{"id":20465,"date":"2025-06-03T13:13:58","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T11:13:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/klay.co.za\/?p=20465"},"modified":"2026-10-01T13:09:50","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T11:09:50","slug":"down-to-earth-why-natural-terracotta-still-stands-the-test-of-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klay.co.za\/staging\/down-to-earth-why-natural-terracotta-still-stands-the-test-of-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Down to Earth: Why Natural Terracotta Still Stands the Test of Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Terracotta \u2013 \u201cfired earth\u201d \u2013 is a 100% natural product that will last hundreds of years without fading or cracking. Made entirely from natural clay, it offers durability, warmth, and timeless appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is Terracotta?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Terracotta is one of the oldest building materials in the world. Ancient civilisations realised over time that when clay is exposed to fire or high temperatures it transforms into something much more resilient: a hard, long-lasting and waterproof material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clay is a natural deposit formed over many years, and the Western Cape has extensive deposits of clay. Klay quarries all of their own clay on their properties near Stellenbosch and Malmesbury, ensuring careful rehabilitation once the process is done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Clay Wins: Beauty That\u2019s Baked In<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When fired correctly, clay becomes an incredibly strong and water-resistant material known as terracotta. True terracotta won\u2019t fade or lose its character over time. It\u2019s a material that grows more beautiful with age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its charm also lies in its natural variation. No two pieces are exactly the same, subtle shifts in tone and texture give it a rich, organic feel that\u2019s hard to replicate. Laid across an entire floor or wall, it creates a surface that\u2019s visually interesting without ever feeling forced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From Mud To Marvel: How Terracotta Is Made<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The basic technique has been around thousands of years. Modern technology has just been introduced to refine it, ensuring consistency and quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Mining & preparation:<\/em> After the clay has been mined, it\u2019s broken up into the correct particle size.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Extruding & cutting:<\/em> Once the desired consistency is reached, the clay is extruded through a die (imagine a giant pasta maker), shaped into tiles, blocks or bricks, and cut to size.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Drying & firing:<\/em> Pieces are dried both naturally and mechanically, then fired at over 1000\u00b0C in modern kilns. The firing process takes about 24 hours, carefully managing the quartz inversion at 573\u00b0C to avoid defects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Checking & packing:<\/em> Once cooled to room temperature, each product is hand checked and packed for distribution. Our age-old process is very labour intensive: each product is touched by human hands at least four times before it leaves Klay\u2019s factory.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cWe are all about using modern technology to perfect an ancient technique,\u201d explains Klay\u2019s CEO, Julian de le Hunt. \u201cYou get a product that\u2019s visually interesting, but you don\u2019t have to worry about your table wobbling on a bumpy tile.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Hue Knew? Terracotta Comes in More Than One Colour<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    You may be familiar with terracotta\u2019s traditional reddish, orange colour that comes from using clay with a high iron content, but you can also explore two more natural shades at Klay:<\/p>\n\n\n\n