How to Make Mexican Pavers

Design your pavers. Do a little research into styles and types of Mexican tiles, so you have references for choosing a design. Visit a tile store to check out Saltillo, Tecate, Talavera and other patterns produced by Mexican tile designers, studying their ethnic touches, colors and embellishments. Pick one tile style that best represents your taste and use it as a model to sketch the paver design on paper.

Choose a material. Achieve authenticity by purchasing terracotta clay that’s manufactured exclusively for making patio tiles. Some products require a kiln, while others can be baked in the oven. If you’re making pavers for a large Mexican patio, however, the latter may not be the most efficient material for your project. Alternatively, tinted concrete will produce nearly the same result, and it will dry and harden in the sun rather than necessitating a firing process.

Pick one or more molds for your Mexican pavers. The more complex the mold detail, the pricier it will be and the more embellishments you’ll have to worry about, as even low-bas relief details that add a bit of dimension can cause unmolding problems. Select only the type of concrete- or ceramic-specific mold for your project that suits your medium; once you’ve got the perfect mold, generously spray mold release into the interior.

Press, pour or mold your Mexican pavers and then fire, dry, cure or bake them, according to the directions on the medium’s package. Concrete cures at any temperature, so don't worry about firing times if you use this medium to create your Mexican patio tiles. Use kiln and clay guidelines, if you’re firing them. Crafters place plastic wrap over concrete tiles to keep pavers moist while they cure and dry.

Give your Mexican pavers plenty of hardening time. Regardless of the material used to make your tiles, allowing enough firing, baking, drying and cure time, so the tiles are perfectly turned out and ready for placement within the boundaries of your patio, is the secret to a successful outcome. Use sandpaper to smooth sides of terracotta clay pavers if they’re a little rough around the edges, before grading the soil, sanding the base and setting the pavers in place.