Matryca do kafli gorseciki

How to use it

A tile is a flat blank of a repeatable size — for wall decoration, coasters or panels. The tool keeps the edges even and, if it carries a pattern, textures the surface at the same time. The real challenge with tiles is not forming them, it is drying them flat.

1. 1

   Prepare an even slab

   Roll the clay on canvas between guide rails, typically 8-10 mm. A tile shrinks 8-12 percent while drying and firing, so the blank is always larger than the final size.

2. 2

   Even out the surface

   Pass a rib or roller over the slab in two directions. An even surface means less warping and a more visible pattern.

3. 3

   Cut the tile

   Hold the tool perpendicular and press evenly with your whole palm until it cuts through. Do not twist the tool — twisting ripples the tile edge.

4. 4

   Press the texture

   If the set includes a pattern, press it right after cutting, on a soft surface, in one confident push. A depth of 1-2 mm is enough for the glaze to pool nicely in the grooves.

5. 5

   Finish the edges

   Wipe the rim with a damp sponge and slightly round the edge. A sharp edge is the first thing to chip after firing and makes even glazing harder.

6. 6

   Dry flat and weighted

   Dry tiles on a flat board or plaster slab, interleaved with paper, and weight them with a second board for the first 24 hours. This is the key step — without it the tile curls like a boat.

7. 7

   Finish drying

   After the first day uncover the tiles and dry them slowly for 3-5 days, turning them once a day so both faces release water evenly.

8. 8

   Firing and glazing

   Bisque fire, sand the back, and glaze only the face and sides. Stack tiles flat in the kiln on a grog bed, never on their edge.