Contents
- History of Lineage Tile
- Patina
- Design
- Components
- Finishes and Color
- Use
- Installation
- Maintanence and Cleaning
- Technical
- Flux Studios
History
of Lineage Tile
Bronze and stainless steel have been used throughout
history in applications ranging from toolmaking and utility to fine
sculpture. This speaks not only of their strength and durability
but also of their beauty. Stainless steel and bronze become more
beautiful with the passing of time, gaining depth and substance
with age and use. Lineage tiles are solid stainless steel and bronze
through and through, not a thin layer of metal over a lesser material.
They have a living finish, with no coatings or chemical patinas
applied over the metal. The surface of Lineage tiles has actually
been designed to mature with wear and to use the scratches and abrasions
that occur with everyday use to its advantage.
Our designs reflect the nature of these materials.
We chose to make each tile a complete object, with the design and
material being one and inseparable. We prefer to think of our tiles
as small sculptures, each one a unique and complete object to be
valued on its own.
While employing modern techniques to create Lineage
tiles, we keep our designs and processes rooted in a strong sense
of history. The inspiration for Lineage came largely from intaglio
printmaking methods involving copper plates dating back to the 16th
century. Each Lineage tile is individually tooled, cut and polished
by hand.
Patina
Bronze
Metals develop a patina over time. Technically
the process is called oxidation because the surface of the metal
is responding to oxygen in air or water. Bronze will change over
time developing a beautiful rich patina. Under most conditions it
progresses from a light brown to a deep brown color. (If left outdoors
or in a continuously wet environment, eventually an opaque verdigris
will develop.) During the first few days after our tiles are installed
they will begin to darken and over the next months and years will
develop into a deep brown color. To even-out and slow the natural
patina process on Lineage bronze tiles, a light coat of paste or
conservators wax can be applied after the tiles are installed. We
think our bronze tiles look best with a natural patina. However
if a client does not want their tiles to patina at all they can
be sealed after installation with a clear lacquer or epoxy depending
on whether they are in a wet or dry location. (We can recommend
a suitable product.)
Stainless Steel
Our stainless steel tiles are incredibly resistant
to oxidation and corrosion. They are made using the highest quality
stainless steel available. It is the same type of stainless steel
that was used for the St Louis Archway and is required for commercial
use in restaurants. Even outdoors and in showers and fountains our
stainless steel tiles should not change significantly.
Design
Several issues were fundamental in developing our
design process for Lineage.
These included:
• understanding the ways in which the
metals change with use and time.
• discovering processes that bring out the natural qualities
of these materials and ensure their graceful maturation.
• determining how the tiles carry visually from a distance
and coordinate with other elements in the environment to provide
the most aesthetically pleasing experience.
These important issues have guided the process
of our design selection. Our designs have been honed from hundreds
of drawings, paintings and prototypes so that the line is wide enough
to please virtually every customer, yet small enough to prompt satisfied
decisions while avoiding confusion.
Lineage tiles combine beautifully with ceramic tile, stone, glass
and other materials, or may be used alone in varying combinations
to create a huge design vocabulary for you and your clients. Lineage
has the rare ability to combine perfectly with modern and traditional
materials alike. Our stainless steel and bronze tiles look equally
at home with metal and glass as with stone and wood.
In addition, Lineage is uniquely suited to coordinate
with bath and kitchen fixtures. Our borders and insets can continue
the tone of nickel, bronze, copper or stainless steel appliances
and fixtures throughout a room. There are few other materials that
can create such a harmonious counterpoint. Our insets and blanks
can likewise be combined to create a beautiful complimentary backsplash
or focal point.
Components
Insets
There are two different types of Lineage insets:
• Insets designed to be used with either
our blank tiles or other tiles, stone and mosaics. These insets
are available in 3x3 inch, 1¼x1¼ inch, and 5/8x5/8
inch sizes.
• Insets designed to be used specifically in combination
with our blank tiles. These are available in 1½x3 inch
and 1½x4½ inch sizes. (These insets combine with
our other 3 inch and 1½ inch blank tiles to create unlimited
random and repeating patterns.)
Liners
There are two different types of Lineage liners, both available
in 12 inch lengths:
• Thin Liners, which are 5/8 inch wide
and 1/8 inch thick.
• Molding Liners, which are available in three different
shapes:
Wedge Molding
Crown Molding
Half-Round/Cove Molding
Blanks
For each of the insets and 5/8 inch liners there is a corresponding
tile size. Also available are 3 inch triangles which are essentially
our 3x3 inch blanks cut diagonally in half.
All Lineage tiles with the exception of the Molding
Liners are 1/8 inch thick.
Finishes
and Color
Lineage tiles are available in two “colors”
which are actually two solid metals: stainless steel and bronze.
All designs are available in both metals. There are no coatings,
chemical patinas, or finishes applied over the surface of our tiles.
Variation
Our tiles are cut and tooled by hand and undergo
several finishing steps. These techniques purposefully encourage
variation and create tiles that are refined yet somewhat rustic.
These processes ensure that no two Lineage tiles are exactly alike.
Our 3 inch and 1¼ inch “Jasper” designs are composed
of over 50 different circular patterns, so there are many slightly
different designs within each size. Although we hand polish our
tiles before they leave our studio, our bronze tiles are constantly
darkening and developing a patina. When they are unpacked at the
job site some may be slightly darker than others. (During installation,
the polishing action of
grouting the tiles will reduce this variation.) With the exception
of our 1¼x1¼ inch and 5/8x5/8 inch tiles, the size
of our tiles may vary up to 1/8 inch.
Use
Lineage tiles can be used in virtually any application:
wet and dry, indoors and out, in walls and floors, countertops and
fireplaces, pools and fountains and even the most high traffic areas.
Scratches
Unlike most polished metal finishes and stainless steel finishes
that have a grain, where even the smallest scratch can blemish the
surface, the surface of our tiles is engineered with wear in mind.
Small scratches and use should only increase the beauty of Lineage
tiles. (That said, if our tiles are scraped with a knife or very
sharp, hard object, they can be damaged.)
Wet and Outdoors
Our tiles can be used in any wet or outdoor application.
Bronze: When our bronze tiles are used outdoors
or in constantly wet applications they will develop a deep patina.
If left exposed to the elements or water, over the course of years
the patina will ultimately develop from a deep brown into an opaque
verdigris. (If used under constantly running water like a fountain,
the patina may run.) When used in a shower, occasional cleaning
will keep the bronze tiles bright indefinitely.
Stainless Steel: Other than a slight darkening
our stainless steel tiles will not
change significantly outdoors or in wet applications.
Floors
Lineage Stainless Steel and Bronze tiles are incredibly durable
and will stand up indefinitely in even the most high traffic floors.
Bronze: When our bronze tiles are used in a floor,
footsteps will polish the surface
of the tiles while the recesses of the designs will develop a patina
and darken, bringing
out a striking contrast. Bright pathways appear in high traffic
floors as the tiles that are walked on the most become polished
by footsteps while tiles outside traffic areas become darker
with age.
Stainless Steel: When our stainless steel tiles
are used in a floor they will polish
slightly with footsteps but will not develop a noticeable patina.
Installation
Installing Lineage tiles is very much like installing
any other tile or stone. For general installation practices we recommend
the guidelines set by the Tile Council of America. The following
is information specific to our tiles.
Cutting
You can cut Lineage tiles with any saw suitable for cutting metal.
Abrasive cutoff blades are available at most hardware stores for
use with circular saws and grinders. You can also use a hacksaw
if you have just a few cuts to make. Note: When setting our molding
liners fill the back of the tile with mortar. “Like peanut
butter on celery”.
Adhesive
Lineage tiles can be installed with latex modified thin set mortar
or epoxy based mortar. (For wet and high traffic applications we
recommend epoxy based mortar.) NOTE: It is very important to “rough
up” the backs of our tiles with coarse sandpaper or emery
cloth to ensure a good adhesive bond.
Grout
Sanded or unsanded grout may be used. (For wet or high traffic applications
we recommend
epoxy based grout.) When installing our bronze tiles, the polishing
action of grouting shines the surface and reduces any variation
between tiles.
For a quality installation, be sure all grout residue is cleaned
from the recesses of the tiles.
Sealing
Sealing Lineage tiles is not necessary. When using a sealer on surrounding
material do not let the sealer pool on our bronze tiles for extended
periods of time as a patina may develop.
Maintenance
and Cleaning
No special maintenance is required for Lineage
tiles. You can clean our tiles with any common household cleansers.
However, if our bronze tiles have developed a desirable patina be
aware that abrasive or acid based cleansers may strip or alter the
patina.
Bringing back the brightness of Lineage tiles
Bronze: You can bring back the original brightness
and color of our bronze tiles at any time by cleaning them with
a mild abrasive cleanser like Comet. You can also use brass polish.
Stainless Steel: Our stainless steel tiles darken
slightly but should not change significantly with time. They can
be brightened by cleaning them with a mild abrasive cleanser like
Comet.
You can also polish the surface of our tiles with
1,500 grit wet/dry sandpaper to shine just the surface of the tiles.
(In the case of our bronze tiles that have developed a patina, this
will have the effect of bringing out a striking contrast in the
relief of the design.)
Technical
Bronze: Hardness 58B, Tensile 50,000 PSI, Yield
47,000 PSI
Stainless Steel: Hardness 80B, Tensile 42,000 PSI, Yield 84,000
PSI
All measurements are subject to variation per tile.
Both our stainless steel and bronze
tiles contain no lead.
Static Coefficient of Friction
• A Chatillon DFIS 100 digital force gauge
was used to measure pull in poundsforce.
• A 3x3x1/8 inch piece of Neolite was used as the sensor
• Internal calibration used in lieu of dry calibration factor
Bronze: Dry: .89 Wet: .82
Stainless Steel: Dry: .95 Wet: .70
All results apply to Lineage blank 3x3 inch tiles.
The surface of our patterned tiles will of course be less slippery
depending on the pattern of the design.
Flux
Studios
Lineage tiles are made solely in Chicago, Illinois
by Flux Studios, Inc. As one of the original steel and metal manufacturing
hubs in the United States, with its history of metal milling, innovation
and distribution, our location on Chicago’s north side seems
most appropriate. We feel right at home.
Flux Studios is comprised of a talented mix of
artists and tradespeople with decades of combined experience in
metal craft and the decorative arts. Flux Studios was founded in
2002 by Darrin Hallowell. Before starting Flux Studios Darrin worked
in the tile business for nearly ten years. He was one of the designers
who developed and marketed Foundry Art and Bronzework Studio, two
of the country’s leading lines of bronze tiles. In addition,
Darrin teaches metal sculpture and his sculpture, prints and installation
work are represented nationally and can be seen in public and private
collections around the country. |
