I have a question, Can I use the ceramic tiles that we rare usually use in floors instead of the baking stones? does it make any harm? what if covered with wax paper?
I know there's some concern on the board regarding the use of unglazed quarry tiles for baking, but that's what I recommend. Be sure they are unglazed, and to be safe, you may want to contact the company that makes the tires to see what's in them (I know some have mentioned that there might be lead in the tiles).
In any case, I would advise using parchment rather than wax paper, as the wax paper would likely not survive the heat necessary for the tiles to be useful. Waxy bread is not tasty...
I would check with the manufacturer to confirm the tiles are food safe and glaze free. I would also want to know the name of the country where they were produced.
If you have the box containing the tiles, read the cautionary details printed on the side of the box. At one time I was about to purchase a box of unglazed clay tile for use in my oven, but the warnings about carcinogens imprinted on the box changed my mind.
Wax paper can be used in baking only if the ingredients completely cover the wax paper (i.e. bottom of a cake pan which is filled with batter). Exposed wax paper will smoke and possibly burn in a hot oven. There should be some information about temperature on the side of the container.
I used these in alaska for years. Pretty cool if this is all you have. And you can cover a larger space than a baking stone. My tiles were thin and they did crack eaisly. After a month or so of regular baking some would crack. I eaisly replaced them but then others would crack. They couldn't take the heat. Every other baking one would be replaced.
The baking stone I have now I bought from BRM and it has been gooing good for many years without a hint of crack or craze. Much water has been dropped, dripped, sprayed on it. It has been worth it. I would never use tiles again.
I am also using unglazed quarry tiles from Home Depot, but I really had a hard time finding them in Columbus, Ohio. Not one retailer in Columbus stocks them, and only a few will special order them (for an exorbitant price, may I add). I had no better luck with wholesalers.
Nobody at any of our local Home Depots or Lowes flooring departments admitted to ever carrying them. Fortunately, I stumbled over a pallet of red unglazed quarry tiles in the clearance section of the the Contractors' section of one Home Depot. I was able to purchase 2 cases for a little over $3.00 per case, so I now have enough tiles to last for years! Funny how tiles the store never carried ended up on clearance!
These tiles are great. They are 1/2 inch thick, and have no problem being spritzed and splashed with water at 550 F. I lined both racks of my gas oven and leave them there all of the time. My oven now bakes with no hotspots, and the temperature stays very consistent throughout the baking cycle (according to my oven thermometer).
I couldn't afford a really good baking stone, and am delighted with the performance of my extremely cheap, albeit hard to find, unglazed quarry tiles.
How lucky for you. Now I am jealous. The ones I had were so thin the tears I shed were thicker. I have looked at home depot and lowes for years and never saw them and no one had ever seen them. They probably never went out on the floor. Maybe a special order. Your luck. Cooking from the bottom and the top everything has to bake wonderful.
Now I wonder why they don't make racks for the oven one solid baking stone. I would have paid extra. Maybe someday.
I bought three black granite tiles from a local tile store. A friend with a tile saw cut one in two. Now I bake on two racks with l-l/2 granite tiles on each. My baking surface on each is approx. l2x18" for an approx. $30 investment. The shiny side of granite is just polished rock. These are sturdy, can take the heat, and give me plenty of baking surface.
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I know there's some concern
I know there's some concern on the board regarding the use of unglazed quarry tiles for baking, but that's what I recommend. Be sure they are unglazed, and to be safe, you may want to contact the company that makes the tires to see what's in them (I know some have mentioned that there might be lead in the tiles).
In any case, I would advise using parchment rather than wax paper, as the wax paper would likely not survive the heat necessary for the tiles to be useful. Waxy bread is not tasty...
Check with the manufacturer
I would check with the manufacturer to confirm the tiles are food safe and glaze free. I would also want to know the name of the country where they were produced.
If you have the box containing the tiles, read the cautionary details printed on the side of the box. At one time I was about to purchase a box of unglazed clay tile for use in my oven, but the warnings about carcinogens imprinted on the box changed my mind.
Wax paper can be used in baking only if the ingredients completely cover the wax paper (i.e. bottom of a cake pan which is filled with batter). Exposed wax paper will smoke and possibly burn in a hot oven. There should be some information about temperature on the side of the container.
Look up Dal Tile
I have talked to their manufacturer and theirs are safe. I got a case of 4" ones for $20. Iwould line like 6 ovens.
Unglazed quarry tiles
I used these in alaska for years. Pretty cool if this is all you have. And you can cover a larger space than a baking stone. My tiles were thin and they did crack eaisly. After a month or so of regular baking some would crack. I eaisly replaced them but then others would crack. They couldn't take the heat. Every other baking one would be replaced.
The baking stone I have now I bought from BRM and it has been gooing good for many years without a hint of crack or craze. Much water has been dropped, dripped, sprayed on it. It has been worth it. I would never use tiles again.
Have fun. I did.
Mariah
unglazed quarry tiles
Here's a little slideshow of my tiles in action
I got them at home depot real cheap several years ago, no breakage yet
I would strongly recomend them
http://home.comcast.net/~204mike/pizza.html
jeff
Home Depot
I am also using unglazed quarry tiles from Home Depot, but I really had a hard time finding them in Columbus, Ohio. Not one retailer in Columbus stocks them, and only a few will special order them (for an exorbitant price, may I add). I had no better luck with wholesalers.
Nobody at any of our local Home Depots or Lowes flooring departments admitted to ever carrying them. Fortunately, I stumbled over a pallet of red unglazed quarry tiles in the clearance section of the the Contractors' section of one Home Depot. I was able to purchase 2 cases for a little over $3.00 per case, so I now have enough tiles to last for years! Funny how tiles the store never carried ended up on clearance!
These tiles are great. They are 1/2 inch thick, and have no problem being spritzed and splashed with water at 550 F. I lined both racks of my gas oven and leave them there all of the time. My oven now bakes with no hotspots, and the temperature stays very consistent throughout the baking cycle (according to my oven thermometer).
I couldn't afford a really good baking stone, and am delighted with the performance of my extremely cheap, albeit hard to find, unglazed quarry tiles.
--Bob
1/2 " quarry stones
How lucky for you. Now I am jealous. The ones I had were so thin the tears I shed were thicker. I have looked at home depot and lowes for years and never saw them and no one had ever seen them. They probably never went out on the floor. Maybe a special order. Your luck. Cooking from the bottom and the top everything has to bake wonderful.
Now I wonder why they don't make racks for the oven one solid baking stone. I would have paid extra. Maybe someday.
Happy baking
Mariah
granite tiles
I bought three black granite tiles from a local tile store. A friend with a tile saw cut one in two. Now I bake on two racks with l-l/2 granite tiles on each. My baking surface on each is approx. l2x18" for an approx. $30 investment. The shiny side of granite is just polished rock. These are sturdy, can take the heat, and give me plenty of baking surface.