From the 18th century onwards, regional tiles began to be used mainly in rural areas. Due to the high demand for this product, three tile furnaces were built in Porto da Boca da Ribeira between 1920 and 1930. All the material used for their production was extracted from the clay soils of the parish of Ribeirinha. During the 72 hours of tile firing, the workers spent the night in Porto da Boca da Ribeira, in a shelter made of reeds, ensuring that the ideal temperature was maintained throughout the process. Tile production remained profitable for about 20 years, but its industrialisation in the mid-20th century led to the decline of the activity. In 2009, the furnaces were restored to preserve the history of Faial.