How to Date Your Fireplace by Its Tiles

The tiles on a fireplace are one of the easiest ways to date it. Tile size, shape and decoration changed with each period, so a quick look and a tape measure will usually tell you whether you have a Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco or post war fireplace. Knowing which one you have makes it much easier to order the right replacement tiles.

Start with the tile size

Measure one tile, ignoring the grout. The size alone narrows things down a lot.

4¼ x 2⅛ inch rectangles: used on hearths and tiled panels from the 1880s to the 1920s. Usually laid cross bonded like brickwork.
4 inch squares: came into common use around 1918 and stayed the most popular fireplace tile in the UK until the 1960s.
6 inch squares: the industry standard since 1945, and the size used on most decorative panels for cast iron inserts.

Our replacement fireplace tiles page shows how to measure a tile accurately, including old tiles that are still fixed in place.

Victorian fireplace tiles (1880s to 1901)

Late Victorian fireplaces are usually cast iron inserts with a tiled panel either side of the grate. The hearth in front is often laid in small rectangular tiles or patterned geometric tiles.

What to look for

Vertical tile panels either side of a cast iron insert, usually 5 tiles each side
Rich, deep colours and strong floral or stylised plant designs
Embossed and moulded tiles, as well as tubelined and transfer printed ones
Rectangular 4¼ x 2⅛ inch tiles on the hearth

Edwardian fireplace tiles (1901 to the First World War)

Edwardian fireplaces carried on with cast iron inserts and tiled side panels, but the designs became lighter and more flowing. This is the high point of tubelined Art Nouveau tiles, with sweeping stems, tulips, irises and roses.

What to look for

Tubelined designs, where a raised line of clay outlines each part of the pattern
Softer colours and more ivory or cream backgrounds
Long, flowing floral patterns that run across all 5 tiles in a panel
The “canopy on legs” style, where tile panels sit either side of a hooded insert, angled back into the chimney breast

If your fireplace fits this description, our running tile sets and tiles for cast iron fireplaces are the place to start.

Art Deco fireplace tiles (around 1918 to 1939)

Art Deco fireplaces look completely different. Instead of a cast iron insert with side panels, the whole surround is usually tiled, built up from square tiles and shaped pieces into a stepped, geometric design.

What to look for

4 inch square tiles across the whole surround
Stepped corners, stepped arches and angular shapes around the opening
Mottled and blended glazes in browns, beiges, greens and golds
Raised kerbs and fenders on the hearth made from shaped edge tiles

We are one of very few manufacturers in the UK still making tiled Art Deco fireplaces, so this is the period we know best. See our Art Deco fireplace tiles guide and the shaped pieces in opening tiles and kerb tiles.

Post war fireplace tiles (1945 to the 1960s)

After the Second World War, 6 inch tiles became the standard. Tiled fireplaces stayed popular, but designs became simpler, with plainer glazes and fewer shaped pieces. The 4 inch tile fell out of common use during the 1960s.

What to look for

6 inch square tiles, often in plain or lightly mottled colours
Simpler, flatter surrounds with less stepping
Fewer decorative panels

Browse our 6 inch tiles for this period.

Still not sure? Send us a photo

Many fireplaces have been altered, retiled or put together from parts over the years, so they do not always fit neatly into one period. If you are not sure what you have, send us a photograph of your fireplace and the size of one tile. We will identify it and tell you what will match, free of charge.

Email sales@c20fireplaces.co.uk or call 0161 429 9042. You can also order free colour samples to check a glaze against your existing tiles before you buy.