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Our peerless craftsmanship and attention to detail reflect our commitment to creating tiles that far surpass the industry standard. Our tiles are nearly 1/3 thicker than typical wall tile. This means that not only are our tiles stronger, but the thickness easily matches classic, old European style decoratives.
Unlike the mesh used by others, our glaze is sifted through an ultra-fine mesh, dramatically reducing the level of impurities, resulting in a vibrant sheath of unblemished color and incomparable beauty. While many of our competitors make tile in two hours or less, each tile produced by Westminster Ceramics™ has undergone an extensive production process lasting over 100 hours, ensuring that each tile meets our stringent standard of quality and durability. We finish our products first by air drying, then with a double-firing process that is both more traditional and controllable than the single-fire process used by most manufacturers today. At Westminster Ceramics™, we practice one craft: the creation of high end, high quality ceramicware for your home. |
From the earth, to your home |
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Step 1: RAW CLAY Our clays come from the finest sources in North America and are thoroughly tested to ensure they retain their quality. |
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Step 2: GREENWARE Hand operated presses and extruders use steel dies created on-site by some of the industry’s top craftsmen. The resulting greenware is finished by hand, then inspected for smoothness and strength. |
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Step 3: HAND FINISHED GREENWARE Freshly pressed and extruded greenware is carefully placed in ceramic refractories designed to withstand the high temperatures of multiple firings. It is only when it has achieved a perfect moisture level that the tile enters the kiln. |
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Step 4: 1ST FIRING OR BISQUE FIRED The first firing transforms greenware into bisque. It takes over a day for the greenware to work its way through the intense heat of our kiln, maturing each piece gradually, which is what gives Westminster Ceramic™ products their signature strength. Each piece is once again hand finished in preparation for glazing. |
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Step 5: 2ND FIRING OR GLOST FIRED Westminster Ceramics'™ glazes form an uninterrupted layer of color and protection no matter how complex the pattern. Once cooled, the ceramicware is once more inspected by a team with uncompromising attention to detail, then hand packed for shipment. |
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Plant Tour |
Westminster Ceramics™ artisans use clays from the finest sources in North America, and each steel die is created on site to ensure that the end product reflects the quality that Westminster's customers expect. Each piece of Westminster ceramicware is individually hand-fettled and is inspected for smoothness and strength at every step of the process.
 Freshly pressed and extruded greenware is carefully placed in ceramic refractories designed to withstand the high temperatures of multiple firings. The first firing transforms greenware into bisque, and each piece is allowed to mature gradually before it enters the glost kiln for the second firing, which creates a product that is both more traditional and more durable than the single-fire process used in most factories. Our glaze is sifted through an ultra-fine mesh, resulting in a vibrant sheath of unblemished color of incomparable beauty.
 Our peerless craftsmanship and attention to detail reflect our commitment to creating tiles that far surpass the industry standard. At .350 inches, our tiles are nearly one-third thicker than standard well tile. This means that not only are our tiles less brittle, they are designed to easily match classic, old European style decoratives. Each piece is handpacked face-to-face to prevent scratching, so your tiles arrive at their destination unmarred by the stress of shipment.
 At Westminster Ceramics™, we take our responsibility to preserving our natural resources very seriously, and our production processes reflect our commitment to environmental protection.
Westminster Ceramics™ began as a family enterprise, and we are proud to acknowledge our artisans and support staff as our most important resource in our continued success. |