Mosaic Technique and Construction

[icclepiccle]

Hi Grumpgrouter. I was planning on using the ready-mised Bal white star after talking to Bal yesterday. I'd rather not have to mix it myself due to the first tinme I've used mosaics. Substrates are: two walls of aquapanel that I fixed and jointed together plus the third wall being the original plaster wall (solid wall not partition). I have unibonded all three walls. Is this ok?

 

[MTiler]

Hi
I'd never use a tub adhesive for mosaics, they go off far to quick. You can get Mosaic Fix adhesive (BAL do one), but they can be expensive or an adhesive with a long working time and strong vertical hold, suitable for mosaics, so you can adjust the mosaics especially if you have to open or close the columns a tad. Nicabond and Mapei (P10) do good ones.
Obviously they take a bit longer to dry.
The hard epoxy grout floats are great for flattening the mosaic evenly. If you struggle working with whole sheets theres no problem with cutting the sheets into strips and sections, mosaics are very versatile.

On walls some people start at eye level with mosaics working horizontally, so the focal point is perfect, and then work down. The problem with that can be that when you come to do the top section you may get some lipping because of dried adhesive under the top row of tesserae. This may only be noticeable under certain light. So some say to work vertically from the bottom up using a vertical datum line.

Have fun.

MissyT

 

[TilingLogistics]

BAL Mosaic Fix Wonderful stuff

Kev

 

[doug boardley]

only had a couple of hours so didn't get time to read it all when I'm fixing mosaics i start from the top, use panel pins below the top course (on a sheet) this keeps the sheet stable whilst I iron it out with my grouting trowel, repeat this process all the way down the wall

 

[user123]

When I think of mosaic tiling, I think of free-style shapes combined to create an over-all effect or design.
Perhaps the difference is my art background. I have the need to be creative while still following the rules.

Me, too, same here

 

[doug boardley]

Me, too, same here

i concur wholeheartedly,yes I'm an arty type too! just wish I could make a living at it!

 

[user123]

i concur wholeheartedly,yes I'm an arty type too! just wish I could make a living at it!

Interesting that, isn't it Doug. I have been self-employed and doing my own thing since forever, (came to the UK as a technical translator) always working things out by myself, loving the intellectual challenge of discovery and the artistic calm inmy creative endeavours.
Now, realizing that if I want my mosaics to decorate individualistically minded peoples' homes, it's tiling I need and find I am fascinated by the whole subject, but still fired by artistic ideas, overflowing with them really. The thing is, I don't really like the artistic community so much, too much snobbery and ego and one-upmanship, whereas on here there is banter and trying to help each other and it's so nice, and I realize that by trying to follow my artistic bliss I have probably finally come across a network I don't mind networking with!
And I think my mosaics and the ever growing ideas can help you tilers, too, because by combining the two 'normal' tilers can add art expression to their customer service, (as in "you'd like some mosaic butterflies on your bathroom wall, madam? no problem, I know a woman who can...") and I can add good quality tiling to my service, ("well I could do you a jungle theme behind your jacuzzi and know just the tiler in your area to fit it..") I just don't think that kind of collaboration between classic tiling and freestyle mosaics happens very often yet.

What do you think to it all, having a foot in both camps so to speak?

 

[doug boardley]

I think it's a great concept, just the logistics of marrying the two together, unless you grab the niche and you solely can fulfill both criteria, that is where there is potentially a really good market, got me mulling now........

 

[user123]

well you see, learning to tile I can marry the two to some extend on my own, but I have a secret weapon - the mesh I use is very fine, strong and flexible, much better to use than the ordinary mosaic tile mesh, which means even delicate mosaics can be posted safely and installed easily, I have it all worked out, see. There is a discrepancy of timing, but everything can be worked out, and most customers I am convinced would rather wait for the tiling to be done a week or two for the custom mosaic of their dreams to become a reality, so it's not such a big deal, it can be done, like everything where's a will, etc... You have no idea how strong all this is in my head...if trade is suffering then offering something unique will make the difference for everybody....:yes:

 

[BDS]

if you feel strongly about something and want to do it you will do IT,,,