Cement tile

They represented a revolution in flooring in their day because they were much cheaper, more durable and easier to make than the previous handmade glazed ceramic tiles and were therefore more universally available for houses, and they allowed for profuse decorative patterns, their age of splendour being the end of the 19th to the middle of the 20th centuries, before they were gradually superseded by newer technologies as of the 1960s, such as terrazzo, salt-glazed stoneware, etc.

In the United States, several sources say the first tiles were made near the country's first Portland cement plant.

Cement tiles being handmade are expected to have slight imperfections, which give them character and depth.

Small companies employ a hand-operated hydraulic press; the quality of the tiles varies due to inconsistent pressure.

Larger manufacturers use electric-powered hydraulic presses that produce a consistently higher quality product.