A tiling or tesserae of a solid surface is usually the smooth covering of an unbroken plane with one or more curved shapes, known as tiles, having no spaces and no overlaps; hence, tiling is also known as tessera. In engineering, tiling is a type of plastering that is applied to smooth over an area having seams. A tiling which lacks a regular repeating pattern is known as “periodic.” Periodic tiling has a repeating, complex design, but it is comparatively difficult to use because it involves several processes such as raising and lowering the tile at different locations, or using machinery for tiling.
The term tiling can also be used to describe the application of wallpaper, and in this context it is usually applied to cover walls and floors. The word “tiling” has its primary derive from the Latin verb tunis, meaning “to cover.” This practice of tiling is traceable back to ancient Rome. Roman walling was decorated with decorations of tiles, on which pottery and paintings were based.
Tiling is mainly used in interior and exterior decorating, but it is sometimes used in structures where there are space problems. It has become very widespread and easy to install, even in commercial structures, because it has become much cheaper in recent years. Tile can be made from a wide range of materials, including glass, ceramic, terracotta, wood, stone, quartzite, bone, ivory, fiberglass, granite, marble, and porcelain. The most common materials used for tiling are ceramic, wood, stone, glass, and concrete. A special type of tiling, honeycomb tiling, has been developed which is very strong and durable, and has excellent water resistance.