Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)/Tile

TILE, a kind of thin brick, principally employed for covering the roofs of houses; though it is sometimes used for paving cellars, kitchens, areas, &c.

Tiles are divided into various sorts, according to the purposes to which they are applied. Thus, Plain tiles are chiefly used for covering houses; and, by the 17 Edw. IV. c. 4, they ought to be 10 1/2 inches in length, 6 1/2 in breadth, and 5-8ths of an inch in thickness.—Ridge-tiles are of a semi-cylindrical form, and, by the statute, must be 13 inches in length, and also 6 1/2 inches in breadth: they are chiefly laid on the ridges of houses.—Corner-tiles are first made flat, in the manner of plain tiles, excepting that they are quadrangular; the two sides forming right lines; and their ends, arches of circles: previously to burning, they are bent on a mould, like ridge-tiles; and ought to be 10 1/2 inches in length, and of a convenient size, being generally placed on the corners of roofs.

There are many other sorts, known under the names of Dutch, or Flanders, crooked, pan-tiles, &c.: but as only those first-mentioned are at present employed for cleaning knives, &c. we shall merely add, that on importation, they pay a duty of 15s. 5d. per thousand.

Lastly, the manner of working the clay, and burning the tiles, being nearly similar to that followed in the manufadture of Bricks, we refer the reader to vol. i, pp. 348-49.