Floor tile

[poli]

Is the Spanish word teja, or does that usually refer to roof tiles?

[pjt33]

A teja is indeed a roof tile. For floor tiles you probably want baldosa. For walls, azulejo.

I don't have any mnemonics for the second or third, but for the link between techos and tejas I just have to think about the Les Luthiers scene where Rabinovich and Mundstock ask for the carta in the restaurant (at 10:14; the timestamp doesn't seem to be supported by the automatically added VIDEO tag):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_bdefq7HaI&t=10m14s

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I agree with Pjt. In Mexico we also say "loza", "loseta" or just "piso". :)

[poli]

Oh. Now I'm thinking baldosas are more likely to be very durable like stone flooring and lozas are thinner perhaps made of vinyl.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

"Loza" can never be vinyl, linoleum or any synthetic material. It's some sort of clay; that's why it's also the same name for the tableware. :)
And although "loseta" is not a material, but a close synonym to baldosa. We use that for smaller or slender clay tiles.

Synthetic materials are usually "piso". Personally, I have never heard "baldosa de linóleo", but Google says it's not so uncommon. :D

- Para instalar el piso de linóleo, contrate a un profesional.
- No pases por ahí, las lozas están mojadas.
- Quiero ponerle piso de loseta a la cochera.
- El patio tiene unas baldosas de concreto muy resistentes.

[Sancho Panther]

Wall tiles are azulejos in Spain. HTH

[poli]

In the back of my head I always thought that azulejos were blue and white tiles, but they can be any color I guess.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

In Mexico "azulejos" can be any color, but they're rather thin, often smaller than floor tiles, and shiny. :D