Tile 101

Tile 101: Handmade Tile Variation

BY CLAY IMPORTS

An intro to the captivating variation of handmade tile.

At Clay Imports, we believe there is beauty in diversity and variation. Every product we offer is unique, no piece is exactly like the other. We admire how handmade tile variation can add character to a space. Handmade tile makes a space more interesting due to the variety of colors and textures.

If you embrace the extraordinary, you will love our handmade tile. Should your design tendencies not lean toward imperfection, then handmade tiles might not be for your projects.

Natural variation is an inevitable characteristic of handmade tile. As a result, expect variations in size, shade, and thickness. Our tile offerings also feature irregular edges and the appearance of fine cracks. This can vary from piece to piece.

To ease the tile buying process, we established shade and texture variation categories based on the CNA Handbook. Let’s review them!

Shade and Texture Variation

Refers to variation in the same production run. Samples can vary from full order production batch as each batch is unique. This especially applies to samples that have been produced some time ago. If you are uncertain if your sample is representative of the available batches, please reach out to our team at contact@clayimports.com for assistance.

V1 = Uniform Appearance: Differences among pieces from the same production run are minimal. 

- Uniform appearance doesn’t apply to any of our tiles!

V2 = Slight Variation: You’ll notice clearly distinguishable differences in texture and/or pattern within similar colors. 

V3 = Moderate Variation: While the colors and/or texture present on a single piece of tile will be indicative of the colors and/or texture to be expected on the other tiles, the amount of colors and/or texture on each piece may vary significantly. 

V4 = Substantial Variation: Random color and/or texture differ from tile to tile, so that one tile may have totally different colors and/or texture from that on other tiles. 

V2 Slight Variation

Our Variation 2 tiles show distinguishable differences in texture and/or pattern within the same batch of tile. While noticeable if you look closely, it’s really just hints of texture and color variations.

V3 Moderate Variation

Our Variation 3 tiles show significant differences in texture and/or pattern within the same batch of tile. It’s noticeable and contributes to the handmade tile look.

V4 Substantial Variation

Our Variation 4 tiles show extreme differences in texture and/or pattern within the same batch of tile. It’s immediately noticeable. This is the signature handmade look, that makes for a real showstopper.