How to make mosaic art? Step By Step Guide 2022
2022.01.26 / By hqt
How to make mosaic art? Mosaic is a format of facing material that has been famous for its beauty and sophistication since ancient times. Today, we have the opportunity to decorate any room with small decor. In comparison with the past, mosaic tiles are available in price range and stylistic modern solutions.
Features of mosaic art
If you look at a wall decorated with small squares, you might think that a complex, painstaking work has been done. In fact, laying a mosaic is practically no different from installing a classic tile.
Products are produced in specific segments. If, for example, you plan to lay an apron in the kitchen, then a 315x315 square will lie in two rows.
Laying technology
Pre-mark the boundaries of the treated area. On the backsplash, clearly mark the bottom level of the wall cabinets and the location of the countertop. The more seriously you take the preparation, the easier and more accurate the installation will be.
Working tricks for laying mosaic own hands:
Use a 3x3 comb. A thin layer of adhesive mixture will not penetrate into the seams, which is important if the color of the substance differs from the shade of the grout. The mass dries up very quickly, so tune in to operational work.
Put the segments on the glue and press down well with your hands. The tile is easily cut with a clerical knife and easily adjusted to the size of the site.
How to make mosaic art? The mosaic must be laid from top to bottom, secured with tape or masking tape. Make the rest of the rows in the same way.
Important Step in Mosaic Art
An important step is to beat off the glued material with a solid object. This way you will remove all the air between the layers.
To cut a glass mosaic at 45 degrees, use the tile by cutting a 2mm line into it. Put a segment on it and press down with another tile. The incision is made easily.
Prepared mosaic tiles are needed for a smooth transition from classic tiles or, for example, for decorating shower trays.
How to make mosaic art? Apply the prepared grout mixture to the material, rubbing it diagonally. This way you will carefully seal the seams. For speed grouting, you can use a wallpaper spatula.
Then, spray with water and remove excess with a hard sponge. After a while, repeat the manipulation.
After drying, take a plain waffle napkin and remove the remaining plaque. Also, grout residues can be removed with a simple sponge for washing dishes.
Possible difficulties due to a closely spaced lamp
By itself, the mosaic has a slight difference in the thickness of the elements, approximately 0.5-1 mm. However, these edges, due to closely directed oblique light, give a shadow and visually increase the difference several times.
Therefore, if you plan to glue the material in a shower stall with a closely fixed light, buy tiles with deliberately torn jagged edges.
How to make mosaic art? Ideally, if the entire texture of the squares will have deep depressions and bulges. Oblique lighting, in this case, will look advantageous.
How to calculate adhesive and grout for tiles?
It is an important part of the process of facing tiles. Competent work will avoid significant residues and save the budget.
Adhesive mixture consumption rates
Please note that the consumption rate may vary depending on weather conditions, the base on which the work will take place, and the physical characteristics of porcelain stoneware.
Before approaching the calculations, it is important to decide on the two most important components - the type of glue and the size of the tile.
Types of adhesive mixture in mosaic art
On the shelves of specialized stores, you will find three types of tile adhesive. They differ in the presence of additional ingredients, which affect the drying time, resistance to temperature changes and elasticity.
Types of connecting material:
- Based on cement. You buy a dry mix, which must mix with water, according to the instructions. The consumption of this type varies between 1-2 kg per m2.
- Dispersion adhesive. This is a ready-made viscous mass based on resin.
- Epoxy composition. The finished product comes in the form of a liquid solution and a catalyst. The ingredients need to combine and the product is ready to use.
On the packaging of each of the listed materials, the approximate consumption will indicate.
How to make mosaic art?
The thickness of the mixture directly depends on the length of the sides of the facing material:
- if you plan to work with mosaics or ceramics 10x10, then the thickness of the composition is 2 mm;
- from 20 to 30 mm, the height of the adhesive will be 2.5-3 mm;
- tiles, the sides of which are 30, 40, 50 mm long, sit well on the layer, 4-5 mm thick;
- Large sizes require the mixture to apply both to the tile (1 mm) and to the base (6 mm).
In most cases, in the instructions you will see recommendations not for the thickness of the layer, but for the size of the spatula teeth. This is better, because it is quite difficult to maintain the desired level of glue on your own. The most common sizes are 6,8,10 and 12.
Keep in mind that by tilting the spatula, the consumption of glues changes. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with How to make mosaic art?
How to calculate the consumption of the adhesive mixture
The easiest way to determine the right amount of glue is to use an online calculator. Services are freely available and calculate in seconds.
If you do not yet know what type of tile adhesive you will buy, use the formula:
Multiply the indicated consumption of glue by the thickness of the required layer, depending on the size of the tile, and multiply the result by the area of the site.
The result obtained should be true if you correctly follow the technology for applying the composition.
Take preliminary calculations seriously, as the cost of your expenses depends on it. If you encounter difficulties, please call us.
