Terracotta tiles are baked clay, and their warm orange and red tones suit Cape farmhouses, Tuscan style homes, stoeps and kitchens. They are porous and rustic, with colour that varies from tile to tile, so they need sealing and a little care. They come as squares, rectangles and hexagons, in handmade and machine-made versions. Tell us the area, the shape and the finish, and tile suppliers and tilers near you quote directly. It is free and there is no obligation to accept.
Handmade or machine-made
Handmade terracotta is moulded and sun-dried or kiln-fired in small batches. Edges are soft, thickness varies, and the colour ranges from pale pink to deep brown with the odd paw print or mark, which is part of the charm. It needs wider joints of 8 to 12 mm and an adhesive bed that takes up the thickness differences.
Machine-made terracotta is pressed and fired to a consistent size, so it lays with narrower joints and a more even finish, and it is usually cheaper. Squares of 200 x 200 and 300 x 300 and hexagons of around 200 mm across are the common shapes. Hexagons look distinctive but need more cutting at the walls, so ask for 10 to 15% extra. If you want the look without the upkeep, porcelain terracotta-look tiles copy the colour and are far less porous.
Porosity, sealing and efflorescence
Raw terracotta soaks up water and grease like a sponge, so the finish matters:
- Seal before grouting with a penetrating sealer, so the grout does not stain the clay.
- Many owners then finish with boiled linseed oil or a wax for a rich, slightly glossy look, while others prefer a modern water-based sealer that keeps the natural colour.
- Reseal when water stops beading, usually every couple of years in a kitchen.
Efflorescence is the white powdery bloom that appears when salts in the screed or adhesive are drawn up through damp tiles. It usually fades once the floor has dried out fully and can be brushed off dry. Do not seal the tiles until the base has dried, or the salts get trapped. See tile cleaning and sealing.
Stoeps, frost and outdoor use
Terracotta is popular on stoeps because it looks right next to whitewashed walls and keeps cooler than darker finishes. However, ordinary terracotta absorbs water, and on the Highveld a frost can make trapped water expand and flake the face. Outdoors, choose tiles marked as frost-resistant and fired at a higher temperature, lay them on a firm falls-to-drain base, and seal them. In the Cape the main problem is moss and damp in shaded corners, which a sealer and regular sweeping help with.
Indoors, test the floor for flatness, because irregular handmade tiles make lippage worse over an uneven screed. See outdoor tiles for slip ratings and falls.
What terracotta costs
A rough 2026 guide is R250 to R900 per m² for the tiles, with handmade and hexagon tiles at the top of that range. Laying costs R180 to R400 per m² because of the cutting, wider joints and sealing. Ask each quote to include the sealer, the grout colour and the number of coats, and check how many extra tiles are allowed for cuts and breakage.
What to include in your request
- Squares, rectangles or hexagons
- Handmade or machine-made clay
- Indoors, or on a stoep or patio
- Sealing, oil or wax finish wanted
- Area in m², your suburb and the date
Terracotta Tiles for different projects
- Homeowners renovating: a Cape style kitchen floor, a sunroom or a warm stoep off the lounge
- New builds and extensions: terracotta ordered in one batch for farmhouse style houses and outdoor rooms
- Landlords and body corporates: usually avoided indoors because of sealing, but fine for covered stoeps
- Guesthouses, hotels and restaurants: terracotta for guesthouse courtyards, restaurant floors and lodge verandas
- Shops, offices and showrooms: feature floors in farm stalls, delis and coffee shops with a rustic look
- Schools, clinics and public buildings: rarely used in clinics or schools because of porosity and cleaning needs
- Workshops, warehouses and gyms: not usually chosen, since oil and heavy traffic stain porous clay
- Patios, stoeps and pool areas: frost-rated terracotta for stoeps, courtyards and braai areas, sealed and sloped
Frequently asked questions
Do terracotta tiles need to be sealed?
Why do my terracotta tiles have white marks?
Can I use terracotta tiles outside in a frost area?
Why are handmade tiles different sizes?
Terracotta Tiles by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg