GLAZE LINE & INKJET

Base colors, decorations and designs printed then overglaze added, creating ‘green’ tiles.

The Glaze Line is where the numerous colors, textures and finishes offered by Portobello America are added. The various glazes are prepared and applied in a variety of ways including dipping, spraying, waterfalling and high-definition printing.

Portobello America’s high-resolution inkjet printer utilizes a six-color CMYK process, with the capacity to expand to eight colors. A CMYK printer on a glaze line applies specialist glazes onto the tile surface, according to a design or image, with pin-point accuracy.  The printer utilizes specialized ceramic inks, which can withstand the high temperatures encountered during the firing process that follows printing.

The subsequent tiles are known as “green tiles”. This name is applied to tiles that have been shaped and formed but have not yet been bisque fired, which is the process that hardens the tile.