Setting out mosaics

[Nico9387]

Hi guys I am fairly new to the tiling game. Have been tiling for about 1 1/2 now and yet to do a job and yet to do a job with alot of mosaics execpt for border work. I was wondering how you go about setting out your starting point if a large are was to be tiled with mosaics so you know how your cuts are going to be. When I have done my other jobs I make up a gauge batton to see how my cuts will look but was wondering if a different technique would b applied for mosaics.


Any help guys would be much appreciated

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

same as standard tiling setting out

 

[Nico9387]

Ok thanks mate cause I feel like I tend to shy away from the thought of taking it on cause its not as if mosaics are the cheapest material out there

 

[White Room]

Unless you do Bisazza mosaics and theres a bit more work involved....

 

[Ian]

The good thing with mosaics on a larger area is you can open and close them slightly to have no cutting at all.

 

[Nico9387]

Unless you do Bisazza mosaics and theres a bit more work involved....


Is this because the bisazza have mosaics that link in together to create a design. Or jst bisazza in general?

 

[White Room]

Usually numbered and like Bri mentioned can be opened and closed down avoiding cuts, thats a bisazza thing....

 

[Nico9387]

Oright I see. Thanks for the help. Hopefully I dont get a call out for bisazza mosaics for my first large mosaic job the ha

 

[White Room]

And make sure the walls are flat for mosaic, if there lumpy and bumpy it takes a lot of work to keep them in line....

 

[Nico9387]

I can imagine cause I was recently called into finish a job because the guy that had started the job got his marching orders and the bath had been boxed in using ply so is a flat enough surface and yet the guy left an absolute mess which was a shame cause the custome spent enough money on them so left them on. So if he can manage to get warped on a flat surface I can imagine what a lumpy wall would b like. Am I right on saying you should use your arm to almost roll them onto the wall them use a grout float to bed them into your adhesive??

 

[Nico9387]

*customer*

 

[White Room]

Yes, use a grout float to tamp them in but if you need to keep some of the joints in line the wickes straight edges (used for plastering) have a fine point/edge which works well....

 

[Nico9387]

Ok cheers for the advice its has been well noted

 

[MTiler]

make sure you use a suitably sized notched trowel, otherwise you'll waste time trying to clean out excess ady. Alot of tilers make the mistake of rushing mosaics especially the grouting and it looks a mess. If walls arent square you can open out the sheets so its less obvious.
Whatever make of mosaic i fix I try not to have any cuts. Use white adhesive with a long open time.

missyT

 

[Nico9387]

Is it not a 3mm/4mm trowel you use for the mosaics anyways?