A glaze is a thin, glassy layer applied to ceramic products that fuses during firing into a smooth, watertight and decorative coating. It consists of a mixture of quartz, fluxes and metal oxides for colour.
Application
In construction, glaze appears on various ceramic building materials:
- Roof tiles — glazed tiles have a smooth, colour-fast and dirt-repellent top surface; water runs off faster.
- Wall and floor tiles — the glaze makes tiles watertight, wear-resistant and easy to clean.
- Glazed brick — for decorative facades and plinths.
- Sanitaryware — the white glaze on ceramic sanitary fittings.
The glaze is applied to the ceramic body after shaping and fired at high temperature so it bonds to the body. Colour comes from metal oxides: iron gives brown/red, cobalt blue, copper green. Besides aesthetics, glaze protects the body against moisture and soiling.
Related terms
- Roof tile
- Brick
- Ceramics
- Engobe
- Tile
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