Love those floors!
One of the first things we noticed about properties for sale here in Merida was the floors. No kidding. Because many of the floors, even in the most humble of stores or homes, are covered with beautiful mosaico tiles. These tiles are made here in Merida, based on a technology brought here from Spain centuries ago. And as far as we know, the method and many of the designs haven't changed much in the ensuing years.
Many years ago, we had the pleasure of being invited into a small tile manufacturing company, called Pisos y Mosaicos La Peninsular, and allowed to photograph the process. At the front of the old colonial building in the south of Merida is the large and impressive showroom, where they sell traditional mosaicos as well as new, factory-made tiles. Behind the front rooms is a large open warehouse. Only a handful of men work there in the back making the tiles on two presses, while stacks and stacks of tiles sit out to dry.
The process starts with the mold. Some of the molds at this shop were made over 50 years ago, and according to the owner, the people who can make a good mold here in Merida can be counted on one hand. The owner, Ignacio, who has since become a friend, treasures his vintage molds. Over the years, Ignacio has acquired more vintage molds and has developed workmen who can create new ones. Molds can be made to order, or you can choose one of the old ones. You can also choose the traditional colors for a design, or order your own color scheme.
The Process of Making Mosaico Tiles
The men start by pouring a thick wet sandy concrete into a square mold. The design mold is then set on top of the concrete, and colored pottery slip is poured into the different areas of the mold according to the design. This is all done very quickly. The package is then pressed by an old, oily, noisy hydraulic press for less than a minute, and then spit out on the other side. The end result is a 20 cm by 20 cm tile that is about an inch thick and quite heavy. The tile costs between $.80 and three dollars USD retail. One side is concrete and the other side is colored and designed. The colors at this stage are muted. The tile is carefully picked up and stacked with its brothers and left to dry for a few weeks. When it is thoroughly dry, it will be laid into a floor and then polished to bring out the bright colors. These tiles, to our surprise, are never baked or heated. The only thing that hardens the ingredients is pure pressure and time.
Pasta Tiles
The tiles are sometimes called "pasta tiles", perhaps for the paste-like nature of the ingredients. They are ubiquitous in the colonial homes of Merida and are one reason why these homes are so charming and attractive to renovate. Of course, if you buy a house whose tiles have been removed, (to make way for modern, white tiles, which native Yucatecans seem to think are more desirable for some reason), you can buy and install new ones.
The tiles seem to get better with age. Some of us prefer to let them mellow and get a little distressed. Others treat them specially with weekly doses of kerosene, aceite rojo and other secret ingredients to keep their tile floors polished and shiny. If you inherit a floor that looks a little worn and you want to make it new, you can hire a crew to polido (polish) the tiles.
You can see these tile floors throughout Merida in the most elegant colonial homes and in the most modest little tendejones (corner stores). They are a constant reminder of the former elegance of Merida at the beginning of the 20th Century and the very-much-alive Merida today that still has the artisans and craftsmen available to restore that elegance.
To shop tiles at Mosaicos Peninsular, visit their website at:
mosaicoslapeninsular.com/ Ignacio (Nacho) owns Mosaicos Peninsular... tell him Yucatan Living sent you!
Here's a website that has information about this type of tile all around the world:
www.concretecottage.com/encaustic-cement-tiles.htm
Helpful Links & Resources
Comments
Working Gringos 17 years ago
You know, we've always wondered why people in the US continue to built houses from sticks and straw in hurricane zones, when the people of the Yucatan, who basically live in the same zone, have been building homes from stone and concrete for decades now. Our houses (made of stone and concrete) have absolutely no trouble in hurricanes.
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Gulf Coast Home 17 years ago
Thank you so much for this info and the photos. I have spent hours tonight searching for cement tile info on the web. I want these traditional tiles for a (hopefully ) hurricane proof house I'm building right now on the U.S. Gulf Coast.
http://www.ConcreteCottage.com or try the link on my name.
I think it is absolutely the best choice for this traditional Italian styled house made from HUGE concrete dry stack blocks. It is like man-made stone and the guest house that we built first survived H. Ivan great while most around us did not.
Now I think I need to be planning a trip to Mexico !
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CuestaMan 17 years ago
Just wanted to say hi and thanks for the weekend on Curacao. Nice site.
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lorraine 17 years ago
Hi WG's,
With so many readers renovating houses, I was thinking this site might be a great place to create a 'swap' forum. Specifically, I was thinking if home renovators had mosaicos they were getting rid of they could post a photo here for sale or swap with other home renovators. Possible?
Lorraine
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Wilhem Stevens 17 years ago
Dear Friends, I'm Wilhelm Stevens with Mosaicos de Diseño located in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. We are manufacturers of this great material and we sell our products all around Mexico and US, using our brand Original Mission Tile, we are the largest manufacturer in Mexico and our products has been recognized as the best quality cement tiles. Please take a look of our products.
Best regards.
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Working Gringos 17 years ago
Hola, Maria!
From what we understand, both Mosaicos Peninsular (one of our sponsors) and the other supplier in Ucu (a town just northwest of Merida on way to Hunucma) ship orders to the States. You should contact them directly.
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Maria A. Alvarado-Gomez 17 years ago
Great informative article, lovely pictures;yes, thank the Moorish via the Spaniards... my question is what if I wanted to have some shipped to say, Erie, Pennsylvania, USA? How do I ship them from Merida? Maria A.
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Linda 17 years ago
Por favor Sergio Y Antonio escribanme, acabo de comprar una casa en la calle 43 entre 64 y 66 y pienso ponerle pasta de Cuba, pues soy Cubana y me encantaria charlar con ustedes. Escribanme a lloddo@netzero.net
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Antonio 18 years ago
Hi Sergio
You are totally right. I am also Cuban and in love with Merida, among other things because of its similarities with Cuba.
Antonio
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Sergio 18 years ago
love those mosaico floors. I was born in Cuba and there mosaicos were the standard floors used in many homes. Cuban mosaicos, although colorful, tend to be less “strident†than the ones used in Merida. The designs are similar, but sometimes different. I say thank God the Arabs introduced this art into Spain, since we all have benefited from it.
I also want to note that I do find a lot of similarities between those Merida houses and Cuban houses. The rooms, the windows, the backyards etc.
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Jane 18 years ago
Thank you for this article. I have inquired with several people about tiles that look "authentic"....like the tiles you see in the old Colonials in Merida. I looked on-line too, but missed the websites. I cannot wait to visit the factory when we make it to Merida.
We have beachfront property on the Yucatan coast, and want to include some of these tiles in the design, when we build.
Thanks so much!
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