Mosaic tiles on a grid: features of choosing and working with material

Mosaic finishing has always been a labor-intensive and costly process that takes a lot of time and requires perfect placement of elements. The slightest error could negate all the work and spoil the appearance of the surface.

Mosaic tiles are essentially pieces of ceramic, glass, mica, or stone tiles. They can be laid out in any order, which gives free rein to creativity and artistic imagination. Archaeologists find frescoes and mosaic walls and floors, which are home to ancient Greece, China, Rome, Turkey. The finds are several thousand years old. This means that today's mosaic pictures, created by you, will be contemplated by descendants. This type of finish is very durable.

Laying out individual pieces to create a harmonious composition is a long process. To simplify and speed up this work, the elements began to be attached to a special mesh-base or to paper. The squares are sold already laid out in the desired sequence or randomly, but at an equal distance. The mesh is attached to the wall and embedded in the tile adhesive. Part of the mosaic surface is finished in a short period of time. The mesh additionally reinforces the entire layer. The paper base is glued to the face of the tiles. After installation, the paper must be removed.

The advantages of this type of finish are obvious:

• Ceramics, glass and stone withstand high humidity, temperature fluctuations and prolonged exposure to water and detergents. Therefore, they are successfully used in the decoration of swimming pools, baths, public premises, even the subway.
• Tiles of any type, including mosaic, are resistant to abrasion and retain their unchanged appearance for a long time.
• Flexible mesh allows you to clad not only flat surfaces, but also complex rounded shapes: sinks, bathtubs, bowls, arches.
• A huge assortment of textures and colors implies the creation of any ornaments, panels, paintings and frescoes.
• The low price and ease of installation make the mosaic on the grid popular and affordable for self-assembly.

Of the minuses, only two points can be noted:

• The need for thorough preparation of the base surface for finishing.
• Higher cost and labor intensity of installation compared to the installation of standard large ceramic tiles.

The market of finishing materials meets the desire of owners and designers to make each interior unique and impressive. Manufacturers offer an innumerable variety of shades, effects and textures. Materials can be advantageously combined with each other (for example, glass and metal, ceramics and stone).

Ceramic tiles are similar to regular tiles, tiled ceramics are used for its production. There are products on the market with a glossy surface, with imitation of the texture of wood and stone, with various effects, for example, with sparkles or contrasting bright splashes. This mosaic is very popular due to its universal compatibility with all styles, affordable price, ease of maintenance.

Glass tiles have a transparent layer, so the solution can shine through the mosaic. Attach it with special glue. This mosaic can look different. For example, it can be various colored streaks or a translucent coating with a reflective effect. This tile is more fragile and delicate, scratches and abrasions easily occur on it, and with a strong impact, a square of glass can even break. Glass mosaic tiles are often used in rooms with high humidity.

The metal mesh mosaic is made of aluminum or steel. It has a very stylish and original look, and it is necessary to take care of it with the help of special detergents that do not damage the coating. Stick it on a special compound. The metal surface is often coated with a layer "gold" or "bronze".

Smalt is the oldest material used to make glass-based mosaic fragments. It has an opaque structure and a rich palette of shades. Many real world-class works of art have been created from smalt, which have survived in excellent condition to this day. High indicators of wear resistance allow the use of smalt elements not only for internal, but also for external work.

Sea pebbles and pebbles cut by the sea are excellent materials for mosaics. Natural stone fits into any interior, looks luxurious and favorably distinguishes any surface. The texture of the stone creates an atmosphere of sophistication and closeness to nature. This material emphasizes the impeccable taste and high status of the owner of the house. The stone mosaic can be applied to any tile adhesive or even to a cement-sand mortar.

Mesh for fixing mosaic fragments is made of polyurethane, it is flexible and perfectly reinforces the tile adhesive layer, giving additional strength to the entire surface. There is also a tile on a gauze mesh. This type of material is cheaper, but its quality is much lower than that of the polyurethane variety.

It is advisable to entrust the laying of such a beautiful and expensive tile to an experienced professional builder. But if you have the necessary skills and the desire to do this work with your own hands, then you may be able to do it. You just need to study the technological subtleties and stock up on the right tool.

When buying, you need to check all the elements for secure attachment to the base. The presence of visual defects or displacements of the mosaic squares is unacceptable, the size of the fragments and their distance from each other must be ideally equal. The choice of glue depends on the type of material. Glass mosaics require white polyurethane adhesive. To waterproof the tile layer, a plasticizer or latex is added to it.

When designing the installation of modules, it is necessary to calculate the surface area, size of the canvas and the consumption of all material, taking into account the shape of the structure (if it is not flat). On the wall or on the floor, it is necessary to mark the boundaries of the cladding section, to make a trial layout of the mesh cloths.

Before laying, the base is prepared:

• It is necessary to carefully level the wall with plaster. If the differences are too large, it is better to screw moisture-resistant drywall to the wall.
• Then it is worth removing all dirt and dust from the base, wipe it and dry it.
• For better adhesion it is necessary to treat the substrate with a deep penetration primer.

Then a special glue solution is mixed strictly according to the manufacturer's instructions. First, water is collected in the container, then dry components are added. At low speed of the mixer, two mixes are carried out with an interval of five minutes.

Apply the glue with a notched trowel so that the grooves are formed. The mesh fabric is pressed against the adhesive layer and rolled with a roller. In this case, you need to ensure that the solution does not fall on the front side of the mosaic, and the squares lie flat. Next, you need to wait 30 minutes, then remove the protective film from the tile fragments, remove streaks and excess glue. After drying, it will be very difficult to do this (the mosaic dries in about two days). If installation is carried out on the floor, do not walk on the freshly laid finish until it dries completely and gains strength.

Having prepared the grout mixture, it is necessary to moisten the gaps of the joints by moving the trowel with the grout diagonally. All gaps between tiles should be filled in and after 30 minutes rinse off the remaining grout from the surface. Grout is able to emphasize the beauty of the tile, if it is correctly selected in shade and texture.

The mosaic is ready. You need to take care of it with the help of non-abrasive mild detergents and antifungal solutions.

The process of laying mosaic tiles can be seen in the video below.