How to Make Mosaic Garden Tables

Mosaic garden tables last for years and can be designed to match your garden flowers or as a unique stand-alone piece. When completed, a mosaic garden table looks like a piece of art. When you are finished with your table, try creating matching chairs and/or a birdbath for a designer look.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Metal table
• Sandpaper
• Wire brush
• Newspaper
• Old china or tiles
• Bath towel
• Hammer
• Safety goggles
• Work gloves
• Tile nippers
• Thinset mortar
• Acrylic admix
• Disposable containers
• Old wooden spoons or paint mixers
• Butter knife
• Rubber gloves
• Sanded grout
• Crochet hook
• Warm water
• Bucket
• Sponge or rag
• Tile sealer
• Paintbrush

1. Purchase a metal table or use one you already have. Clean the tabletop with a wire brush and sandpaper. Wipe away any dust. Cover the tabletop with a sheet of newspaper.

2. Gather old china and tiles. Wrap them in a bath towel and place the towel on a hard surface. Put on safety goggles and work gloves. Smash the tile and china with a hammer. This step may have to be repeated in order to get the pieces to the desired size. Trim tile and china pieces to exact size with a tile nipper.

3. Open the bath towel and remove the pieces. Arrange the broken pieces in a design on top of the newspaper. When finished designing, lift the newspaper off of the tabletop, taking care to keep the design intact.

4. Mix 2 cups of thinset mortar mix and 1/4 cup of admix with water until it is thick enough to spread; the consistency should be similar to yogurt.

5. Spread the mortar on the back of each tile piece with a butter knife. Place the tile onto the tabletop and press it to set. Repeat for each tile.

6. Allow the mortar to dry for 48 hours.

7. Mix 2 cups of grout and 1/4 cup of admix with water in a disposable container until it is spreadable like yogurt. Use an old wooden spoon for mixing. Let the mixture set for 10 minutes before using.

8. Remove any dried mortar from the tiles with a crochet hook.

9. Put on rubber gloves.

10. Grab a handful of grout and work it into the spaces between the tiles. Smooth the grout over the entire table while forcing it into all of the spaces.

11. Wipe off excess grout with a damp sponge or towel. Keep wiping until all of the tiles are polished. Allow the grout to dry for 48 hours.

12. Apply tile sealer to the tabletop with a paintbrush. Allow it to dry for 15 minutes before applying a second coat.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean up any mortar splatters immediately.
• Do not allow grout to dry on the tile surface.

References

• How to Make Mosaic Garden Art