How to Make Your Own Mosaic Glass Backsplash
The wall behind the sink in either the kitchen or the bathroom is called a backsplash because that is where the water will splash at the sink. This area is an open space waiting for a fresh decoration such as mosaic glass tiles. The tiles for a backsplash are purchased in sheets of preset tiles in artful designs. The tiles are small, 1/2-by-1/2-inch squares, and are also sold separately for creating a more personalized backsplash design. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tile sheets
- Pencil
- Ruler
- 3/16-inch V-notch trowel
- Grout float
- Sponge
- Tile nippers
- Tile adhesive
Instructions
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1
Measure the wall behind the sink to decide where the tile will be placed. Mark the wall with a pencil using a ruler to make sure the line is straight.
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2
Place a sheet on the wall to see how many sheets will be needed to fill the space you chose. Trim the sheets to match and cut some tiles in half with tile nippers to fit around any outlets if need be. Remove any outlet covers.
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3
Apply tile adhesive to the wall in the space chosen with a 3/16 v-notch trowel. Once the adhesive has been applied to the wall, use the v-notch side of the trowel to remove excess adhesive from the wall. Too much adhesive will push up between the tiles and cause them to move off-center. Use the flat side of the trowel to smooth the adhesive once the correct amount is in place. Using the flat side prevents lines from being seen through the glass mosaic.
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4
Place the tile sheets, mesh side toward the adhesive, on the wall from the bottom, where the sink is, up to the line you drew. Use the trowel to gently press the tile sheets into the adhesive until the tiles are smoothly placed and even.
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5
Remove the plastic cover from the tiles, after letting the tiles set for three hours, by pulling the cover slowly from the top corner of each sheet down toward the opposite corner. Allow the tiles to set for 24 to 48 hours.
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6
Spread grout over the tiles moving vertically and horizontally to get the grout in between all the tiles. Wait 30 to 60 minutes.
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7
Wipe the grout off the front of the tiles with a moistened sponge.
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8
Replace the outlet covers after waiting three hours..
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Tips & Warnings
Create a layout of how the tiles will look on the wall before applying the adhesive because removal of the tiles after placement is a difficult project.
Wear protective eye gear when cutting tiles to prevent chips of glass from entering your eyes.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
