Country Article / Postcards
The Best Handmade Tiles in Nicaragua
Date: 01/08/2006
Monday, Jan. 9, 2006
Managua, Nicaragua
Dear International Living Reader,
Shortly before 9 a.m., and the work day is almost over for the 100 or so folks in the little pueblito of La Paz Centro (the Center of Peace). Many of the workers start before 2 a.m., to finish before the sun becomes too hot. This is where you'll find Acabados Rusticos, home to the best tiles in Nicaragua, handmade by local craftsmen.
La Paz Centro is perfectly located for tile and brick manufacture: The clays here contain exactly the right amount of flux and oxides; the sands are high in silica content and are salt free; the water contains the correct proportions of minerals (such as calcium).
Owner Jacobo Arguello recognizes the special gift Mother Nature has presented to him, and he reciprocates by using renewable resources for his kilns. To date, he's planted more than 250,000 eucalyptus trees on his nearby cattle ranch, as fuel to fire the kilns. The oils from the eucalyptus create an extremely hot fire that produces flashings of grey, purple, and black into the tiles, adding character and warmth. On top of that, his entire production is "carbon neutral."
Jacobo exports, on average, 16 large containers a month to the United States, about half his production. The balance is for use in Nicaragua, elsewhere in Central America, and a few Caribbean clients.
If you're in the market for ceramics for your home in Nicaragua (roof tiles, floor tiles, or decorative tiles), check out Jacobo's website: http://www.terracottatile.com/
Mike Cobb
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