How to Build Ceramic Top Tables
Broken ceramic pots and tiles can be recycled into tabletop mosaic designs. Any tabletop, old or new, can provide a foundation for ceramic mosaics as long as the structure is sturdy and the surface is flat. This is a family project, as several people can participate in the creation of a large tabletop. Mosaics are time-consuming and require patience, but the results are worth the effort.
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Things You'll Need
- Ceramic tiles, dishes or pots
- Wooden tabletop
- Newsprint or butcher paper roll
- Oil pencil
- Pencil with hard lead
- Thin-set tile mortar
- Grout, without sand
- Spatula
- Cloth rags
- Dish detergent
- Water
Instructions
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Creating a Ceramic Mosaic Tabletop
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1
Clean a sturdy wooden tabletop with a mixture of water and dish detergent to remove any residue of dirt and oil. Dry thoroughly.
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2
Sand the surface of the table if it is coated with paint, polyurethane, or varnish until the uncoated wood is exposed.
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3
Break ceramic tiles, plates, or pots into small pieces, each around one inch in diameter.
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4
Measure the tabletop and draw an outline of exactly the same size and shape on a piece of newsprint or butcher paper. Place the outline on a large flat surface. For beginners, start with a simple design made of large shapes.
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5
Draw an outline on the paper of the tabletop design you wish to create. Make notes of the colors you want to use in each shape. Achieve a dramatic, bold design by dedicating sets of similar colors to different specific shapes.
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6
Arrange your mosaic design completely on the paper outline before installing the pieces on the tabletop.
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7
Take a photo of the design with a digital camera and print it out on letter-size paper. Use as a reference for building the mosaic on the tabletop.
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8
Trace over the back of the paper design with oil pencil, after removing the ceramic pieces.
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9
Transfer the design to the tabletop by placing the oil pencil side down on the table and tracing over the top of the design with a hard lead pencil.
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10
Mix dry thin-set tile adhesive mortar with water, or buy it premixed in a one-gallon tub. If you start with dry mortar, mix it in one-pint batches and work on small areas of the tabletop at a time. Most mortar begins to set in 15 to 20 minutes.
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Apply thin-set mortar to a 12-inch square section of the tabletop. Coat the design so the mortar is at least one-eighth of an inch thick. Press the broken tiles into the mortar, leaving at least one-eighth of an inch of space between each ceramic piece for grout. Use your photograph and drawing as references for recreating your design, especially if the tracing is not visible under the mortar.
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12
Work your way around the rest of the table, mixing one-pint batches of mortar, and completely filling in the design with the broken ceramic pieces.
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13
Allow the finished design to dry at least 24 hours.
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14
Apply unsanded grout to the top of the table in small sections. Follow manufacturer instructions for mixing and applying grout. Use a spatula or scraper to gently force the grout between each ceramic piece.
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15
Allow the grout to dry according to manufacturer instructions. Remove residue from the surface of the mosaic design with a damp cloth. Go over the surface several times until the ceramic pieces are clean and clear of grout residue. The grout left between the ceramic pieces should be even with the surface or sit a little below. The grout should be solid, without air pockets or gaps.
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16
Allow the grout to dry for 24 hours, and wipe the surface one more time with a rag dampened with water and a drop of dish detergent to remove any residual grout that may cloud the surface.
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17
Apply a protective grout sealer to each line of grout, especially if the tabletop will come in contact with water.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Never place a mosaic table near or over a heat source. Tiles may crack.
Wear plastic or latex gloves when working with grout and tile adhesive.
Wear a particle mask when mixing powdered grout and tile adhesive.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit mosaic image by Stanisa Martinovic from Fotolia.com mosaic circle image by Dumitrescu Ciprian from Fotolia.com
