Originally made from quarried stone, quarry tiles are typically unglazed and made from extruded slabs of clay or shale. They can be as thick as ¾” and come in a variety of square and rectangular shapes. They range in colour from buff (cream) to browns and reds, depending on the type of clay and firing temperature. Often the pattern and colour can tell us when it was installed, for example, blue hues were introduced during the Edwardian era whereas the Victorian era has more brown and dark reds. In the 1930’s quarry tiles have become less porous and easier to maintain. Many of these tiles have full-bodied colour throughout the tile, making them durable and suitable for heavy traffic, because as the tile wears thin the colour remains throughout the decades.