Moroccan Cement Tile: Sealing, Care and Living With It

Moroccan cement tile has a look that is hard to fake: bold geometric and floral patterns, matte chalky colors, and a surface that softens and deepens with age. It is also a material that asks more of you than porcelain does. If you are considering it for a kitchen, bathroom or entry in Bellingham, it is worth understanding how it is made and what it takes to keep it looking good.

This is not a sales pitch for or against. Plenty of people love living with cement tile, and plenty would be happier with a porcelain alternative. The trick is knowing which one you are before the tile goes down.

How cement tile is made

Cement tile, sometimes called encaustic tile, is not fired in a kiln. A pigmented cement layer is poured into a metal pattern mold, backed with a layer of cement and sand, and pressed under high pressure. The tile then cures over time.

That process explains both its charm and its demands:

• The color runs a few millimeters deep, so the pattern wears slowly rather than scratching off.
• There is no glaze. The surface is open and porous.
• Tiles are heavy and relatively thick.
• Slight color and pattern variation between tiles is normal.

The style is strongly associated with Morocco and the Mediterranean, but cement tile is produced in many countries. What matters for you is the material and how it is handled, not the name on the pattern.

What we carry

Our cement tile range is small and deliberate, around nine products from Arizona Tile, Bedrosians (the Remy line) and Florida Tile (the Soho line). You can see the current patterns and colors in our tile category. If you want a Moroccan-style pattern and the real material is not the right fit, we also carry patterned porcelain that gives a similar look with far less maintenance.

Sealing Moroccan cement tile

Sealing is not optional. Unsealed cement tile absorbs oil, wine, coffee and even grout pigment.

The usual sequence, which your installer should confirm with the sealer manufacturer:

1. Set the tile and let it dry fully.
2. Apply a penetrating sealer before grouting, so the grout does not stain the tile surface. Many installers apply more than one coat.
3. Grout carefully, cleaning haze promptly with water, not acidic cleaners.
4. Apply a final sealer coat after grouting.
5. Reseal periodically, more often in a kitchen or entry than in a lightly used powder room.

A simple test tells you when to reseal: put a few drops of water on the tile. If it beads, you are fine. If it darkens the tile and soaks in, it is time.

Day-to-day care

• Sweep or vacuum often. Grit acts like sandpaper on a matte surface.
• Mop with a pH-neutral cleaner. Vinegar, citrus cleaners and many bathroom sprays can etch cement and strip sealer.
• Wipe spills quickly, especially oils and anything acidic.
• Use felt pads on furniture and mats at exterior doors.

In a Bellingham entry, where the wet season means a steady stream of wet boots and grit, a good doormat outside and a runner inside will do more for cement tile than any cleaning product.

Patina is part of the deal

Even well-sealed cement tile changes over time. High-traffic paths soften, colors mellow and small marks appear. Many owners see that as the reason to choose it: the floor ends up looking like it belongs in an old house in Fairhaven rather than a catalog. If you want a floor that looks exactly the same in ten years, cement tile will frustrate you.

Where it works and where to think twice

Good fits:

• Powder rooms and bathroom floors outside the shower
• Kitchen backsplashes, especially away from the range
• Entry floors with good mats and a willingness to reseal

Think twice:

• Shower floors, where constant water and soap residue demand frequent care
• Busy kitchen floors if nobody in the house will reseal
• Anywhere you plan to use strong cleaning products

Before you commit

• Confirm with your installer that they have set cement tile before, and ask how they handle sealing.
• Plan for extra tile, since variation and breakage are both part of the material.
• Decide on grout color with the pattern in mind. A grout close to the background color keeps the pattern continuous.

Browse the current cement tile patterns in our tile category, or call (360) 255-8377 to talk it through. We are at 1201 Cornwall Ave in Bellingham, WA, Monday through Friday. Know which room it is for and how much care you are willing to give it, and the right choice usually becomes clear.