Tepetate Journey

Tepetate is a granular material derived from a clay found in thick, massive open-air layers. Tepetate is lightweight and has a yellowish color.

Because tepetate is porous, it is an excellent material for absorbing water. It also serves as an insulator, which is why it is used to make bricks in many cities with extreme climates.

Extracting tepetate is simple and can be done with a pick and shovel because it is a very lightweight material; this makes it ideal for use as filler for floors. Due to its light weight, tepetate often replaces tezontle. Tepetate is also used in bathroom fill, as a fine aggregate, and as previously mentioned, it is used for the construction of ashlars for walls (it is recommended to alternate it with red brick for greater strength).

Tepetate is used in construction primarily as fill. The cost of tepetate is low, making it one of the preferred aggregates for compaction by builders.