A method of producing a freestanding ceramic tile. The method involves: (a) (110) grit-blasting a substrate using a grit size in the range from 36 to 220 mesh; (b) (120) depositing a release layer of carbon or graphite from 2 to 10 microns thick on the grit-blasted surface of the substrate; (c) (130) applying ceramic over the release layer until a desired thickness of ceramic is achieved to form a ceramic layer; (d) (140) heating the substrate, release layer, and ceramic layer to a temperature of from 800 to 1000 degrees Celsius; (e) (150) keeping the substrate, release layer, and ceramic layer at a temperature from 800 to 1000 degrees Celsius for a time from 10 to 20 minutes so as to remove the release layer; and (f) (160) cooling the substrate and ceramic layer at a rate of at least 200 degrees Celsius per minute, such that the ceramic layer separates from the substrate to produce a freestanding ceramic tile.