| How do you keep the final level of a piece flat when | | | | bit. |
| using different types of china, etc.? I attempted a | | | | then grouting, but how do you make mosiacs like |
| small serving tray, but I can't carry anything on it - | | | | vases and other irregular objects. I've heard that you |
| everything wobbles. | | | | put the grout down first and press them in - is that |
| Mostly, you can't keep it level, I'm afraid. For my | | | | right? Here's a quick lowdown on the "methods". |
| coffee table I put in some plate bases for standing | | | | Gluing the tiles to the surface and then grouting is |
| things on. | | | | actually the direct method. |
| Generally if you use a lot of small pieces of roughly | | | | nothing too curved, the plates and mugs will sit |
| the same thickness, and The indirect method involves | | | | reasonable flat. The alternative could be to use |
| sticking the pieces face down on a surface (e.g. | | | | pieces of tile all of the same thickness. |
| paper, a flat sheet or a mould) using a water-soluble | | | | I want to do a large floor mosaic under a rustic |
| glue. When the glue has dried you fill in from the back | | | | arbour and seat . I've collected a few tiles, but can I |
| with grout or cement. When that's set you soak off | | | | use shards on the ground? I can see 3 ways of |
| the glue on the front. Then you grout from the front | | | | going about it. One would be to lay a concrete area |
| (as with the direct method). This method is especially | | | | and press the shards into it while it's still wet. |
| good for when you need a flat surface e.g. a | | | | Alternatively you could cast your own paving stones, |
| stepping stone. I used a variation on this method for | | | | using the "indirect method". The principle is he same |
| my garden owl and the hemispherical plant pots. | | | | as I used to make my garden owl, but using a |
| To mosaic 3D objects, such as the lamp bases and | | | | square wooden frame and a flat surface. |
| the planter I use the direct method. I would tend to | | | | The easiest solution would be to use standard |
| use a ready mixed tile adhesive or a cement mix | | | | ready-made paving stones and mosaic onto them, |
| (rather than PVA/white glue), because it's very sticky | | | | using cement mortar (3 parts cement to 1 part sand) |
| and grips quickly, allowing you to work faster. But | | | | as an adhesive (a little blob under each piece) and |
| whatever you use, you will have to allow for the | | | | then grout when dry with cement mortar (which |
| effects of gravity e.g. by working on one section at | | | | could be coloured if you wish). |
| a time. Also, ready mixed adhesive, being rather like | | | | Some tiles and crockery shards can stand up to |
| putty, can fill in gaps behind curved pieces. I apply | | | | being underfoot out of doors, but it might depend on |
| the adhesive to each piece at a time, and grout | | | | the amount of frost where you live and the quality |
| afterwards when everything has set. | | | | of the materials - softer, cheaper crockery or tiles |
| I almost never use the technique of putting down | | | | may chip underfoot if there's a lot of wear, or be |
| the grout and pressing pieces into it. | | | | prone to frost damage in winter. |
| I mosaiced a round fibre glass table using a mosaic | | | | I'm terrible at drawing - stick people are my specialty. |
| glue adhesive for the tiles. I then used grey grout | | | | I've heard there are computer programs that can |
| with one tenth black oxide mixed together dry then | | | | help with design and layout of mosaics. |
| added water applied it with squidgie. I ran out of | | | | I tend to use tracings of images, to make up for my |
| grout so only did half the table next evening mixed | | | | lack of drawing skill. You can scale up the size with an |
| the same up and applied it. I wiped off all the excess | | | | enlarging photocopier, or using the scaling technique |
| but it is very crumbly. Shall I put on more grout | | | | described here (where you'll also find notes on |
| where it is crumbly or give it a coat of sealant such | | | | software). |
| as Bondcrete or a slate sealer? The best thing, if you | | | | I have recently started mosaics and I am having a |
| can face it, would be to remove as much of the | | | | difficult time finding interesting china pieces. Any |
| crumbly grout as possible, with wire or a brush (an | | | | suggestions? Try jumble sales, car boot sales, charity |
| old tooth brush might be useful). | | | | thrift shops. Ask all your friends and family to keep |
| Then you can regrout. Possibly the cut edges of the | | | | things they break. You could even ask at crockery |
| tiles absorbed so much water that the grout wasn't | | | | shops if they have any breakages!! I used to do |
| very adhesive once you started spreading it over the | | | | some voluntary work for a charity shop and I was |
| tiles.....it can happen....if so, make the grout with a little | | | | allowed to keep crockery which was donated broken |
| bit more water, brush off grout which is starting to | | | | or was generally unsaleable. |
| dry and re-wet it slightly. If you don't overdo it, this | | | | I think I understand the indirect method of gluing the |
| seems to work OK, even if it is bending the rules a | | | | tiles to the surface and |