How to Do Mosaic Tile on Glass
Add mosaic tiles to a glass coffee table to make it sing. There are a lot of different materials that are considered mosaic, from traditional tesserae to bones, rocks or seashells. Mosaic work is simply applying mastic to a prepared surface, adding mosaic materials and grouting between the pieces to hold them in place. It's good to start with a pattern idea, but if you are new to the craft, simply create a double row of mosaics around the edge of an old coffee table. If that isn't enough, put a pattern inside your border.
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Things You'll Need
- Glass surface TSP cleaner Acrylic-based mosaic adhesive Pieces to mosaic Grout Sponge Spatula Soft-polishing cloth
Instructions
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Clean your glass surface with TSP mixed according to container directions. Rinse, dry and polish.
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2
Decide upon a color palette. Go around the edges with small tesseraes--1-inch square pieces of glass that are smooth on the front and have ridges on the back. They are designed to sit in the adhesive and hold firmly.
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Choose your placement. Lay some tiles on the glass and mark the position with a wax pencil so you don't go beyond your set border.
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Apply the adhesive and begin laying in the tesseraes according to your pattern. Leave a small space between the row and the edge of the glass for grout. Either lay down a section of tile adhesive, or place tesserae one at a time, dabbing them with adhesive individually. As you press the tesserae down, it will displace the adhesive so that it lies beyond the actual piece; don't allow it to run over the edge of the glass. Make sure that there is enough adhesive to securely hold each tesserae.
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Continue working your pattern around the edge of the glass until it is completed. Allow it to dry thoroughly before grouting. Apply the grout with a paint spatula, pushing it down between tesseraes so that it fills the area completely. Use a damp sponge to wipe grout off the mosaic pieces. Dry completely. Buff mosaic pieces and glass to a nice shine.
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