What Is Subway Tile Made Of

Check out 5 new ways to use subway tile.

What is subway tile made of.

Subway tile made of metal is another option. And if you thought subway tile could be defined by how it s made think again. It will probably not come as much of a shock that subway tile was originally designed to be placed in subways. These come in a few different varieties of metal such copper stainless steel and aluminum.

Simple yet refined our handmade 3x6 subway tile adds a unique touch to any kitchen or bathroom renovation. Read on for the story behind america s most beloved tile. Subway tile got its name from the new york city subway where these rectangular tiles were developed and used to coat the walls. The general rule is any wall tile with a 1 to 2 size can be styled as a subway tile.

Made to order tile especially pricey lines can take weeks to arrive. The traditional subway tile is made of ceramic and is 3 inches by 6 inches and stark white. Looking for fresh ideas on how to use this classic tile. Classic ceramic subway tile is one of the most affordable types of tile per square foot.

So make your selections well in advance if the tile s installation is time sensitive. The official definition is a thin low fired glazed ceramic tile. The tiles quickly made their way into private residences. If any of your walls are glazed with those ubiquitous 3 x 6 rectangles you have a little piece of history in your home.

Sometimes tiles that are not 1 2 but still have a smaller rectangular shape are considered subway tile as well like a 4 x 10. In fact many aluminum options are made with finish that mimics the look of copper or stainless steel tiles since they are cheaper to produce. The backing or substrate might be concrete plywood drywall or cementitious backer board. Consider the distinguishing characteristics of a subway ceramics installation perfectly flat field tile pencil thin grout joints soft wrap around corners and integrated ceramic accessories.

Instead of using the serif and sans serif fonts of the irt and bmt the ind used a blocky geometric font an altered version of the previous sans serif. 2 x 4 4 x 8 6 x 12. What makes subway tile last. The tiles were constructed in a horizontal pattern which quickly grabbed the attention of the public.

They are easy to clean and come in various shapes and sizes. The thin grout lines and flat surface made these tiles perfect for cleaning the well traveled space. Since 2006 subway ceramics has been the exclusive tile source for the distinctive subway tile aesthetic that defines american pre war tilework. Subway tile is riding a wave of enormous popularity right now but it s been around for a long time.

White black and the station specific band and border colors of the tile. But according to the washington post those very first versions in the new york city subway were actually made of white glass. The tiles used in the independent subway system ind are very simple and austere and usually are only of four colors.