installation tips for zellige

where can i use zellige?

we often get asked this question. much of the rest of the world has been living with tile for centuries. it’s what makes us fall in love with the terrazzo-lined streets of italy and the zellige tiled floors and walls of morocco. america, however, has no such tile tradition. here at clé, it has been our mission to change this.

and we have. we began almost a decade ago with cement tile and we wrote the book on how to use it when designers were thrown by this new material. fast forward to today and now it’s available everywhere.

the same is happening with zellige. seven years ago, we struggled to persuade people to install zellige. we fielded your questions and once again wrote the book. today it has become the tile du jour.

ideally, our answer as to where to install zellige would be to use it like they do in the rest of the world: everywhere. however, climate variations, installation experience and industry codes means that we have had to come up with our own guidelines for the united states.

as always your installation will only be as good as your installer. we always recommend that you hire an installer who has had extensive experience in installing handcrafted zellige and that you follow their recommendations on all decisions related to installation.

to that end, here is a quick snapshot of where we recommend installing zellige tiles:

interior

interior floor
interior wall
shower floor, shower wall, steam shower
residential low + high traffi
ccommercial low traffic
kitchen
sink backsplash
stove backsplash
fireplace surround

exterior (limit use to non-freeze thaw locations only)

exterior floor bejmat only (2×6 size)
exterior wall
for pool & fountain waterlines* use glazed zellige tiles only

a few key points to note for specific areas:

floor installations
since each zellige tile is hand chiseled there may be a few sharp edges. a good installer should be able to get the tiles flush with minimal lippage. if you find some tiles that stick up slightly or are a bit rough​ on the edges after grouting​, a tile rubbing stone can be used to soften the edges.

kitchen countertops
we typically don’t recommend any glazed tiles for countertop usage nor natural unglazed tiles dut to the porous nature of the clay, (stone is our countertop material of choice)

stove backsplash
zellige works well as a stove backsplash, except in the case with a stove that has an oven vent that vents heat directly onto the tiled backsplash. in such a case, we recommend the standard 4″ metal splash that comes with most ranges.

design: brasstacks kc / photo: jessica cain

salt water pools
while we can recommend glazed zellige for pool & fountain water lines in non-freeze locations, we do not have thorough testing yet on salt water pools so for now, we are unable to recommend zellige for usage in saltwater pools.

design: desert wild / photo: swiley interior photography

please note, the specifications section of the zellige material guidelines gives detailed information on where a tile can be used.we always like to say an installation is only as good as your tile installer. please make sure you hire a professional experienced with zellige.

trim options

zellige does not come with any trim as moroccans use traditional methods such as mitering to finish edges. we subscribe to the european model where tile looks best when cladding surfaces meet seamlessly and in a monolithic fashion. think of a tiled wall from floor to ceiling as opposed to half way up a wall and as a way to offer a more custom finish. if you are looking for an alternatives for surface bullnose and corner trim, we recommend one of the following:

• run a grout joint bead of caulk or grout along the exposed tile edge — just as they do in europe.
• build out sheetrock surface to meet the tile inset for one flush, continuous surface.
• if your project turns a corner, neatly miter the edge to give it the cleanest, crafted finish.
• for more details please see our trim guide.

design: black gold contractors / photo: shawn hood media

grout suggestions

we always (and we mean always) recommend relying on your (experienced) installer for decisions about grout. please refer them to our material guidelines for the most up to date advice on what sort of grout to use. we adhere to the industry recommendations of a minimum grout-joint size of 1/16″.

while grout color decisions are ultimately a matter of choice (of you or your design professional), we’re often asked for our opinion on best grout selections for our tiles. as a general guideline for grout colors we suggest matching grout to the color of the tile. contrasting grout will emphasize all the chips and imperfections (even bringing out ones you don’t initially see). if you’re still tempted by the idea of contrasting grout, read our material guidelines for the caveats on that front.

be sure that your installer creates multiple grout boards (if considering different options) before you make a final choice, and that you experience them during every time of the day and under all lighting options.

final thoughts

a few other tips are in order:

• make sure you and your installer take every tile out of every box and lay them out on the floor before you install them, and blend, blend, blend.
• be present for the installation: think about installing zellige as an art project that will become a permanent part of your home. careful planning and attention to detail is imperative!
• and always, take your time.