there may be slight deviations in size. The edges of the tiles are cut conically inwards so that the tiles can be laid with the smallest possible joint. Colour mixtures
Not all white is the same. A special feature of Witjes tiles is the subtle colour differences in the shades of white. They range from pure white to white with slight tints of pink, blue, green or grey. On larger sizes, the colour nuances create a lively effect. We offer you the unpainted Witjes tiles in a calm mixture (white tones 2-4) or in a strong mixture (white tones 2-6). The painted tiles usually have only one shade of white as the base colour.Deviations in size, colour and painting colour are intentional and do not constitute a defect.
Manufacturing process
A clay mass is rolled out into a basic tile mould, pre-dried and cut to size using a wooden template. After 3-4 weeks of complete drying, the tiles are annealed in a first firing, the "biscuit firing" at 900°. After glazing and possibly painting, the second firing, known as the "smooth firing", takes place.The tiles have two small holes in the corners, the gaatjes. These holes are created when the tiles are cut to size using the wooden template (the wooden template has two small nails in the corners to prevent it from slipping during cutting).
Glaze and colouring
The glaze of the Witjes tiles has fine hairline cracks, known as craquelure. This develops a few weeks after storage. If desired, the tiles can also be patinated so that the craquelure structure is more clearly visible.The Witjes tiles are painted before the second firing using a sponse (dust stencil) and a bag filled with coal dust. This is used to mark the contours of the motif. The contours are traced with a special brush and the rest of the colouring is then freely designed. Traditionally, the motifs are drawn with blue paint, other colours are available on request.
Mounting and care
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Laying
The tiles are attached to the wall using a commercially available tile adhesive. They should be cut with a wet cutter. A clean cut is achieved by scoring the cut surface with a glass cutter or scriber beforehand, otherwise the glaze can easily chip. The tiles should be laid as tightly as possible with a very small joint. Due to manufacturing tolerances (the size of the tiles varies slightly), the joint should be between 0-3 mm. This results in an irregular joint pattern, which is intentional. Jointing
A commercially available, non-coloured grouting compound is suitable for grouting. We recommend a light silver grey as the grout colour for the calm colour mixtures (2-4) and the strong colour mixtures (2-6). For other colour nuances, it is best to consult your tiler regarding the grout colour.Impregnation
Witjes glazed tiles can, but do not have to be impregnated. We recommend impregnation for wet areas and in heavily used areas (e.g. behind the cooker) due to the craquelure. LITHOFIN products are suitable for this purpose:- KF Sanitary Cleaner for removing grout residues
- KF Basic Cleaner for basic cleaning
- FZ Protective Impregnation for protecting and preserving crackled tiles
Cleaning and care
The glazed surface of the tiles is hard-wearing and easy to clean. Abrasive cleaning agents should be avoided, otherwise there are no special cleaning instructions to follow. For cleaning and care, suitable products from LITHOFIN or other manufacturers, which are available from specialist retailers, can be used for glazed tiles.Please follow the respective manufacturer's instructions for all impregnation and cleaning steps.
