fornace brioni + cristina celestino | rocaille | nude | shell

do i need to seal fornace brioni glazed ceramic tiles? 
 
dry applications do not need to be sealed as the final step of installation. 
 
important: if fornaci brioni glazed ceramic tiles are being grouted with a contrasting grout color vs. a matching one, then you should also seal before grouting because many tiles may have crazing without it being visible to the eye and would only come out with the grouting of the tiles as the invisible crazing absorbs the dye from the contrasting grout.
 
 for wet applications (backsplash, shower walls, steam showers) you must seal the grouted areas and areas of visible crazing as the final step of installation. sealant will not penetrate the glazed tile surface but it is important that all grouted areas and areas of crazing are sealed.
 
 for all sealing and protecting, clé recommends stonetech stone, tile, and grout sealer from laticrete.
 
 for more information about sealing please see our fornace brioni glazed ceramic material guidelines.

do you offer trim for your fornace brioni glazed ceramic tile?

at clé we follow the international model of no trim and highly recommend our clients to do the same. below are the trim alternatives we recommend for this collection.

- if your project needs to turn a corner either inwardly or outwardly, mitering the tiles to meet seamlessly in a corner gives it the cleanest, crafted finish.
- another way to complete your tiling is to run a bead of caulk or grout along the exposed tile edge.
- if you have a painted surface next to your tile, you can choose to paint the outer edge of the tile to match the painted surface.
- like with any of our tiles, you can also build out the sheetrock so that the surface of the finished sheetrock is flush with the surface of the tile.

for more detailed recommendations about trim, please see our trim guide.

how do i take care of my fornace brioni glazed ceramic tiles?

mild, pH neutral soaps should be sufficient for most cleaning—test before general use.

for all other maintenance, clé recommends laticrete cleaning products. see fornace brioni glazed ceramic material guidelines for more information.

what type of finish should i expect with this collection?

our fornace brioni glazed ceramic tiles have a smooth glazed finish. the forest pill and the shell shaped rocaille have a glossy surface, whereas the beige listellos and the rose rectangle have a matte surface.

how much variation should i expect?

all fornace brioni tiles are made by hand, therefore slight variations in thickness, depth, color, shade and size are to be expected. therefore it is important to blend the tiles from all boxes once they arrive and place them in their installation area to ensure you have the layout you want before installing.

tiles may be exposed to moisture and/or condensation during production or shipping which may affect the color of the tiles once received.  setting tiles out to dry prior to installation will return return the color to normal. 

what's crazing, and should this be expected with fornace brioni glazed ceramic tiles? 

fornace brioni glazed ceramic tiles are made by hand and can show visible crazing. crazing refers to the hairline cracks which may occur in the glaze surface of tile after firing and is common in handcrafted tile.

variation and imperfection ratings: 

fornace brioni glazed ceramic tiles are rated 'level 2 slight' for color variation, 'level 1 smooth' for texture variation, 'level 2 medium' for size variation, and 'level 1 light' for cracks and crazing.

see illustrations in the technical specifications section above, and read more about the ratings in our tile variation and imperfections guide.

how will my fornace brioni glazed ceramic samples compare to my actual order?
 
color and size variation between production batches (or kiln loads) of fornace brioni glazed ceramic tile, in addition to variation from tile to tile, is to be expected given the handcrafted nature of the product. this makes it unlikely that your sample will be a perfect match with your actual order.

is it possible to purchase more of the same material after my initial order (i.e. place an add on order)? 

color and size variation between production batches is a normal occurrence and to be expected given the handcrafted nature of the tile. please keep this in mind when calculating your order, and be sure to purchase enough material.

why do you suggest i order at least 15% more than my measurements?

industry standard suggests adding at least 15% overage due to tile cuts, potential shipping breakage, or future repairs.

for more information related to ordering and shipping, please be sure to visit our shipping and returns and delivery information resource pages.

for dry applications of fornace brioni glazed ceramic it is not necessary to grout, however it is necessary for wet applications. On rocaille shell installations requiring grout it is necessary to finger grout due to the shape of the tiles. for glazed tivoli installations requiring grout we recommend using a grout bag to fill the grout joints due to the shape and depth of the tile.

clé recommends using a ¹/₈" grout joint for glazed ceramic fornace brioni pieces.

clé recommends using mortar and sanded cementitious grout that comply with the ANSI A118 or ISO 13007 classifications suitable for your project. please consult with your installation professional to make these determinations.

important: if your fornace brioni glazed ceramic tiles are being grouted with a contrasting grout color vs. a matching one, then a penetrating sealant or grout release should be applied prior to grouting in order to minimize the possibility of the contrasting grout curing in the inherent hairline cracks.

grout color selection is always up to our client and/or their design professional. however, clé is often asked for our opinion on best grout selections for our tiles. and due to the large array of grout colors that are now available, clé would like to offer this general guideline on a foolproof grout color selection for any of your clé tiles:

first, have your professional tile contractor complete your tile installation, except for the grout portion.

next, when ready to grout, ask your contractor to bring ALL grout color charts from his preferred grout manufacturers, for your review.

lastly, choose a time of day when you are most pleased with the lighting in your space (either natural lighting, installed lighting or a blend of both). during that lighting and time of day, select the grout color that best matches your tile selection.

for more information about grouting please see our fornace brioni glazed ceramic material guidelines.