Why do the hand-made tiles look uneven?
Hand-made tiles are formed out of wet clay, then allowed to dry slowly before firing. The drying and firing process causes shrinkage and a certain amount of warping, resulting in the slightly uneven edges that give hand-made tile its beauty and unique character. Manufactured tile is made from a barely-moist clay powder that is pressed under enormous pressure and then fired. Because there is virtually no water in the clay, there is no shrinkage and no warpage. Hand-made tiles have a unique quality that may or may not appeal to you. If you do not care for the uneven appearance but still would like tiles that are custom made just for you, you may prefer to use hand-painted tiles (underglaze and clear glaze over manufactured bisque tiles) or on-glaze decoration on manufactured glazed tiles.
