glass mosaic tile art studio of william j enslen jr
Now where would you like to go? Please click on a link:
| Download Now! No Waiting! The ebook is only $9.95. Use your credit card...it's easy, fast, safe, and secure! |
 |
| Copyright © 2008-2012 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content (text and illustrations) is strictly prohibited. |
| Remember, creating beautiful glass mosaic tile art is easy. You can do it! My eBook teaches you all the details that other books and websites don't. Start your fun and exciting journey into the wonderful world of glass mosaic tile art today! |
Order the ebook Now!
| Mosaic Floor...You Can Mosaic Anything...Even a Floor! Page 5 |
Mosaic Floor page 01 Mosaic Floor page 02 Mosaic Floor page 03 Mosaic Floor page 04 Mosaic Floor page 05
Whew! Finally done! It took us several months to complete, but we did it. Notice that the nice 5.25-inch baseboard is installed over the tile for a professionally finished look.
(NOTE: See pictures below for how I changed the mosaic after a while. My wife and I decided we wanted a different border than the diamond-shaped listellos. See below!)
Tip! Before installing the baseboard over the tile, put down blue painters tape on the floor in a position so the baseboard will be on top of the tape at least 1/4-inch. In other words, install the
tape on the tile about 1/4-inch away from the wall. Then, install the baseboard directly on top of the tape. I then put down a second piece of tape on the floor, overlapping the first piece by a
hair, all around the baseboard to ensure a thick-enough width of tape so I don't slop any paint on the new tile and grout. Paint the baseboard with two coats of your favorite color of high-gloss
paint (use high-gloss for all trim molding). We like Glidden's Pearl Essence, which is white but not pure bright white. Then, when the paint is dry, use a razor-blade knife with a new blade and run
the knife along the edge of the baseboard cutting away the blue tape. Angle the blade slightly so the tip cuts just a hair under the baseboard. As long as you use a fresh sharp blade (i.e., change
the blade after every 30 linear feet of cutting), the blue tape will cut precisely and you won't see the tape that remains under the baseboard. This gives a clean, beautiful finish. I believe putting
the tape down before installing the baseboard and then installing the baseboard on top of the tape results in a more professional look after painting than if you were to install the baseboard first and
then put down the tape adjacent to the edge of the baseboard. The paint job doesn't look as perfect.
(NOTE: See pictures below for how I changed the mosaic after a while. My wife and I decided we wanted a different border than the diamond-shaped listellos. See below!)
Tip! Before installing the baseboard over the tile, put down blue painters tape on the floor in a position so the baseboard will be on top of the tape at least 1/4-inch. In other words, install the
tape on the tile about 1/4-inch away from the wall. Then, install the baseboard directly on top of the tape. I then put down a second piece of tape on the floor, overlapping the first piece by a
hair, all around the baseboard to ensure a thick-enough width of tape so I don't slop any paint on the new tile and grout. Paint the baseboard with two coats of your favorite color of high-gloss
paint (use high-gloss for all trim molding). We like Glidden's Pearl Essence, which is white but not pure bright white. Then, when the paint is dry, use a razor-blade knife with a new blade and run
the knife along the edge of the baseboard cutting away the blue tape. Angle the blade slightly so the tip cuts just a hair under the baseboard. As long as you use a fresh sharp blade (i.e., change
the blade after every 30 linear feet of cutting), the blue tape will cut precisely and you won't see the tape that remains under the baseboard. This gives a clean, beautiful finish. I believe putting
the tape down before installing the baseboard and then installing the baseboard on top of the tape results in a more professional look after painting than if you were to install the baseboard first and
then put down the tape adjacent to the edge of the baseboard. The paint job doesn't look as perfect.
In this picture, it's easier to see that the kitchen-transition mosaic is made from old kitchen tile and the new porcelain tile. Again, I love the thick 5.25-inch baseboard. It just makes the whole
project a stunning success. I can't wait for the new kitchen grout to get dirty and match the old kitchen grout! Now let's see the great room with all the furniture, plants, and doodads all put back
in-place.
project a stunning success. I can't wait for the new kitchen grout to get dirty and match the old kitchen grout! Now let's see the great room with all the furniture, plants, and doodads all put back
in-place.
Melissa enjoys watching HGTV and gets all kinds of ideas, which usually results in back-breaking work for me. I already have my next to-do list and at the top of the list is "Replace the old 1980's
ceiling fans in the great room." It seems like every HGTV show has the interior decorator going through an old house saying either, "That 1980's light fixture has got to go," or "That 1980's ceiling
fan has got to go." So, as I sit here working on the computer creating these new pages for my website, Melissa is out shopping for new ceiling fans. LOL. "Yes, dear."
ceiling fans in the great room." It seems like every HGTV show has the interior decorator going through an old house saying either, "That 1980's light fixture has got to go," or "That 1980's ceiling
fan has got to go." So, as I sit here working on the computer creating these new pages for my website, Melissa is out shopping for new ceiling fans. LOL. "Yes, dear."
There's Fred back in his spot on the couch. He owns that old couch. He's so glad everything is back to normal. The "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" chairs are where we plop each night to watch movies.
I couldn't resist showing you the picture with Fred and Jinxi. As noted, they're so happy we're finished and everything is back to normal---me too!
I couldn't resist showing you the picture with Fred and Jinxi. As noted, they're so happy we're finished and everything is back to normal---me too!
I almost forgot to show you the results of cutting the hole for the floor outlet and installing the cover plate. Looks pretty
doggone good, eh? We don't use this outlet, so I installed the top cover over the outlets to close it up. If we ever need to
use it, I'll simply unscrew the screw and lift the top cover to expose the outlets. The other floor outlet is where we plug in our
electrical devices. The one secret I'm reluctant to share with you is how to cut the round hole in the tile just big enough to fit
over the gray PVC pipe in the concrete, yet small enough for the lip of the cover plate to cover it. Remember, this is porcelain
tile, not ceramic, so nippers and a hand saw don't work. How do you think the hole was made? Shoot me an email and see if
you can guess correctly. Maybe someday I'll share with you how it was done, but not this day!
I hope this adventure has inspired you to create some of your own magic and transform your home into something
fresh, new, and beautiful. Remember, everything you've seen here is easy. You can do it. Yes, you can!
doggone good, eh? We don't use this outlet, so I installed the top cover over the outlets to close it up. If we ever need to
use it, I'll simply unscrew the screw and lift the top cover to expose the outlets. The other floor outlet is where we plug in our
electrical devices. The one secret I'm reluctant to share with you is how to cut the round hole in the tile just big enough to fit
over the gray PVC pipe in the concrete, yet small enough for the lip of the cover plate to cover it. Remember, this is porcelain
tile, not ceramic, so nippers and a hand saw don't work. How do you think the hole was made? Shoot me an email and see if
you can guess correctly. Maybe someday I'll share with you how it was done, but not this day!
I hope this adventure has inspired you to create some of your own magic and transform your home into something
fresh, new, and beautiful. Remember, everything you've seen here is easy. You can do it. Yes, you can!
Home | Gallery | Contact | eBook Table of Contents | Sample Chapter 6 | Sample Chapter 7 | Mosaic Tables | Mosaic Floor | Buy Mosaic Supplies | Buy the ebook Now
Home | Gallery | Contact | eBook Table of Contents | Sample Chapter 6 | Sample Chapter 7 | Mosaic Tables | Mosaic Floor | Buy Mosaic Supplies | Buy the ebook Now
Ooops, I did it again! I made another change.
Let this be a lesson for you. If you learn to do this yourself, you can always go back and make changes later if, over time, you find yourself not completely satisfied. The change I made was easy
as pie!
As you can see from the story above, we installed the floor mosaic inlay before re-doing the fireplace hearth with stone. After a while, I'd look at the floor and think, "Hmmm, I wish the border
around that inlay were stone so it matches the stone hearth. That would be cool to transition from the entryway to the fireplace." To be honest, I also thought, "I just don't like that border, it's
too busy or something and it doesn't really go with the rest of the inlay." One day, I decided to mention it to my wife. I was surprised to learn that she thought the same thing. So, I went back
to the tile store and got another box of stone sheets (i.e., 11 sheets per box, which was just enough to do the entire border, so the cost was about only $110).
The following weekend, I pulled out my wet tile saw and cut the sheets into 4-inch-wide pieces. Then, I used my 4-lb hammer (refer to page 1 of this story to see the hammer) and smashed the
existing border to break it up. REMEMBER, always use proper eye protection when breaking tile! Once broken, I used a cold chisel and a regular claw hammer to scrape away all the old tile,
thinset, and grout. When the concrete base was smooth as a baby's bottom, I dry-fitted the new stone pieces around the border to ensure everything fit properly.
Before laying the thinset, I got a piece of scrap 12-inch x 12-inch plywood from the garage and set it to the side. I then used a small-notched trowel to lay the thinset. When using this stone (or
any mosaic sheets), you should use a small-notched trowel; otherwise, the thinset will squish up and get all over the top of the stone, which causes a big mess that you have to hurry and clean
before the thinset sets on the top of the stone and ruins it. (Note: Using small notches instead of large ones reduces the amount of thinset spread on the concrete base, which reduces the
amount of thinset that squishes up when you set the stone into the thinset.) I carefully laid the thinset to not slop onto the adjacent floor tile and gently placed the stone pieces on top of the
thinset. I did NOT press down on the stone pieces to set them into the thinset---I simply laid them gently on top of the thinset. By not pressing the border pieces down into the thinset, the
border pieces stuck up just a bit higher than the adjacent floor tile. Then, I gently placed the plywood so it covered not only the stone border but also the adjacent floor tile. Then, I carefully
stood on top of the plywood. This technique set the stone pieces into the thinset at the exact same height as the adjacent floor tile. Therefore, when walking across the inlay, everything is nice
and even without any areas sticking up higher than other areas. I simply moved the plywood along the border and stood on it so the entire stone border was set into the thinset at the same
height as the adjacent floor tile.
After the thinset dried overnight, I sealed the stone with three coats of sealer that I had leftover from doing the hearth. I used three coats to ensure the stone was completely sealed. (Note:
Sealing the stone prevents the grout from staining the stone.) Then, I mixed some of the leftover grout and spread it over the border. It was okay to slop it onto the adjacent floor tile because
it was the same color grout that I used before. Grouting this small amount of stone was quick and easy.
The result is shown below. I did the whole project in one weekend. We both think the new border goes better with the rest of the inlay, and it looks really nice seeing the stone when you
enter through the front door and then look up and see the same stone used in the fireplace hearth.
Let this be a lesson for you. If you learn to do this yourself, you can always go back and make changes later if, over time, you find yourself not completely satisfied. The change I made was easy
as pie!
As you can see from the story above, we installed the floor mosaic inlay before re-doing the fireplace hearth with stone. After a while, I'd look at the floor and think, "Hmmm, I wish the border
around that inlay were stone so it matches the stone hearth. That would be cool to transition from the entryway to the fireplace." To be honest, I also thought, "I just don't like that border, it's
too busy or something and it doesn't really go with the rest of the inlay." One day, I decided to mention it to my wife. I was surprised to learn that she thought the same thing. So, I went back
to the tile store and got another box of stone sheets (i.e., 11 sheets per box, which was just enough to do the entire border, so the cost was about only $110).
The following weekend, I pulled out my wet tile saw and cut the sheets into 4-inch-wide pieces. Then, I used my 4-lb hammer (refer to page 1 of this story to see the hammer) and smashed the
existing border to break it up. REMEMBER, always use proper eye protection when breaking tile! Once broken, I used a cold chisel and a regular claw hammer to scrape away all the old tile,
thinset, and grout. When the concrete base was smooth as a baby's bottom, I dry-fitted the new stone pieces around the border to ensure everything fit properly.
Before laying the thinset, I got a piece of scrap 12-inch x 12-inch plywood from the garage and set it to the side. I then used a small-notched trowel to lay the thinset. When using this stone (or
any mosaic sheets), you should use a small-notched trowel; otherwise, the thinset will squish up and get all over the top of the stone, which causes a big mess that you have to hurry and clean
before the thinset sets on the top of the stone and ruins it. (Note: Using small notches instead of large ones reduces the amount of thinset spread on the concrete base, which reduces the
amount of thinset that squishes up when you set the stone into the thinset.) I carefully laid the thinset to not slop onto the adjacent floor tile and gently placed the stone pieces on top of the
thinset. I did NOT press down on the stone pieces to set them into the thinset---I simply laid them gently on top of the thinset. By not pressing the border pieces down into the thinset, the
border pieces stuck up just a bit higher than the adjacent floor tile. Then, I gently placed the plywood so it covered not only the stone border but also the adjacent floor tile. Then, I carefully
stood on top of the plywood. This technique set the stone pieces into the thinset at the exact same height as the adjacent floor tile. Therefore, when walking across the inlay, everything is nice
and even without any areas sticking up higher than other areas. I simply moved the plywood along the border and stood on it so the entire stone border was set into the thinset at the same
height as the adjacent floor tile.
After the thinset dried overnight, I sealed the stone with three coats of sealer that I had leftover from doing the hearth. I used three coats to ensure the stone was completely sealed. (Note:
Sealing the stone prevents the grout from staining the stone.) Then, I mixed some of the leftover grout and spread it over the border. It was okay to slop it onto the adjacent floor tile because
it was the same color grout that I used before. Grouting this small amount of stone was quick and easy.
The result is shown below. I did the whole project in one weekend. We both think the new border goes better with the rest of the inlay, and it looks really nice seeing the stone when you
enter through the front door and then look up and see the same stone used in the fireplace hearth.
Before....
After....