Heath Tile FAQ

While we have high standards of quality, we do embrace variation as essential to the character and beauty of our tile. Glazes vary and are given a designation from 1-5, based on the degree of variation you can expect. At the same time, certain shapes, sizes, and clay bodies may vary as well. (You can expect between +/- 1/16" and +/-1/4" variation, depending on the tile size.) Your Tile Specialist will help you understand what to expect and how to make the most of the variation for your project.

Variation in the glaze color/texture is rated 1–5+. Glazes rated 1 exhibit very little variation; higher ratings show very high tonal and hue shifts. Heath tile may also exhibit surface undulation and bowing. Undulation can be anything from a slightly raised corner or edge to undulation across the entire surface. Both forms of variation can have a huge impact on your final installation.

We recommend purchasing a sample of any glaze you are considering so that you can see its intricacies in person. Once you’ve narrowed in on prospective glazes for your project, a Tile Specialist can help you understand what to expect and how to make the most of its variation for your project. We’ve also compiled our best installation tips for working with size and glaze variation.

Heath Tile is very durable, making it suitable for most interior and exterior applications, including warm and cold climates (freeze/thaw), residential and commercial floors, walls, counters, showers, baths, swimming pools, spas and fountains. Not all glazes are suitable for all applications—a Tile Specialist can help you identify the best glazes for your particular installation.

Heath tile is considered a stoneware tile, which differs from porcelain in the coarseness of the clay and the lowered firing temperature. However, our clay bodies are very unique for stoneware, as they are virtually non-porous and very durable. This means that they can, in many cases, take the place of porcelain.

Heath tile is made using a manganese clay body, which means the clay beneath the glaze has an earthy brown tone. It’s a signature of Heath, and has been part of our craft since Edith Heath first began making pottery in the 1940s, with clay she sourced herself in central California. Our glaze palette is designed to interact with and bring out the beauty of the natural clay. The variation, texture, and subtly shifting colors that result from that interaction are intentional, and something we celebrate. Our tile palette consists of dozens of glazes that range from soft neutrals to bold, bright colors. Our tile specialists can guide you toward glaze selections, combinations, and installation patterns that work best for your project. Learn more about our all-manganese glaze palette here.

While there are some similar colors in both finishes, matte glazes cannot be made “glossy” or vice versa: glaze formulas are unique to their color and finish and cannot be modified independently.

Not all finishes are suitable for all applications—a Tile Specialist can help you identify the best glazes for your particular installation.

All matte and crackle glazes will benefit from a pre-grout seal or grout release product. This added step aids in grout haze removal and prevents staining from saturated grout colors.

Follow all manufacturers instructions and test the sealant product prior to applying to entire installations. Installed tile should be sealed again after grouting to protect the grout and glaze, and potentially re-sealed annually if in a wet location or food prep area. This is particularly important for crackle glazes as the crackle will continue to develop when repeatedly exposed to moisture.

You should be able to use any cleaning product specified for tile, though we suggest first testing the product in an inconspicuous area to be sure. If your tile has a non-acid-resistant glaze, avoid cleansers that contain acids (such as vinegar and lemon juice). Also, avoid highly abrasive cleansers on higher gloss tiles as they may become scratched. Some tiles should be towel dried after cleaning to avoid watermarks caused by hard water.

We strongly recommend ordering 20% more tile than you think you need. This is a general rule of thumb when ordering tile, and it’s important to keep in mind. Usually when a tile is cut, the remaining piece can’t be used anywhere else, resulting in fewer tiles than expected. Job Completions (placing a small order to make up for the tile shortage) are costly and time consuming, and can often be avoided by ordering the recommended 20% overage.

As a general rule, tile is one of the last materials installed on a project. If additional tile is needed at this stage, there are often delays in the completion of the overall project. In addition, due to the inherent batch variation with Heath tile, a second run could end up looking significantly different from the original order.

Clients are often surprised that ordering a small quantity of tile is more expensive than a large one. Surprisingly, it is very time consuming to produce small quantities of tile. The setup time to make one, twenty-five, or 500 square feet takes the same amount of time—changing tools, cleaning glaze guns, setting application parameters, etc. So, the production cost per square foot is considerably higher for the low quantities.

Good news: it can! Heath tiles are certified by Declare for chemical transparency, making them a good fit for LEED, WELL, and Living Building Certified buildings.

Please contact a Tile Specialist to learn more and discuss your specific project.

Visit our page on Installation Tips for detailed information on your install.

The Mural Collection uses small tile to bring high-impact energy to any space, using pre-configured pattern combinations of matte and glossy tile. The two patterns in the collection, Reed and Twill, offer six colorways and seven colorways, respectively.

Made-to-Order tile is handcrafted at our Tile Factory on 18th Street in San Francisco, and is available across all of our collections, shapes, and glazes. This product is a great choice if you’re planning ahead and are looking to customize the shape and glaze of your tile to your specifications. Pricing varies for Made-to-Order tiles, and are created specifically for your project, with lead times around 6 weeks.

Ready-to-Ship tile is in stock and ready to ship or be picked up at our Tile Factory on 18th Street in San Francisco. This product is a great choice if you need tile for your project sooner than our Made to Order lead times allow. It’s the same quality as our Made-to-Order tile, and comes at a much more attractive price of $36/sq.ft. It is offered exclusively in 2x6 size from our Classic Field collection in a selection of limited glazes ranging from matte to glossy and neutral to poppy.

Whether you need Made-to-Order or Ready-to-Ship tile, it starts with a Tile Specialist. If you wish to order tile, please fill out this form, and a tile specialist will respond and be your point of contact for your order. The tile team does not have a direct phone line. All orders must be initiated through this form. If you prefer to discuss your order over the phone please let us know in your inquiry.