Glazed Hearth Tiles

Glazed hearth tiles give a fireplace the colour and depth that plain quarry tiles cannot. Most original Victorian and Edwardian hearths were glazed, so if you are restoring a period fireplace, or building one that looks the part, glazed tiles are usually the right choice.

This guide covers the traditional sizes, the colours, crazing, and when a glazed hearth is the right call.

Traditional sizes for glazed hearth tiles

Original hearths used a small number of standard formats. Matching the size to the age of the fireplace is what makes a hearth look right.

4 1/4 x 2 1/8 inch: used from around the 1880s to the 1920s, almost always laid cross bonded like brickwork
6 x 2 inch: popular for hearths from around 1900 and still common into the 1960s
4 inch square: the classic tile from around 1918, and the most popular fireplace tile in the UK until the 1960s
6 inch square: in wider use after 1945, and still the standard today
6 x 3 inch: a versatile format for cross bonded and patterned hearths

Not sure which era your fireplace is from? See our guide to fireplace tiles by period.

Glaze colours for a period hearth

Our tiles are hand dipped, so the glaze gathers and thins across each face and no two tiles are quite the same. Colours available on all tiles are Stockwell grey, Inca gold, ivory, midnight blue, cornflower blue, Victorian blue, teapot brown, Victorian brown, olive green, Victorian green, burgundy and basalt black. Bronze and primrose are available on some tiles.

Because each tile varies, we offer free colour samples so you can see a glaze in your own room before ordering.

Crazing on glazed hearth tiles

Crazing is fine cracking in the glaze. It is likely on most of our colours, because a thick glaze is needed to reproduce the very shiny Victorian finish. The cracks are in the glaze only, not the body of the tile, so it does not affect how the tile performs. On a period fireplace it is usually considered part of the look.

If you would rather avoid it, ivory, basalt black, Stockwell grey, 942 and burgundy are less likely to craze. There is more on this in our fireplace tile guide.

Glazed or quarry tiles for your hearth?

Be honest about how the hearth will be used. High gloss Victorian glazes are soft, so they scratch more easily and are best kept away from heavy wear. For a fire or stove in daily use, unglazed quarry tiles are the tougher option.

For a decorative hearth, a restoration, or a fire that is used now and then, glazed tiles give a far richer finish. Our guide to fireplace hearth tiles compares the two in more detail.

Edges and corners for a glazed hearth

A glazed hearth needs matching edge tiles so the front is smooth, not cut. Rectangular hearths use REL and RES round edge tiles, with REXh corner pairs. Square tiled hearths use RE and REX tiles. Our guide to fireplace edge tiles explains every code.

Fixing glazed hearth tiles

Our tiles are very porous, so seal the backs with diluted PVA before fixing. Use a heat resistant tile adhesive on a hearth, and test any coloured grout on a spare tile first, as some grouts can stain under the glaze. Our step by step guide on how to tile a fireplace hearth covers the full process.

Shop glazed hearth tiles

6 x 2 Inch Glazed Hearth Tile (PLN)
£3.50 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
6 x 2 Inch Hand Glazed Hearth Tile (PLN)
£4.25 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
4¼ x 2⅛ Inch Glazed Edwardian Hearth Tile (PLN)
£6.75 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
6 x 3 Inch Glazed Fireplace Tile (PLN)
£4.95 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
4 Inch Square Glazed Fireplace Tile (PLN)
£4.15 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
6 Inch Square Glazed Fireplace Tile (PLN)
£6.80 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
6 x 2 Inch Round Edge Tile (REL), Glazed
£7.90 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
6 x 2 Inch Round Edge Tile (RES), Glazed
£5.95 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
6 x 2 Inch Round Edge Corner Tiles (REXh), Glazed Pair
£18.50 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

Working out quantities? Our fireplace tile calculator counts the tiles you need, adds spares and puts them straight into your basket in the colour you choose.