glass mosaic tile art studio of william j enslen jr
| Lesson of the Month Page 7 |
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Step 11: Apply the Mosaic to the Adhesive
Carefully align the mosaic on the wall and gently press it into the adhesive. Obviously, the mesh side goes down into the adhesive. Don’t
press too hard yet! Press just enough so the mosaic stays on the wall. Use both hands with your fingers spread apart to carefully adjust the
mosaic into position. Don’t press too hard because, once each tesserae is firmly pressed into the adhesive, it’s very hard to adjust the
mosaic into proper position.
When the mosaic is properly aligned, gently press each tessera to set it in the adhesive. Be careful not to move any tesserae out of
alignment.
If you think it’s necessary to set and level the tesserae, put a clean scrap of wood over the tesserae and gently tap the wood with a rubber
mallet. Move the wood over the entire mosaic and carefully tap. For this mosaic, I didn’t need to set and level because the tesserae were
already level after I pressed them with my fingers. However, when I do feel the need (e.g., when setting ceramic floor tile), I use a 2x4
wrapped with an old mattress pad instead of bare wood (see Figure 20). The soft mattress pad makes me feel more comfortable when
tapping the delicate pieces into place.
Carefully align the mosaic on the wall and gently press it into the adhesive. Obviously, the mesh side goes down into the adhesive. Don’t
press too hard yet! Press just enough so the mosaic stays on the wall. Use both hands with your fingers spread apart to carefully adjust the
mosaic into position. Don’t press too hard because, once each tesserae is firmly pressed into the adhesive, it’s very hard to adjust the
mosaic into proper position.
When the mosaic is properly aligned, gently press each tessera to set it in the adhesive. Be careful not to move any tesserae out of
alignment.
If you think it’s necessary to set and level the tesserae, put a clean scrap of wood over the tesserae and gently tap the wood with a rubber
mallet. Move the wood over the entire mosaic and carefully tap. For this mosaic, I didn’t need to set and level because the tesserae were
already level after I pressed them with my fingers. However, when I do feel the need (e.g., when setting ceramic floor tile), I use a 2x4
wrapped with an old mattress pad instead of bare wood (see Figure 20). The soft mattress pad makes me feel more comfortable when
tapping the delicate pieces into place.
| Figure 20. Tools for Gently Tapping the Mosaic into the Adhesive |
After pressing the entire mesh section into the adhesive, ensure everything is still properly aligned. Corners or individual tessera may have
moved slightly from setting everything into place. Carefully and slowly slide it into proper alignment. At this point, it’s very difficult to
move because the adhesive has grabbed the mosaic tightly. You’ll have to press hard against the glass pushing it into position, so be careful
not to cut yourself.
Figure 21 shows my mosaic applied to the wall. Notice that I have the proper spacing between the mosaic and ceramic tile.
moved slightly from setting everything into place. Carefully and slowly slide it into proper alignment. At this point, it’s very difficult to
move because the adhesive has grabbed the mosaic tightly. You’ll have to press hard against the glass pushing it into position, so be careful
not to cut yourself.
Figure 21 shows my mosaic applied to the wall. Notice that I have the proper spacing between the mosaic and ceramic tile.
| Figure 21. Mosaic on the Wall Properly Aligned and Set into the Adhesive |
Step 12: Remove Excess Adhesive from the Grout Spaces
Undoubtedly, some adhesive will squeeze up and fill the grout spaces. You must remove this excess adhesive before it dries. Don’t panic,
you have lots of time. Because my grout lines are so thin, I used toothpicks to dig out the excess adhesive. Bent paper clips work well,
too. After the grout lines are clean, use damp paper towels to wipe off all excess adhesive that may have gotten on the glass.
Step 13: Use Painters’ Tape to Protect Against Grout Stains
Grouting is messy. No matter how slow you go or how much care you take, you’ll slop it somewhere that you don’t want it. Therefore,
use painters’ tape to protect the countertop, cabinets, sink, outlets, and anything else you don’t want stained. I learned the hard way that
one row of 2-inch tape usually isn’t wide enough, so I use at least two rows. Don’t be afraid to use lots of tape. Figure 22 shows my
mosaic area taped and ready to grout.
Undoubtedly, some adhesive will squeeze up and fill the grout spaces. You must remove this excess adhesive before it dries. Don’t panic,
you have lots of time. Because my grout lines are so thin, I used toothpicks to dig out the excess adhesive. Bent paper clips work well,
too. After the grout lines are clean, use damp paper towels to wipe off all excess adhesive that may have gotten on the glass.
Step 13: Use Painters’ Tape to Protect Against Grout Stains
Grouting is messy. No matter how slow you go or how much care you take, you’ll slop it somewhere that you don’t want it. Therefore,
use painters’ tape to protect the countertop, cabinets, sink, outlets, and anything else you don’t want stained. I learned the hard way that
one row of 2-inch tape usually isn’t wide enough, so I use at least two rows. Don’t be afraid to use lots of tape. Figure 22 shows my
mosaic area taped and ready to grout.
| Figure 22. Painters’ Tape Protects Against Grout Stains |
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