Homerton College Cambridge

Sustainability was a key factor in materials selection at the new building at Homerton College for Feilden Fowles Architects.  Selected materials were ideally local and also robust with a life expectancy of at least 100 years.  Ketley brown brindle quarry tiles were specified for much of the ground floor internal area and a variety of laying patterns were used to break up the space but still bring continuity and simplicity to the design. Full details

Taco Gallery

This community arts project by Manolo and White Architects has both brown brindle bricks and quarry tiles very much at its heart.  The architects wanted to design a scheme that would be as efficient as possible, would last, be robust and woulnt require maintenance.  They chose matching Ketley brown brindle bricks and quarry tiles to create a surface that would wrap around the inside of the building and would not detract from the exhibits on display there. Full details

Oak Framed Extension

This old grade II listed estate cottage  dates back to the 1870's and has been renovated and made fit for modern living by architects Daykin Marshall Studio.  Ketley brown brindle quarry tiles have been laid throughout the ground floor, over underfloor heating powered renewably by an air source heat pump. Full details

Ducie Street Warehouse

Designed by David Waddington and Pablo Flack, founders of London’s Bistrotheque, and Archer Humphryes  Architects, Ketley quarry tiles suited the industrial context of the building as well as providing a low maintenance and hard-wearing flooring solution.  Brown brindle square tiles have been laid, interspersed with rows of brick sized tiles to define the spaces and add interest.  Full details     

Arabica Restaurant Kings Cross

Designed by Gundry + Ducker, the Arabica Restaurant inspiration was taken from a postwar university campus.  The simple palette of materials which include Ketley brown brindle quarry tiles, and brick slips, iroko joinery, exposed aggregate concrete and green wool curtains was selected to give a feeling of a post war university common room.  Full details 

Barbican

Ketley Quarry tiles are helping to deliver the renovation of the Barbican podium area which began late 2013.  As a listed building, the requirements were to maintain the general appearance of the paving while freshening the look of the area and delivering good slip resistance.  Over 280,000 quarry tiles in three brindle colours were supplied for the first phase of the restoration.  Full details

Ketley Quarry Tiles, sometimes known also as paving tiles, brick tiles or clay floor tiles, are available in a range of natural clay colours and offer similar performance to traditional quarry tiles.  For restoration projects our Quarry Tiles offer a very good match to the discontinued Hawkins and Dennis Ruabon Quarry tiles which can be found in many parts of the UK.   They offer excellent slip resistance and suit most flooring and wall cladding applications indoors or externally, in commercial premises or the home.  They can also be used with underfloor heating systems as they are good conductors.

18mm thick, Ketley Quarry tiles  are manufactured from the proven Etruria Marl clay, which becomes dense when fired, and is hard wearing and resistant to acids, alkalis, oils, grease and fats.  In pendulum tests where anything higher than 36 indicates low slip potential, they score a dry value average of 63 and a wet value average of 55 meaning they have excellent slip resistance in both wet and dry conditions. They can be classified as R11 and Category C which is the highest rating for slip resistance according to BS EN 14411.

Quarry Tile Fittings

These products shown here match our rectangular quarry tiles 102mm x 215mm.  Similar products are available to match our squares 100mm x 100mm and 150mm x 150mm.  Please contact us for further details.

Round Edge Long - KQTREL
             

Round Edge Short - KQTRES

Double Round Edge - KQTREX

Step Tread - KQTST

Coved Based Round Top - KQTCBRT

Coved Based Round Top External - KQTCBRTX

Download third party verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
Place of Manufacture: Brierley Hill, UK
Environmental Management: 14001     Download Certificate
Quality Management : 9001                     Download Certificate 

Download the Ketley Quality and Environmental Policy

Life Cycle:  BRE Global Certification in accordance with  EN 15804:2012  Download Certificate
Energy:  Fired in gas kilns to 1130^o C
Raw materials:   Etruria Marl Clay from our own quarry in Cannock, 12 miles from our factory, and sand
Lifespan:  Bricks are long life building product and Ketley's bricks are the toughest and most durable bricks you can buy.  
Recyclability:   Mortar can be cleaned off so the bricks can be reused.  They can also be crushed and used as aggregate and/or as an inert bulk fill
Packaging:  We keep packaging to a minimum using wooden pallets and we do not shrink wrap our brick packs.

Find out more about Ketley's approach to sustainability

Click for the Brick Development Association infographic on Sustainability of Brick 

See below the latest video about Sustainability of Brick from the Brick Development Association

Ketley Quarry Tiles for flooring

Standard: BS EN 14411:2012

Ketley Quarry Tiles are manufactured from the same clay, using the same processes as the Ketley 50mm and 65mm pavers and deliver the same technical characteristics of very low water absorption, very high strength and unrivalled frost resistance. 

Packing On pallets -  1350 pieces on a pallet for 215x102mm size   pallet weight (incl pallet) 1240kg
                                        1100 pieces on a pallet for 150x150mm size   pallet weight (incl pallet) 1010kg
                                        1890 pieces on a pallet for 215x 65mm size    pallet weight (incl pallet) 1155kg

Weight per unit          215x102mm size - 0.9kg   150x150mm size - 0.9kg   215x 65mm size  0.6kg

Download Ketley Quarry Tile Specification Sheet

Download Ketley Quarry Tile Specification clause as a word document

Laying Quarry tiles

Download our guide to laying and cleaning Quarry Tiles

Quarry tiles should be laid on a rigid base, with no voids underneath so that the load applied to them is transferred through to the base. In situations where heavy loads are involved, the strength of the installation can be improved by the use of a thicker paver as the transverse breaking load of a clay paving product is directly related to its thickness where all other factors are equal. It is advisable to select the material to resist the most arduous conditions likely to be imposed during the life of the product.
For a sand and cement base, allow at least 3 weeks before fixing the tiles. and for concrete, at least 6 weeks, preferably 12 weeks drying time should be allowed.
The surface should be hard, sound, clean, free from laitance and dust.  
It should also be flat with a tolerance of ≤3 mm under a 2m straight edge. Any deviations from this should be corrected using a levelling compound.

Under Floor Heating
Ketley Quarry Tiles are fully compatible with both water‑based (wet) and electric (dry) underfloor heating systems. Their dense, extruded clay body provides excellent thermal conductivity and heat retention, making them suitable for internal floors where UFH is installed beneath a screed or adhesive bed.

Fixing
Ketley recommends using a tile adhesive such as ARDEX X 7 R.  (Download Ardex guide to fixing Ketley Quarry Tiles) This adhesive is mixed with clean water and applied to the substrate with a suitably sized notched trowel to form straight, ribbed lines.  The quarry tiles are then pressed firmly into the adhesive bed at consistent joint widths (6-10mm).  The backs of the tiles should be regularly checked to ensure that solid bed fixing has been achieved.

Grouting

Board should be laid over the tiled area to spread the load of the tiler when carrying out the grouting operation. The grouting mortar should be adapted for the width of the joint with a lower ratio of cement for wider joints

Ketley recommends using a flexible grout which is available in a wide range of colours from companies like ARDEX.  This product is mixed with clean water to a creamy consistency and worked thoroughly into the joints using a rubber squeegee.  As the work proceeds, any excess grout should be removed, residues can be removed with a damp sponge for up to 30 minutes.  Any dry film can be polished off with a clean cloth afterwards. If, after this process, there is a hazy mist on the surface of the tiles, this can easily be cleaned off with a grout remover, diluted according to the maufacturer’s instructions. 

Movement Joints
These should be installed in accordance with BS 5385‑3:2007.  Any existing movement/structural  joints should be continued through to the surface of the tiling.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Download our guide to laying and cleaning Quarry Tiles

CLEANING & MAINTENANCE
Ketley Quarry Tiles require minimal routine maintenance. Floors can usually be kept clean by sweeping to remove loose dirt, followed by washing with warm water and a non‑soapy, neutral, sulphate‑free detergent. Clean, dry surfaces have a naturally low slip potential; most slip incidents occur when contaminants remain on the floor, so an effective cleaning regime is essential for both appearance and safety.

ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE CLEANING REGIME
- Identify contaminants so the correct cleaning agent can be selected.
- Use suitable tools, with dedicated equipment for specific areas if required.
- Schedule regular cleaning, assigning responsibility and timing around pedestrian traffic.
- Provide clear instructions on procedures, detergent use, disposal, spill response, and record‑keeping.
- Inspect floors routinely to identify wear, damage, debris, or contamination.

CLEANING METHOD
Cleaning methods vary depending on contamination, surface profile, available agents, and whether mechanical equipment can be used. Regardless of method, all residues must be removed. After cleaning, rinse thoroughly with clean water and leave the floor dry. Failure to rinse can leave detergent or contaminant residues that emulsify when re‑wetted and increase slip risk.

INITIAL CLEAN AFTER INSTALLATION
Once grout joints have hardened, tiles may require a light clean using a neutral, non‑soapy, sulphate‑free detergent, followed by rinsing. Strong detergents should be avoided as they can cause scumming. Tiles should be pre‑dampened before applying any cleaner to prevent absorption into the tile body.

REMOVING DIFFICULT STAINS
- Abrasive cleaners, avoiding steel wool, which can leave metal particles that cause rust staining.
- Chemical cleaning using an appropriate solvent; specialist advice may be required for specific stains.
- Bleaching, where suitable, to remove the colour of the stain.
NB The use of sealers and polishers on quarry tiles can make regular cleaning more difficult.

Quarry Tile Sample Request Form