MAKE YOUR OWN TILES

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In the late afternoon, lay your tiles flat across the uppermost logs, get a good fire going, close up the stove, and let it roar. The tiles will heat gradually and then—as the fire burns on—become red hot. When the wood is burnt, bury the tiles in the bed of coals and load the stove again. Let it bum overnight, and—in the morning—rake out the tiles before you build the day's first fire.

But suppose the weather is sweltering, or you've just made 750 of the world's most beautiful tiles and want to fire them all at once? Either of these situations would call for the open pit firing method.

First, check the fire regulations in your area. If there's no burning ban, dig a hole—away from trees or dwellings—about two feet deep and two to three feet across. (Be sure to clear all dry grass and brush away from the fire site.) Now, go out and gather enough sticks to produce a big pile ... about eight feet long, three feet wide, and three to high. line the hole with dry grass and a few sticks, and spread tiles over this material. Make another layer of grass and sticks, and then another layer of tiles (it's kinda like assembling lasagna). When you've put in the last layer of tiles, cover the excavation with sticks.

Light one edge of the resulting woodpile, and let the fire work its way to the center. When the heap of sticks on top of the hole has begun to burn down, add another handful, let it burst into flame and bum down a bit, and then add more fuel. Continue until you've used up your wood.

(Needless to say, water—either in containers or from a readily turned—on hoseshould be on hand in case the fire gets out of bounds. Do be careful!)

Let the coals cool down overnight, then gently scoop out the ashes and remove the tiles. Beautiful, aren't they.

LAY THE TILES

Your homemade tiles can be used in any application where store-bought "ceramics" would normally be called for. To fasten them to walls or floors, purchase some grout at your local hardware store and follow the directions on the can. For outdoor use, lay them in a bed of sand.

You may coat the tiles with a sealer if you wish (otherwise, they'll be porous ... like red bricks), wax them, or leave them natural. After you've gained some experience in tilemaking, you may want to plan your designs on paper first, and even make tiles of specific sizes for certain areas.

Finally, after your counter is tiled or your outdoor dining area paved, you can sit back and admire your work ... and—better yet—gloat over all the compliments your homemade tiles will get!

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