Demosaica is the trading name of Suelos Hidráulicos Demosaica S.L. (CIF B-91637041), a cement tile workshop in Seville that makes its own designs and also works with handmade Moroccan zellige, terracotta, terrazzo, marbled cement tiles, hand-painted tiles and washbasins, and handmade roof tiles. We sell to homeowners, architects, interior designers and renovation contractors throughout Spain, and we export across Europe.
What do we make in our cement tile workshop in Seville?
Cement tiles that we make ourselves and, around them, five other families of handmade products. The distinction matters: the cement tiles come off our own press; the rest are handmade pieces that we select for the catalogue.
- Cement tiles. Made in-house, with designs produced to order and part of the range available from stock: cement tile catalogue.
- Hydraulic terrazzo and marbled cement tiles. The same cold pressing with a different recipe: terrazzo has exposed marble aggregate, while marbled tiles swirl the pigments into veins.
- Zellige. Moroccan glazed clay tiles, cut and bevelled by hand, piece by piece: zellige tiles.
- Terracotta or fired clay. Unglazed clay for floors and walls, with the irregularity that comes with handmade work.
- Hand-painted tiles and washbasins. Brush-decorated collections named after Andalusian villages.
- Handmade roof tiles. Clay tiles for traditional roofs and wall copings.
How is a cement tile made?
It is pressed cold, not fired. That is the difference from a ceramic tile: a cement tile is a piece of coloured concrete that sets and cures with water, without ever going into a kiln.
- The mould and the divider. Each pattern has its own divider: a brass mould that keeps the colours apart inside the frame.
- The colour layer. The mixes of white cement, marble powder and pigment are poured by hand, cell by cell. This is the face layer, several millimetres thick.
- The backing layer. The divider is lifted out and a dry mortar is added to soak up the excess water, followed by a layer of cement and sand that gives the tile its body.
- Pressing. The hydraulic press—which gives the tile its other name, hydraulic tile—compacts the three layers into a single block in one go.
- Demoulding and setting. The tile comes out of the frame while still soft and is left to set on a board.
- Water curing. The tiles have to be immersed and left to cure for weeks before the cement reaches its final strength.
That thick colour layer is why a century-old cement tile floor still shows its pattern after grinding; we explain it in detail in how cement tiles are made, step by step. Zellige works the other way round: clay shaped by hand, dried in the sun, fired, glazed, fired again and only at the very end cut with a hammer and chisel, as you can see in the handmade zellige process.
What cement tile formats and colours do we offer?
Seventeen tile formats and four skirting pieces, with a colour chart running from MC1 to MC49. This is the table we use every day: anyone measuring up a job needs units per square metre and weight.
| Format | Ref. | Size | Weight per piece | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square | H02 | 25 × 25 × 1.8 cm | 2.30 kg | 16 pcs/m² |
| Square | H03 | 20 × 20 × 1.5 cm | 1.30 kg | 25 pcs/m² |
| Square | H04 | 15 × 15 × 1.5 cm | 0.79 kg | 45 pcs/m² |
| Square | H06 | 10 × 10 × 1.5 cm | 0.35 kg | 100 pcs/m² |
| Rectangular | H11 | 30 × 15 × 1.6 cm | 1.45 kg | 23 pcs/m² |
| Rectangular | H13 | 20 × 10 × 1.5 cm | 0.62 kg | 50 pcs/m² |
| Hexagonal | H21 | 30 × 20 × 1.7 cm | 1.62 kg | 21 pcs/m² |
| Chakar | H61 | 20 × 17 × 1.5 cm | 0.58 kg | 50 pcs/m² |
| Insert tile | H07 | 7 × 7 × 1.5 cm | 0.25 kg | 205 pcs/m² |
| Plain skirting | HR01 | 20 × 10 × 1.5 cm | 0.66 kg | 5 pcs/linear m |
The full table, including the Laghaz, Labrys and Diamante formats, is on our cement tile formats page. Note the jump in weight: a square metre of 25 × 25 cm tiles weighs around 37 kg, while one of 7 × 7 cm insert tiles is over 51 kg—worth bearing in mind on an old floor structure.
Zellige has its own table, with twenty-five formats, from the 3 × 3 cm Mjeddij—1,111 pieces per square metre—to the 30 × 10 cm Bejemat. Because each piece is cut by hand, it varies in colour, shape and size: that is not a defect, it is the nature of the material.
What do the laboratory tests on our materials show?
They show that our hydraulic terrazzo reaches slip resistance class 3 and that water absorption ranges from 6 % for terrazzo to 16.9 % for fired clay. The test reports are issued by Elabora, a laboratory listed in the Register of Testing Laboratories of the Junta de Andalucía (the Andalusian regional government) under number AND-L-155, and we publish them in full: sampling date, the director’s signature and the standard test method.
| Product | Report no. | Format tested | Key result | Reference standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cement tile | 9102 (28/05/2024) | 200 × 200 × 15 mm | Full report published | UNE-EN 1339:2004 |
| Hydraulic terrazzo | 4718 (22/03/2021) | 200 × 200 × 18 mm | Rd (PTV) 59.5: class 3. Absorption 5.9–6.2 % | UNE-EN 1339 · UNE-EN 13748-1/2 |
| Glazed zellige | 9103 (28/05/2024) | 100 × 100 × 12 mm | Absorption 15.7 %. Abrasion class 3 (750 revolutions) | UNE-EN ISO 10545 |
| Terracotta | 7539 (13/05/2022) | 150 × 50 × 15 mm | Absorption 16.9 %. Bending strength 8.7–10.3 N/mm² | UNE-EN ISO 10545 |
| Zellige 5 × 15 | 15847 | Glazed ceramic | Full report published | UNE-EN ISO 10545 |
Slip resistance: class 3 for hydraulic terrazzo
It is the only property that the Spanish Building Code (CTE) imposes on a floor finish, in its Basic Document DB-SUA 1, and the Rd value is obtained with the friction pendulum described in the Spanish standard UNE 41901:2017 EX. Our 20 × 20 cm hydraulic terrazzo reached a PTV of 59.5 in wet conditions at 20 °C (readings from 55 to 60): class 3, the top of the scale and the class the CTE requires outdoors, in swimming pools and in showers (report no. 4718). An honest caveat: the pendulum needs a test area of 124 × 76 mm, so small pieces such as the 15 × 5 cm fired clay tile have to be tested on an installed sample.
Water absorption and the standard that applies to each material
Absorption is what matters for resistance to stains and frost: water in the pores expands as it freezes and breaks the tile from the inside. Porcelain stoneware is below 0.5 %; our terrazzo is around 6 %, while zellige and fired clay exceed 15 %, which is why both are always treated with a water-repellent.
Nor are they all governed by the same standard, and mixing standards up means comparing figures that are not comparable. Cement tiles and terrazzo are concrete tiles: UNE-EN 1339 (the Spanish edition of EN 1339) and, for terrazzo, UNE-EN 13748-1/2 as well. Zellige and terracotta are ceramics: the UNE-EN ISO 10545 series and the UNE-EN 14411 classification. Asking for ceramic marking on a cement tile is a common mistake in project specifications.
You can download the reports from our laboratory tests page and quote them by number to the architect or site supervisor. Report no. 15847 covers the 5 × 15 cm zellige, in other words the 15 × 5 cm Bejemat format; if you need the test for another format or model that is not listed, write to us and we will arrange it.
Who creates Demosaica’s cement tile designs?
Four independent artists sign their own designs for Demosaica, alongside the historic patterns in the catalogue. Their names go with each design: a tile pattern has an author.
Maria Starling
She studied Art and Design and built a career as a mosaic artist in London before setting up her own studio.
Yela Álvarez Ariza
A technical architect specialising in design and interiors, with conservation and refurbishment work on distinctive spaces.
Blanca Gortari
A multifaceted artist: she paints and writes from a deep respect for her surroundings, both social and natural.
Hanna Uggla
A visual artist who works with very different materials and exhibits oils and watercolours. In her work, colours are the tones and shapes are the rhythm.
Alongside these signature designs, we take on bespoke commissions, from sketch to mould: custom tile design.
Where have our tiles been featured? Press and published projects
In Nuevo Estilo magazine, in El País, in MiCasa and in three Homify ideabooks, almost always through an interior designer’s project.
Nuevo Estilo magazine (no. 432). A feature on the house of interior designer Gaspar Sobrino, in the centre of Vejer de la Frontera (Cádiz). We made two of his designs: a chequerboard with model 100 in white (MC1) and black (MC49) for the living room, and a tile rug with model 228-B in pearl (MC41), grey (MC47) and black (MC49), plus a patchwork for one of the bathrooms.
El País. The newspaper published an article featuring one of our best-selling designs, cement tile 123-A, in black (MC49) on white (MC1): a repeating pattern with simple lines, ideal for large surfaces because it contrasts strongly without looking busy.
MiCasa magazine. In issue 219 (year XIX) they featured our model 123, one of the designs we always try to keep in stock; years earlier they had already published another feature with our samples.
Homify. Three ideabooks have used our cement tile floors as examples: small modern kitchens, ten ideas for updating your home—featuring our cement tile furniture—and the ten best bathroom tiles, with the Vejer project.
How far do our tiles travel beyond Seville?
We supply the whole of Spain and export to Europe—France, Italy, Germany, Finland—and to other countries, sometimes directly and sometimes through distributors; that is why our website is in five languages: Spanish, English, French, Italian and German. Three documented cases:
Habitare 2016 SIGNALS (Finland). With our Finnish distributor and the designer Susanna Björklund, we put together a patchwork for this trends exhibition: 20 × 20 cm stock tiles—Mod. 212 in green (MC14) and grey (MC46) and Mod. 262 in off-white (MC3) and sky blue (MC37)—combined with made-to-order 10 × 10 cm plain tiles. Mixing two formats in the same area is what gives it a contemporary feel.
Distributor in the Canary Islands. Our distributor in Tenerife fitted out its showroom with Mod. 308-A.
Amadis Fine Tiles. In 2017 we began working with this decorative ceramics company to complete our catalogue with pieces such as Brick Crackle in the Ocean shade. Check current availability with the workshop.
Can you visit the showroom in Seville?
Yes, by appointment. The workshop, shop and showroom are at the same address, and a visit is worth it for a large project: colour on a screen is not the colour you see in morning light, and with handmade products, variation in shade is part of the product.
- Address: C. Arquitectura, 5, Torre 8, Local 18, Norte, 41015 Sevilla
- Phone: +34 954 21 21 24
- Email: contacto@demosaica.com
- Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, 8:30–14:00 and 15:30–18:00; Friday, 8:30–14:30. In July and August, Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 15:00.
- Showroom visits: by appointment.
Frequently asked questions about Demosaica
Where is Demosaica’s workshop and can I visit it?
Yes, by appointment. The workshop, shop and showroom are at C. Arquitectura, 5, Torre 8, Local 18, Norte, 41015 Sevilla. We are open Monday to Thursday from 8:30 to 14:00 and from 15:30 to 18:00, on Fridays from 8:30 to 14:30, and in July and August from 8:00 to 15:00.
Do you make the cement tiles yourselves or buy them in?
Our cement tiles are made in-house: brass mould, a colour layer of white cement, marble powder and pigment, cold pressing and water curing, with no firing. Zellige is a handmade Moroccan tile, and the terracotta, the hand-painted tiles and washbasins and the roof tiles are likewise handmade pieces that do not come off our press: those we select for the catalogue.
Where can I see your cement tile catalogue?
The full catalogue is on the website, with a product page for each design, and there is a downloadable PDF for cement tiles and another for zellige. We also list part of the range as cement tiles in stock, which can be supplied without having to be made first. Check lead times and minimum orders with the workshop.
Can you reproduce the cement tile floor of an old house?
We make custom designs from a sketch, a photo or an original tile: the pattern is drawn, the brass divider is made and the colours are matched from the MC1–MC49 chart. Send us photos and, if you can, a loose tile, and we will tell you what can be reproduced and within what limits.
What is Demosaica’s relationship with Amadis Fine Tiles?
In 2017 we set up a collaboration with Amadis Fine Tiles, a maker of decorative ceramics, to offer their catalogue alongside ours, with series such as Brick Crackle. If you are looking for a specific Amadis product, write to us and we will confirm current availability.
Can I cite your test reports in a project specification?
Yes. We publish the full reports from Elabora, a laboratory registered with the Junta de Andalucía under number AND-L-155, showing the report number, sampling date and standard test method. Cite report 4718 for the terrazzo’s slip resistance class 3, or reports 9102, 9103, 7539 and 15847 depending on the material.
If you are planning a project, this is the order that works: look through the cement tile or zellige catalogue, note down two or three references and ask us for samples of just those. For lead times, minimum orders or a specific test, write to us or book an appointment to see the showroom in Seville.