Structural clay tile

Structural clay tile describes a category of burned-clay building materials used to construct the walls of buildings and in structural fireproofing. Also called building tile, structural terra cotta, hollow tile, and clay block, the material is an extruded clay shape with substantial depth that allows it to be laid in the same manner as other clay or concrete masonry. In North America it was chiefly used during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and continues to be used in Europe to build fire-resistant walls and partitions. While most such units were intended to be covered with plaster or a similar finish material, structural glazed facing tiles (SGFT) have a glazed finish on one or more sides and are used as finish materials. In North America the material has largely been replaced by concrete masonry units.