mosaic advice

[connors12345]

got one wall of mosaics to do. are they a nightmare? and how much would you charge prob 2 m2 shower taken off and being replaced
any advice on best approach greatly appreciated
ian:whatchutalkingabout

 

[Dan]

They take some time to do the first time around. be a little loose with your timescale if you're uncertain.

Preparation is key, as always, try to get the wall as flat as possible and use a trowel that's not going to put too much adhesive on the wall as when you press the mosaics in it'll ooze through the grout joints and it can be a nightmate then to get out - or it looks dodgy if you leave it.

To get the mosaics flat as you press them into the wall you can use a grout float, an epoxy float is better as it's stiffer but a grout float will to the job - i've seen some use their own wooden tool and that worked well.

Other than that it's pretty much normal. Setting out can be easier as you've not got much choice as to where to go from. If it's one whole wall you want to just make sure you're hitting 'full tile' both side... you have lots of play if the wall is long enough just by stretching the sheets a bit or pushing them up a bit close the gaps ever so slightly to make sure you're not left with a 5mm gap you can do anything with but grout / Silicon which doesn't ever look neat.

If they're the ones with the paper front to hold the pattern make sure you're adhesive isn't coming through and sticking to the paper. My preference are the webbed backed ones.

Prep the wall to get it as flat as possible though and all will be well.

Depending on what they're made of you usually cut them with your nippers if you need to get around pipes and stuff. If you're cutting whole sheets for any reason (usually smaller areas where the setout falls half-tile on something) you can run the lot through a wet cutter if it's the webbed backed stuff as it's a bit quicker than nipping a whole sheet and it gets every mosaic the same size rather than it stepping slightly.

 

[connors12345]

thanks for your help dan .....
will a need a special trowel or can i use normal wall trowel
also glass mosaics can i use white star adh
is bal microflex grout ok

 

[GazLC81]

thanks for your help dan .....
will a need a special trowel or can i use normal wall trowel
also glass mosaics can i use white star adh
is bal microflex grout ok

Whitestar will be fine as will microflex....

Follow Dans advice and you'll be fine. They acn be a pain in the arse to cut but other than that it is pretty straight forward!

My second ever job was a kitchen in mosaic's. I was cacking myself beforehand but after wondered what I was so worried about.

Let us know how it goes and post some pics when done!

Gaz

 

[connors12345]

thanks gaz for the advice
customers are a pain in the bum
she will prob change mind again in a mo

 

[connors12345]

sorry mate do i need a different wall trowel. if so what type

 

[GazLC81]

I use a mosaic v-notch wall trowl.......

 

[DHTiling]

Mosaic trowels usually have a 3mm tooth depth....any deeper and it will squash up through the joints as dan said....

 

[MTiler]

Hi

It helps to use an adhesive that has a long working time and a good vertical hold, so you'll have plenty of time to play with the setting out if you need to open up the columns. If you do need to open them up start at eye level so you'll then be able to get that right (where it'll be noticed ) and work from there.
If your using glass or a light coloured mosaic skim the substrate first with the adhesive (white) so there wont be any patching.

missy T