Ceramic Quarry Tile

Quarry Tile for Demanding Applications

QuarryBasics® Clear Tones unglazed ceramic quarry tile  offers the combination of long wear and great looking colors and shapes. The colors coordinate to fit high traffic, multi-use, commercial and residential design needs. QuarryBasics® Clear Tones are the foremost natural, unglazed, high density ceramic quarry tile made in the U.S.A.

Metropolitan Ceramics' QuarryBasics® Clear Tones quarry tiles are designed for areas of heavy use. The products are extruded and fired in kilns at high temperatures to create quarry tile that is very low absorption (vitreous), slip resisting and extremely durable. Metropolitan Ceramics' QuarryBasics® Clear Tones quarry tile meets or exceeds eight durability tests, including breaking strength and abrasion resistance.

Specified for commercial kitchen floors throughout the United States and abroad, use QuarryBasics® Clear Tones tiles for the most formidable commercial flooring applications. Places like food processing plants, convenience stores or public spaces, anywhere extremes in temperature and wet conditions are prevalent will benefit from having a QuarryBasics® Clear Tones quarry tile floor.

QuarryBasics® unglazed quarry tiles are available in natural earth tone colors, including Raven, a nearly black color. QuarryBasics® quarry tiles are ½” thick for added strength.

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QuarryBasics® XA-Abrasive™ silicon carbide embedded in the surface combined with a metallic additive through-the-body makes XA-Abrasive™ a one-of-a-kind slip resisting ceramic quarry tile with a dynamic coefficient of friction ≥.70 - well above the industry guideline of .42. The silicon carbide and the metallic additive work together to help keep your floor safe from the effects of spills, moisture, extreme temperatures and heavy traffic. Use QuarryBasics® XA-Abrasive™ in the most extreme environments like fast paced restaurant kitchen floors or anywhere durability and slip resistance are essential.

Use XA-Abrasive™ in These Areas • Heavy Traffic • Areas Subject to Spills & Moisture • Places with Extreme Temperatures • Where Added Durability is a Must • Indoors and Out in Any Climate • Anywhere Slip Resistance is a Concern.

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Metropolitan Ceramics' METRO Tread® features nine raised treads across the surface of each tile and spaced 5/8″ apart for added slip resistance. METRO Tread® has a dynamic coefficient of friction of ≥.60 wet at time of manufacture. Wet areas with high traffic like commercial kitchens, restaurant kitchens, bar areas and food preparation stations will benefit from a METRO Tread floor.

Install METRO Tread® in a linear pattern for areas such as hallways and ramps when the traffic flows across the tread. For general installations like commercial kitchen floors, METRO Tread® tiles must be installed in a grid - checkerboard - pattern for proper slip resistance.

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Down to Earth® is an indoor/outdoor, naturally slip-resisting unglazed quarry paving tile from Metropolitan Ceramics® combining earth's elements and components for captivating commercial and residential installations. Down to Earth® is 1/2″ thick, has through-the-body flashed colors and a textured surface – perfect for a balcony, patio, walkway, pool surround, mudroom, sunroom, entryway or courtyard.

Aesthetically Pleasing
Down to Earth® is offered in four earth tone colors. The 4″ x 8″ Velour Texture is standard; other sizes are available by special order.

Unique
Down to Earth adds a natural paving brick element to any hardscape design. Since Down to Earth is a ceramic tile, you can install it over any adequately prepared substrate including concrete slabs – indoors and out.

Slip Resisting
Slip falls are a concern in any setting. Down to Earth has a dynamic coefficient of friction ≥.60 wet – well above the industry threshold of .42 for ceramic tile.

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Royal Thin Brick® is a decorative unglazed thin brick. The bricks have a classic wire-cut texture. They are tumbled for a distressed, worn appearance that works well for adding a traditional brick aesthetic in both residential and commercial settings. Depending on how the bricks are fired, there are both shade variation and single tone colors in the palette. Colors range from light gray and beige to rich reds and dark browns and near black. Royal Thin Brick is available in select blends for even more design options. The blends create a pleasing natural color range.

Royal Thin Brick is available in Queen Size, which is a broader face than modular brick. The Queen size (2 ¾' x 7 5/8") adds character to the bricks, making them more engaging for residential and high-end commercial installations. Royal thin brick is 5/8" thick. Royal Thin Brick can be installed just like ceramic tiles, following the same tile set methods. You can use Royal on any substrate suitable for ceramic tile for the flexibility to create a brick application and change the look of any area.

Use Royal Thin Brick for a variety of interior and exterior installations on both floors and walls. Think of Royal Thin Brick for accent walls, backsplashes, walkways, patios, bar areas, mudrooms, home exterior and around a fireplace. With Royal Thin Brick, there are unlimited options for adding the look of real brick to your home or business.

Queen Size
A taller brick than standard size, for a more dynamic presentation.

Kiln Fired
Extruded and hard fired - durable enough for use outdoors.

Tumbled After Firing
The bricks are drum tumbled for a weathered appearance.

Low Absorption
Resists soiling, suitable for exterior applications such as outdoor tiles for patios.

Goes Where Full Brick Can't
Installs like ceramic tile on surfaces suitable for tile.

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METROBRICK®  thin brick veneer is fast becoming one of the most attractive finishes available. You can Install thin brick in a variety of areas using straightforward tile setting methods and quickly achieve a brick finish in remodeling and new construction projects. When installing thin brick, we recommend using a 3/8″ grout joint. Use thin brick in areas where full-face brick is often not practical and without additional construction work required with full face brick.

METROBRICK offers high-quality, low absorption, real kiln-fired thin brick for use in all types of commercial and residential brick veneer applications.

METROBRICK includes nine colors and seven blends. Please call for availability and lead times 1-800-325-3945. The METROBRICK Colors are available in the modular brick size (2 1/4″ x 7 5/8″) and a traditional brick wire cut texture. Corner and edge cap pieces are also available.

With METROBRICK you can create a brick wall finish over any adequately prepared vertical surface. METROBRICK has been installed throughout the United States in various applications including schools, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, retail, residential projects and multi-use facilities. Use METROBRICK anywhere a brick finish is desired, both indoors and out.

Modular Size Brick
The standard brick size for a more traditional appearance

Flashed Colors Available
Random shade variation from brick to brick adds a classic appeal

Blends Available
There are seven color blends to choose from

Low Absorption
Use both indoors and out to change the look of a space

Goes Where Full Brick Can't
Installs like ceramic tile on surfaces suitable for tile

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Quarry Tile is the Best Flooring Choice for Commercial Kitchens

There may be other options available for restaurants and other commercial kitchen floors, but quarry tile remains the best choice. This section will compare quarry tile to other floor covering sometimes used for commercial kitchen floors – seamless epoxy, stained concrete and vinyl flooring.

We base our comparison on five essential criteria, slip resistance, durability, work environment, installation, and maintenance.

Slip Resistance – In a commercial kitchen, more than nearly any other area, A floor with added slip resistance is one of the most crucial considerations. No floorcovering is completely anti-slip or non-slip. Environmental conditions play a significant role in how well the floor will perform in an area, and few spaces are more wet and slippery than a commercial kitchen.

Durability – How well the floor performs over time is also extremely important. No one wants to repair or replace the restaurant kitchen floor frequently. To last, the floor must resist thermal shock from extremes in temperature. The floor must not melt from hot fryer oil or oven spills. Commercial kitchen floors need to resist chipping and abrasion and not wear away from constant use.

Work Environment – Beyond slip resistance, the commercial kitchen floor can affect the work environment in other ways. Primarily the concern is air quality in the kitchen and how each step in a floor’s life can affect it. What impact will the floor have when installed and right after installation? What effect will maintenance and floor cleaners have on air quality? Finally, what air quality issues will there be when you repair or replace the floor?

Installation – Installation will have a significant impact on the success of the floor. Questions you will want to ask include the following. Who is installing the floor, seasoned professionals, or someone just completing a week of training? Are there established standards and specifications for installing the product you choose? Are the installers certified to install the product? What is the installation process? How do environmental conditions affect the installation?

Maintenance – The daily and weekly maintenance routine will affect how well a restaurant kitchen floor performs and lasts. Slip resistance can also be affected by floor maintenance. Questions you need to ask when choosing a floor covering include how the floor is maintained, are top coatings applied to the floor, and what kind? What is the maintenance schedule? How is the floor repaired, how often?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. We hope the images in this photo gallery will help you visualize ways to use our quarry tile and thin brick products. Their versatility is unmatched, giving you the quality you need for so many applications around a home or business. From Metropolitan Ceramics Metro Pavers for a brewery floor to QUARRYBASICS for a kitchen floor, we can provide the product you need for your next project.

These installation images will show you a variety of applications for Metropolitan Ceramics'  thin brick products. They were chosen to illustrate the variety of ways these products can be used – both indoors and out.

Ironrock is committed to providing our customers with sustainable products while keeping with the company's commitment to good stewardship toward the environment and our community. This page gives more insight into the steps we are taking to save resources and energy in the manufacture of Metropolitan Ceramics' quarry tile and thin brick products.

We will also look at the positive environmental impact Metropolitan Ceramics' quarry tile products have once installed, for the life of their use and beyond. We will look at testing for durability, product life cycle, indoor air quality and recycled content.

Metropolitan Ceramics® quarry products are one of the longest lasting flooring products available. In fact, a study conducted by the Tile Council of North America found quarry tile to be the best value among competing floor covering products based specifically on the price and longevity of the product.

Cradle to Cradle is fast becoming the standard by which the sustainability of building products is measured. This concept puts focus on the entire life cycle and re-use of a product. Metropolitan® quarry tile is an excellent cradle-to-cradle product because it is mined at close proximity to the manufacturing site and it can last for many years and even centuries. At the end of a building's life, it can be removed and reused as tile or recycled as a roadbed material with no negative impact on the environment.

Ironrock has been a member of the United States Building Council (USGBC) since September 2006. We are dedicated to manufacturing products that fit the requirements of LEED V4.

Green Squared is North America's first sustainable product program written exclusively for tiles and tile installation material. Green Squared involves the sustainability product standard ANSI A138.1 and the third party certification to that standard.

Metropolitan Ceramics is your source for Green Squared Certified ceramic quarry tile and thin brick. Ironrock, maker of Metropolitan Ceramics quarry tile, METROBRICK thin brick, and Royal Thin Brick, has gone through the certification process with SCS - Scientific Certification Systems - and has obtained Green Squared Certification for all products.

This means that Ironrock has met the certification criteria in all categories, including environmental product characteristics, environmental product manufacturing /raw material extraction, end of product life management, progressive corporate governance and innovation. Part of the certification includes certified products; all Metropolitan Ceramics quarry tile and thin brick products are Green Squared Certified.

Ironrock has taken part in an industry-wide Environmental Product Declaration - EPD. The EPD reports the environmental footprint of North American made ceramic tile across all major impact categories within a 60 year building service life. This EPD is an initiative of the Tile Council of North America. Use the EPD to fulfill requirements of leading green building programs.

Health Product Declarations provide full disclosure of a manufacturer's product ingredients. Ironrock has third-party certified material ingredient disclosures (HPD's) verified for accuracy by WAP Sustainability and in compliance with the LEED v4.0 and v4.1 requirements for material ingredient reporting and optimization. Download the disclosures for each Ironrock product line here.

You Have Questions and We Have Answers.

What is the difference between quarry tile and ceramic tile? Can quarry tile be used outdoors? Is quarry tile right for both commercial and residential use? Choosing the right flooring is a big decision and with big decisions come many questions. We have compiled a list of our most frequently asked quarry tile questions. Can't find what you're looking for? Contact us and we will be happy to answer any additional questions you may have.