February
1
Creating Mosaic Countertops
Creating a real tile mosaic on almost any surface top is easy. The first step would be to look in a tile shop and see what is available. There are many books, magazines and TV shows that gives step by step instructions as well as design ideas. After deciding a pattern or design, sketch your pattern on the surface you are going to tile over.
The first step is to prepare the surface making sure the tile will adhere. Next you take tile cement, commonly known as thin set or mortar, and spread a thin coating over the surface. Place your tiles in the cement according to the pattern you drew.
After the cement has set, (don’t be in too big of a hurry) fill the gaps between the tiles with tile grout. You apply the grout by simply toweling it over all of the seams between the individual tiles.
Where’s a good place to add a mosaic in your home? Consider embellishing a coffee table purchased from an unfinished furniture store. All you have to do is add a coat of paint and then make a small mosaic on the tabletop using some different size tiles or even broken tile pieces.
There are tons of books on ceramic tiles at your bookstore or library. Before you cement the tiles in place, you have to prepare the tiles for the mosaic sections. For the border mosaics you are going to need some smaller pieces of tile. For the smaller pieces you use a tile nibbler to break off pieces the size you need.
To cement the tiles in place, use mortar that you can buy at any tile store or home improvement store. Then just put your tiles in place. Take the different pieces of tile and arrange them however you like. Try and keep the spaces between the tiles to 1/8th of an inch.
You have to grout the tiles after the mortar has set up or dried. Remember, tile grout is available in many colors, not just white. Next smear the grout over the top of the tiles filling in the seams. To clean the tiles, wipe off any excess grout with a sponge.