Module 1.

Topic 2:

CLAY PRODUCTS

Prof. Swapna Dhavale.

 CONTENTS

 Flooring And Roofing Tiles,

• Their Properties,
• Manufacturing Process,
• Laying Of Tiles, Etc..
 Clay Products –
• Terra-cotta,
• Earthenware,
• Stoneware,
• Porcelain,
 Mud – Its Stabilization And Uses, Etc.
 Properties Of Above Mentioned Materials And Quality Tests Of
Materials

CLAY
 INTRODUCTION

• Clay is naturally occurring mineral that is found almost every where on the surface of
the earth making the soil cover or the soft ground.
• It is so widespread in its occurrence that in common language it is often referred as
earth.
• Clay occurs universally. Man has used them since ancient times for making earthware
of great variety.

CLAY
Clay is a distinct product of chemical weathering of igneous rocks. The rock disintegrates
easily if orthoclase felspar is present in abundance in it.
This orthoclase felspar is responsible for the production of Clay in Nature.

Clay is mainly composed of silica (SiO2) and alumina (Al203) and some other minerals
which exist in small quantities.

CLAY
 FORMED BY TWO PROCESSES

 Erosion: This involves washing and wearing of rocks by agents of erosion

like water wind and others to form different soils of which clay is part. These
rocks may include sedimentary rocks.
 Weathering: This process involve physical and chemical disintegration of
rocks containing clay minerals forming clay deposits.

CLAY
 CLASSIFICATION

Clay is basically classified according to the following

1. Based on the mode of formation
Residual clays, known as Kaolin or China clay, are formed from the decay of
underlying rocks and are used for making pottery.
Transported or sedimentary clays result from the action of weathering
agencies. These are more disperse, contain impurities, and free from large
particles of mother rocks.

CLAY
 CLASSIFICATION

2. Based on dominant characteristics

China clay: This is the purest kind of clay containing a very high percentage of kaolin
and is used in making porcelain , fire resisting cement and white Portland cement.
Fire refractory clays: These contain silica and alumina in very high proportions and are
capable of withstanding very high temperatures without deforming in shapes.

CLAY
 CLASSIFICATION

 Vitrifying clays: These clays are rich in fluxing compounds like iron oxide and
carbonates of calcium and magnesium. They can not withstanding very high
temperatures. They are also called hard burning clays and are used for making facing
bricks, flooring tiles, sewer pipes and other ornamental clay products.
 Brick clays : Are also called brick earth and are of low grade having a variety of
compound of silica, alumina, oxides of iron, lime magnesia and organic matter. They
are majorly transported clays and are used for making building bricks and ordinary
load bearing and partition tiles.

CLAY
 PROPERTIES

Physical properties
•Plasticity: is the property of wetted clay to be permanently deformed without
cracking.
•High tensile strength
•Texture: The texture of clay is measured by the fineness of its grains.
•Size and shape: The size and shape of clay is too small or too thin to be seen
thus determined by electron micrographs.
•Porosity: This is the ratio of the volume of pore space to the dry volume. Thus
large pores allow water to evaporate more easily than small pores.
•Solubility: the solubility depends on the nature , temperature, and
concentration of the acid or base where it is applied.

CLAY
Chemical properties
•Ion exchange: This is the ability of clay minerals to absorb certain cations and
anions and retain them around the outside of the structural unit in an
exchangeable state without affecting the basic silicate structure.
•Reaction with organic and inorganic compounds: some cationic organic
molecules may replace inorganic exchangeable cations present in the interlayer
of expansible minerals to form complexes. And some clay minerals can
accommodate relatively large inorganic cations between the layers of clay.
•Water affinity: water retention ability of clay. The water may be held in pores
or at the surface of clay mineral structures and may be removed by drying
under ambient conditions

CLAY
TILES:
A thin slab of baked clay usually square or rectangular in shape.
The word is derived from the French word TUILE meaning a roof tile composed
of fired clay.

Classification of tiles
1.Common tiles: These tiles have different shapes and sizes. They are
mainly used for paving, flooring and roofing.
2.Encaustic tiles: These tiles are used for decorative purposes in floors,
walls, ceiling and roofs.

CLAY
 CLAY TILE

Tiles are thin slabs of low melting clays used for various purposes in
engineering constructions.
These are durable and impervious to water, resist abrasion well and wash
easily.
White burning and red burning clays, fire clays and shales are used in
making tiles for floor surfaces.
Tiles for surface of walls differ from floor tiles principally in design in degree of
burning.
Wall tiles are burned at a comparatively low temperature, glazed, and fired
again in muffle kiln at a still lower temperature

CLAY
 CLAY TILE

Characteristics of a good tile:

1.It should be free from any cracks, flaws, or bends.

2.It should be regular in shape and size.
3.It should be sound, hard, and durable.
4.It should be well burnt.
5.It should give a clear ringing sound when struck with hand or with one
another or with light hammer.
6.It should fit in properly, when placed in position.
7.It should give an even and compact structure when seen on its broken
surface.
8.It should possess uniform colour.

CLAY
 CLAY TILE

Types of common tiles.

Depending upon the use to which the tiles are put, the following are their
different types:
1.Drain tiles
2.Floor or paving tiles
3.Roof tiles.

Types of Clay Tile based on the ingredients.

Porcelain.
Non-porcelain.
Ceramic.
Terracotta.

CLAY
CLAY TILE

Drain tiles

CLAY
 CLAY TILE

1. Floor or paving tiles:

 Square or hexagonal in shape.
 Size of square tiles -150 mm to 300 mm.
 Flat tiles with thickness- 12mm to 50 mm.
 Hard & compact, flat tiles-can resist wear & tears
 Colored floor tiles can be prepared

CLAY
 CLAY TILE

Advantages of ceramic tiles or paving tiles:

 They are available in an endless range of colours and designs.

 They are easier to lay as they are small in size.

 They are much lighter than either mosaics or marbles.

 They are scratch, stain and damp-proof as well as anti slip.

 They do not require polishing and the floor is ready for use the very

next day.

CLAY
CLAY TILE

CLAY
CLAY TILE

Allahabad tiles

CLAY
CLAY TILE

Allahabad tiles

CLAY
CLAY TILE

Corrugated tiles

CLAY
CLAY TILE

Flat tiles

CLAY
CLAY TILE

Mangalore tiles

CLAY
CLAY TILE

Mangalore tiles

CLAY
 CLAY TILE

Pan tiles
The tiles are curved in section.
These are 33 cm to 38 cm long and 23 cm to 28 cm wide.

CLAY
CLAY TILE

Pot tiles

CLAY
CLAY TILE

CLAY
 CLAY TILE

Manufacturing of common tiles

Following are the four distinct operations involved in the

manufacturing of the common tiles:

1.Preparation of clay

2.Moulding

3.Drying

4.Burning

CLAY
 CLAY TILE

Encaustic Tiles
Manufactured from carefully prepared ordinary
clay , coloring materials and sometimes with finer
clay.
They obtain desired print or color depending on the
coloring pigment added.
The encaustic tile consist of 3 layers:
1.Body: made of coarser clay.
2.Face: 6mm coat of finer clay and the coloring
matter for making the basic pattern.
3.Back: thin coat of clay to prevent the tile from
warping.

CLAY
 EARTHENWARE

Pottery made of clay-fired to

porous state –made impervious by
use of glaze.
Prepared from selected clay, sand
& crushed Pottery.
Burnt at low temperature & their
rate of cooling is low.
They are soft & porous but can
be made hard & impervious on
glazing.

CLAY
 EARTHENWARE

Glazing
Glazing is a protective treatment given to articles. It can be transparent, colored
or opaque

Glaze is an impervious layer or coating.

Glaze can serve to color, decorate or waterproof an item.

CLAY
EARTHENWARE

Types of Glazing

CLAY
EARTHENWARE

Types of Earthen wares

CLAY
EARTHENWARE

Porous v/s Impervious

CLAY
 EARTHENWARE

Porous terra cotta

Saw dust or cork is added together with clay.
They are burnt in kiln leaving pores in particles.
Fire proof &a sound proof material.
Can be chiseled easily.

Cork is an impervious material, of bark tissue that is

harvested for commercial use primarily from a tree.

Saw dust.

CLAY
EARTHENWARE

Polished terra cotta

Articles first burnt at lower
temperature & converted into
biscuit form.
After removal from kiln &
cooling, they are coated with
glazing compound & burnt again
in kiln.
Available in varieties of color.
Superior quality of terracotta.
Not affected by weathering
action.

CLAY
 EARTHENWARE

Porcelain

 White, thin & semi transparent

earthenware
prepared from pure plastic clay
feldspar & quartz
 Hard brittle & non porous
 Used as electric insulators, sanitary
wares, storage vessels etc

feldspar & quartz

CLAY
 EARTHENWARE

Classification of Porcelain
In this process constituents are grinded, mixed & then pressed in
hydraulic pressure
 Thereafter burnt in kiln(bhatti)
Low voltage porcelain prepared by dry process
Sanitary wares, crucibles DRY PROCESS

CLAY
 EARTHENWARE

Classification of Porcelain
Grinded & mixed with water forming paste
Forms of article are obtained by moulding
After drying, moulds are primarily burnt in kiln & converted into
biscuit stage
Glazing is applied to the articles by brush
Again burnt in kiln
While burning heat is gradually applied
Then cooled slowly
High voltage porcelain prepared by wet process
Storage vessels, toys, tiles. WET PROCESS

CLAY
 STONEWARE

Refractory clay mixed with powder of

stone & crushed pottery, feldspar &
powdered stone.
Articles are burnt in kiln at high
temperature & then cooled down
slowing.
Durable, impervious ,strong & resist
corrosion.
Suitable for sanitary ware, sewer
pipes, glaze tiles, w.c pan, washbasin,
sink, bath tub etc

CLAY