What Is Zellige Tile? History, Uses and How to Choose

Zellige tile is handmade Moroccan tile, in a tradition some eight hundred years old. Each piece is shaped from natural clay, glazed by hand and fired in a kiln, and no two leave the fire alike: color, shape and thickness all vary, down to the occasional chip or pit. That variation is not a flaw to be managed. It is the material, and the reason a zellige wall never looks quite the same twice in one day.

A short history

Zellige took its mature form in medieval Morocco, with Fez as its great center, and traveled across the western Mediterranean as far as Andalusia. Its geometry came to define the walls, floors and fountains of palaces, mosques, madrasas and riads.

The method has changed remarkably little. Clay is soaked, kneaded and shaped, dried in the sun, then glazed and fired. For mosaic work, a craftsman then cuts each fired piece to its final shape by hand, and the pieces are fitted together, one by one, into pattern. It is this last step, more than any other, that separates zellige from decorative ceramics made by mold or machine. The craft is still passed from master to apprentice in Moroccan workshops.

Where zellige works

Zellige is suited to walls, floors and wet areas throughout the home, including floors laid over radiant heat. Two rules hold wherever it goes: blend tiles from every box before setting, and follow Zia's zellige installation guide for grout and sealing.

Kitchens. A backsplash behind the range or sink is zellige's most familiar role. Casablanca and Pure White hold their whiteness against pale or warm cabinetry; Amber and Burnt Sugar bring warmth to wood and brass. Under pendants and cabinet lighting, the glaze catches each fixture and carries its light across the wall.

Bathrooms and showers. Glazed zellige is suited to shower walls and floors. Amber and Burnt Sugar warm a white bathroom. Racing Green and Night Blue take it somewhere deeper.

Pools and spas. Glazed zellige belongs at the edge of the water: the waterline band of a pool, the surround of a spa. Aegean, Tidepool and Jade are natural companions for it. Keep Unglazed Natural away from pools altogether.

Fireplaces. Zellige belongs on the surround, not inside the firebox. Sumac, Cayenne and Rouge bring warmth to it; Casablanca and Brownstone keep it quieter and more architectural.

Exteriors. Outdoors, zellige belongs only in climates without freeze-thaw cycles. In open sun the glaze becomes a kind of sundial: cool in the morning, brilliant at noon, warm toward evening. Choose for the whole arc of the day, not a single hour of it. Saturated colorways hold their depth outdoors; Casablanca and Glazed Earth suit facades that call for restraint.

How to choose

Choosing zellige comes down to three decisions — finish, format and color — and light runs through all three.

Light. Zellige glaze is unusually sensitive to light. Morning sun, soft afternoon light and a task lamp each draw out a different surface: diffuse light quiets the movement in the glaze, while direct light exaggerates it. The only reliable test is the room itself (more on samples below).

Finish. Every colorway in the collection is glazed except Unglazed Natural, which has a matte, clay-forward surface with the same variation in shape and thickness but none of the sheen. The finish also sets the installation. Glazed tile is grouted, then sealed wherever it stays continuously wet; Unglazed Natural is sealed before grouting and finished with a protective wax. Each takes its own grout, and the installation guide has the full steps.

Format. Squares come in 2x2 and 4x4. A 2x2 field is denser, so the variation reads across many tiles at once; a 4x4 gives each tile more room, so individual shifts in tone become legible. The 2x6 bejmat, the traditional floor format, sets up strong horizontal or vertical movement, with the rhythm of a stretched subway tile. Hexagons and trapezoids extend the range, and mesh-mounted sheets arrive pre-set: 2x2 checkerboards and the geometric Atlas, Souk and Xylem mosaics.

On walls, zellige is traditionally set edge to edge, or with a joint of about 1/16 inch. On floors, a joint of at least 1/8 inch is recommended for slip resistance; a wider joint or an anti-slip treatment adds more.

Color. The solid colorways fall into seven families:

• Warm whites and neutrals: Casablanca, Pure White, Glazed Earth, Unglazed Natural
• Pinks and earth reds: Desert Bloom, Pietro Pink, Nana's Lipstick, Terra Rosa, Cayenne, Rouge, Sumac
• Yellows, ambers and browns: Cadmium, Amber, Burnt Sugar, Brownstone
• Greens: Za'atar, Savanna, Prairie Green, Tidepool, Jade, Avocado, Racing Green, Absinthe, Tulum
• Blues: Skylight, Portuguese Blue, Aegean, Moroccan Blue, Night Blue, Glacier Blue, Maya Blue, Superior Blue
• Purples: Plum, Purple Iris
• Greys and black: Zinc, Slate Grey, Graphite Grey, Carbon Black

How each one reads in a room is the subject of our zellige color guide.

Ordering and installation

The variation in zellige is high by design, and the best installations plan for it. Blend tiles from every box and lay them out across the area before setting, so that color and thickness spread evenly and everyone agrees on the layout before anything is fixed. An installer who knows handmade zellige will allow for its range of thickness in the setting bed and grout.

Order at least 15% beyond the measured area, for cuts and for curating the range during layout; for a more uniform result, 20 to 25%. Special-order colorways take 13 to 17 weeks to produce and can't be changed once in production — one more reason to order the full quantity at once.

Wear a dust mask and eye protection when working with thin-set, sealants and grout, and see Zia's Proposition 65 warnings for full guidance.

Start with samples

No screen can show what zellige does in a room. Order samples, set them against the wall under the room's own light, and look at them at the hour the room is used most. That is where a colorway shows whether it holds its tone or moves more than you expected.

Browse the zellige collection, or contact the Zia team for samples, trade pricing or project advice at info@ziatile.com or 310-844-1170.

Frequently Asked Questions About Zellige Tile

Can zellige be used on floors?

Yes. Zellige is suited to interior floors, including over radiant heat, and the 2x6 bejmat is the traditional floor format. Allow a grout joint of at least 1/8 inch for slip resistance, and consider an anti-slip treatment after installation, particularly in wet areas.

Can zellige be used in a pool?

Yes. Glazed zellige suits the waterline band of a pool and the surround of a spa, as well as showers and baths. Use a waterproof substrate and adhesive and grout rated for wet areas, and seal after grouting. Keep Unglazed Natural away from pools altogether.

Does zellige need to be sealed?

It depends on the finish. Glazed zellige is sealed after grouting wherever it stays continuously wet, as in showers and pools. Unglazed Natural is always sealed, before grouting, and then finished with a protective wax. Full steps and product recommendations are in Zia's zellige installation guide.

What makes zellige different from other tile?

It is made entirely by hand, and it shows: every tile differs a little in color, shape and thickness, with the occasional chip or pit as a mark of the hand. Its glazes shift in tone as the light changes. The method, hand-shaped clay glazed by hand and fired in a kiln, has changed little in some eight hundred years.