Fabrication of Terracotta Floor-Tiles Using Local Raw Materials

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Date
2008-08-11
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Abstract
The production of floor tiles has been a very lucrative venture and a major foreign exchange earner to countries like China, Spain, Italy, Mexico etc. The cost of floor tiles as at 2005 was between $150 and $200 per square metre. It therefore baffles the researcher why the production of the ware in the region and for that matter Ghana seems a hidden venture. The West African examination council has not for a long time set questions on tiles although the curriculum and syllabus makes provision for tile production. Organisations and researchers throughout the region have turned their attention to the production of bricks and sparsely roofing tiles ignoring the most lucrative venture of the Brick and tile industry which are floor and wall tiles. The teaching of the topic in question has also been ignored by teacher in the second cycle and tertiary institutions. Since it is a lucrative venture the promotion of the industry is very eminent for the economic and the social development of a country like Ghana especially the Apinkra community where there is no means of income except farming but have the request raw material base (clay deposite) for the production of floor tiles. The industry when given the needed attention will afford school dropouts a meaningful source of income and expand the scoop of studio production. The survey carried out experiments on Apinkra and Mfensi together others like Fomena, Afari Dekyemso clay etc, with the objective of exploring the factors will enhance the production floor tiles. The researcher finally settled at Apinkra and Mfensi clays. The project was completed with the construction of a tile pressing mechanism all aiming at enhancing and promoting the production of terracotta tile manufacturing in Ghana the study recommends the government as well as other allied institutions should help in the promotion of floor tiles in the region with reference to Apinkra community The Ministry of Education should help facilitate the teaching and learning tile production in the country. This can be done by given in-service training to teachers, regularly setting question on the topic, making strong emphasis in the syllabi and providing facilities for the production of the ware, By the end of the project it is hope that the study will rouse the interest of tile producers in Ghana and thereby seek to the local industry. Finally, it must be re-emphasis that the production of floor tiles has a great economic significance. This will resuscitate employment which should not be down played by developing countries like Ghana.
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A Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Art Education).
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