How to put a mosaic tile - the beginning of the work of
Perhaps this will be a repetition of capital truths, but still, the first step to facing the wall is its preparation. In other words, even if you are bursting with inspiration, you will have to start with a routine cleaning of the surface from dust and any other contaminants. If necessary, it is desirable to degrease with a detergent. Further, when everything is ready, determine the level of wall roughness, since if there are significant unevenness, the mosaic tiling you have laid out completely will reflect them with level differences between tessers, or, as they say, chips.
Mosaic is always sold by modules, assembled by several rows of chips, the area of such blocks is within 30x30 centimeters .Such an assembly is of two types - when the chips are fixed in the module pasted on the front side with thick paper, or when they are fixed to the mesh base by the base. How to lay a mosaic tile, video lessons are shot a lot, and everywhere it is recommended to first carefully measure everything. Therefore, we need to attach several modules to the wall and fix it with paint tape to mark the location of the blocks relative to each other in a pencil and to determine the area of future work. It is enough to strip a meter long and 1 module wide.
How does mosaic tiling work?
You have two ways in which mosaic tiling can be done by one's own hands, video courses for this are not necessary at all. If the tiles or glass chips are kept on a mesh base, it is enough to distribute the necessary quantity of glue in a section of 1 module with a notched trowel, after which you can apply the tile. In some cases, preliminary priming of the wall surface is required, but basically enough that it is plastered and carefully ground. Experienced masters recommend putting glue directly on the back side of the module, but this is due to certain difficulties without proper skill.
If the surface of the tile adhesive is covered with a thin glossy film, it is necessary to spread a little more glue with a thin layer with the same notched trowel, otherwise the tile will not hold.
If you have a module with paper fixing on the front side, before gluing the tile, the mosaic should be greased with glue. Its composition can be any, some masters prefer epoxy putty, which grasps tightly, others are more convenient to work with liquid nails. A few drops are enough at the corners of the chip and one in the center. The following actions are the same for any type of module - attaching it to the wall, we begin to smooth it with a grater, pressing with a little effort. If the substrate is reticulated, the glue must penetrate through it into the interstices between the chips, if on a paper basis, the droplets should completely be distributed under the tesserae. Between blocks, insert crosses, the thickness of which should match the distance between the chips.
Some secrets how to put the mosaic tile
After all the modules are firmly fixed to the wall, it is necessary to thoroughly flush the surface of the chips from the glue stains, which are almost certainly in places available. Actually, there is no way how to put a mosaic tile without getting drops of glue on its front surface, if you do not use modules with a paper fixing coating. To clean the cladding you will need a lot of warm water and a sponge, one of the surfaces of which has an increased rigidity .When working with glass tesserae and metal mosaic, it is undesirable to use a sponge made of metal chips, it can leave obvious scratches.
Now, having gained experience in how to lay a mosaic tile, you can leave video training to those who are afraid to get knowledge in practice, and boldly proceed to the facing of other walls. You still need to wait at least 12 hours before you can fill the gaps between the chips with a trowel. After this period, proceed to the final operation. Since the chips are very small, do not worry that the grout will almost completely cover the mosaic. Just carefully level the composition in the seams, after which after 30 minutes you can wash the surface of the tile or glass tessera with a simple slightly moistened sponge.