MORJO™ Thinny-Pennies™ 12mm are recycled glass penny round tiles. These flat circular mosaic tiles have a smooth and glossy finish and solid opaque color throughout. Each 1/2-pound bag contains approximately 230 tiles. This amount of tile covers slightly over 1/3 of a square foot (about 49 square inches) with a standard grout gap of 1/16 inch.
Thinny Pennies have the same thickness as regular glass mosaic tile (4mm or 1/8 inch). Unlike glass gems, another common round tile, pennies have a flat and even surface rather than puffed. This makes them much easier to use with other types of glass tile and easier to grout. Our old-version small and large penny rounds have a puffed or “fat” surface.
Recycled glass is a homogenous material made by fusing powdered glass. It has solid and consistent color all the way through and cuts cleanly and predictably using the Wheel-bladed Mosaic Glass Cutter. Hard, durable, and UV-resistant, it is suitable for commercial exteriors and murals.
Rough Bottoms for Improved Bonding
The bottoms of these tiles are left intentionally rough and chalky from manufacturing for better bonding strength. Rough, scratched, or etched glass bonds more effectively than embossed ridges. Also, while embossed ridges can interfere with cutting, rough bottoms allow smooth controlled cutting.
Each 1/2-pound bag of about 230 tiles covers slightly over 1/3 of a square foot (49 square inches) assuming a standard grout gap of 1/16 inch.
Grout Gap?
Note that dry indoor mosaics do not require grouting, and so for those you can simply mount the tiles tightly together. On the other hand, wet and outdoor mosaics must have grout to prevent water from penetrating behind the tiles. For those, leaving a 1/16-inch gap allows enough grout to adhere between the tiles.
Compatibility
Like most of the glass tile we sell, flat penny rounds have a nominal thickness of 1/8 inch (4mm).
Cutting Recycled Glass Thinny-Pennies™
Recycled glass penny tiles cut easily and efficiently using the Mosaic Glass Cutters.
Round Tile in Mosaic Art
Use penny round tiles to create dotted patterns, curves, flower shapes, and more. Arrange whole pennies or circular segments into swirls, waves and spirals. Small pieces can be the key to rounded details.
How To Make Mosaics
For more advice on making mosaic art, please see our Mosaic FAQ page, our How To Mosaic blog, or our Mosaic Information Guide.
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MORJO™ Recycled Glass TRIANGLE Tiles by MORJO™ are sold loose by the 1/2 pound (approximately 115+ pieces). This covers slightly over 1/3 of a square foot with a standard grout gap of 1/16 inch. These 20mm triangle-shaped tiles have a glossy finish and solid opaque color throughout (and not just on the tops or bottoms).
WARNING: Morjo™ Recycled Glass Triangle vs. Square COLOR NAMES
While Morjo Triangle Tiles use the same color names as the Recycled Glass square tiles, the Triangle tile colors are not the same for the current batch of Yellow and the Cyan Blues. Compare product photos for reference. Triangle Yellow is a little greenish, and the Triangle Spring Green Light is almost a yellow. The Triangle Cyan Blues have hues that lean more pewter than the squares. Other Triangle colors (with less difficult pigments) are spot on. Slight batch variations can always impact matching exactly with square tile colors. Do not assume exact matches.
About Recycled Glass Mosaic Tile
Recycled glass is a homogeneous material with even and consistent solid color throughout. It cuts cleanly and predictably using the Wheel-bladed Mosaic Glass Cutter. Hard, durable, and UV-resistant, it is suitable for commercial building exteriors and other architectural applications. The fusing process for making these tiles from powdered recycled glass is referred to as “warm glass” or “enamel glass” or “pate de verre.”
Each 1/2-pound bag of about 115+ tiles covers a little over 1/3 of a square foot assuming a standard grout gap of 1/16 inch.
Compatibility
Triangle tiles have a NOMINAL thickness of 1/8 inch (4mm), which is the same nominal thickness as most of the glass tile we sell. All tile varies by batch, but any variance in thickness should be irrelevant to most users. You can use these with other brands of recycled glass and even vitreous glass.
Cutting Recycled Glass Triangle Tile
Recycled glass cuts like butter using the Mosaic Glass Cutters without creating a lot of slivers or cutting waste. This makes them ideal for micromosaic or rendering small details in larger work.
Triangle Tiles in Mosaic Art
Triangle tiles can add playful variety, vivid solid color, and uniform angles to your mosaic. For other recycled glass mosaic shapes, see our circular Penny Rounds.
Microfiber Hazing Cloth is a microfiber polyester terry cloth 18 inches x 18 inches that is excellent for removing grout haze at the end of the grouting process and polishing finished mosaics. These are also great for washing and waxing cars and other household cleaning tasks, but they are a little sturdier than most of the microfiber cloths sold for those purposes. The reason is simple: grouting is tough work and harder on cloths than waxing automobiles.
Microfiber Hazing Cloth
microfiber polyester terry cloth
18 inches x 18 inches
Grouting Tips
Grouting outdoors is best, especially some place you can run a water hose and don’t mind a little sand and residue being rinsed. Excess grout can kill grass or plants, so scoop up what you can and wash away what is left.
Grout and concrete harden by BINDING water not by drying out. If you let grout or concrete dry out while it is curing, then it will be soft and crumbly. This also happens if you did not add enough water to the grout when you mixed it up. Cover your mosaic with plastic if you are grouting in strong heat, sunlight, air conditioning, wind, or any other condition that accelerates drying.
Make sure you rinse all the water out of your sponge so that it is moist but not leaving drips of water when you rub it on the mosaic. You do not want to get drips of water in the grout in the gaps when you are rubbing the residue off the faces of the tile.
Do not pour left over grout or grout sludge down plumbing or drains. Grout is concrete and can harden under water. Even sand can clog drains. Instead, pour your grout and grout water into an old plastic container. After it hardens, you can pour off the water and dispose what is left as solid waste.
We use traditional grouts and NOT the new epoxy-grouts, and all our advice is written for traditional grout. If you use the new epoxy-base products, then make sure you read manufacturer recommendations for safety and disposal.
Safety
Always wear safety glasses with side shields when mixing and applying grout. Grouting is a physical process with lots of mixing and rubbing and wiping, and these motions cause pieces of sand and grit to fly unexpectedly.
Grout is mildly caustic and can irritate skin, sometimes severely if you have sensitive skin. The sand and rubbing required in grouting aggravate the problem. Wear heavy-duty rubber gloves while grouting to protect your skin.
Grout contains powdered silica (sand) and is slightly caustic due to the lime it contains. Avoid breathing the dust. Wear an ordinary dust mask rated N95 when mixing or use a misting water bottle to avoid creating dust.
How To Make Mosaics
For more advice on designing your mosaic project or mounting, cutting, and grouting tile, please see our page of Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions or our Mosaic Information Guide, which lists instructional pages described by topic. We also post new articles about making mosaics at our How to Mosaic Blog.
Youghiogheny Y96 Fusible Stained Glass stained glass is affordable and can be used in mosaic art or fusing and slumping projects with 96 COE glass. Our selection of solid colors is ideal for use in mosaic artwork on opaque backing surfaces. Made in the USA.
Y96 Fusible Stained Glass is sold in 6-inch sheets like the rest of our stained glass. Some sheets will have a rippled end along one side of the glass. The thickness is remarkably uniform at exactly 3 millimeters, which is about 1/8th of an inch.
COE 96
Y96 Fusible Stained Glass uses standard COE 96 fusing schedules available online.
The glass is tested using a dilatometer and examined with a polariscope to ensure it meets the set standard.
This glass can of course also be used in regular stained glass mosaic artwork. There is no requirement that it must be fired and fused; the glass is already beautiful.
Firing Schedule
The manufacturer specifies the following guidelines.
Full Fuse • From room temp to 1000F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 10 minutes • From 1000F to 1250F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 20 minutes • From 1250F to 1425F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 15 minutes • Crash from 1425F to 950F, hold 60 minutes • From 950F to 800F at 200 degrees per hour, hold 10 minutes • From 800F to 150F at 300 degrees per hour • Natural cooling to room temperature Please adjust hold times for the size of your project. Remember, this is only a guide.
Tack Fuse • From room temp to 1000F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 10 minutes • From 1000F to 1250F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 20 minutes • From 1250F to 1350F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 10 minutes • From 1350F to 950F AFAP, hold for 60 mins • From 950F to 800F at 200 degrees per hour, hold 10 minutes • From 800F to 150F at 300 degrees per hour • Natural cooling to room temperature Please adjust hold times for the size of your project. Remember, this is only a guide.
Slump Fuse • From room temp to 1000F at 300 degrees per hour, hold 30 minutes • From 1000F to 1225F**** at 200 degrees per hour, hold 10 minutes • From 1225F**** to 950F fairly quickly, hold for 60 mins • From 950F to 800F at 200 degrees per hour, hold 30 minutes • From 800F to 150F at 300 degrees per hour • Natural cooling to room temperature
Please adjust hold times for the size of your project. Remember, this is only a guide.
REQUIRES EYE CONTACT — REMEMBER THIS IS ONLY A GUIDE
NOT suitable for floors. More fragile than glass tile.
Stained glass can be cut into small irregular tiles quickly and easily with our Mosaic Glass Cutter, but for long straight strips and square tiles and curved shapes, you can use the Pistol-Grip Cutter and Running Pliers. Stained glass can have sharper edges than regular molded glass mosaic tile, so care must be used in cutting, handling, and grouting. Stained glass varies in color and pattern by sheet. Do not order if you cannot tolerate variation.
Product Coverage
Each sheet covers approximately 1/4 square feet when uncut. When you cut it up, you will gain additional coverage from the grout gap, but you will also lose some coverage in the form of cutting waste.
Compatibility
Tile thickness is 3mm or approximately 1/8 inch, which is NOMINALLY the same as most of the glass mosaic tile we sell. That being said, mixed-media mosaics and even mosaic table tops are routinely made from dissimilar materials with even greater differences in thickness.
With fusing and slumping projects this glass should only be used with other COE 96 glass.
Cutting Tile
Stained glass and glass tile can be cut quickly with minimal force using our Mosaic Glass Cutters, and that is the tool we use in our studio to cut irregular rectangle and triangle shapes for use in our mosaics. For long straight cuts and curved cuts, the Pistol-Grip Cutter should be used to score the glass, and a pair of Running Pliers should be used to snap it.
Use In Mosaic Art
Stained Glass is non-porous and can be used outdoors, but we don’t recommend it for flooring. We don’t recommend buying these sheets for use as 6 inch tile either. The sheets are cut by hand using a straight edge, and so there is variation in size and the straightness of the cut. We sell the sheet as material for cutting into small mosaic tiles, not as a single finished tile.
Stained glass is made for use in decorative windows and not as tiling. We have thought long and hard about what the safety and usage implications are of using stained glass for tile, and there is one issue that seems particularly important: If a mosaic becomes damaged where there is sharp broken broken glass mounted to a surface where it could cut someone, then use the fine edge of a marble file to smooth the edge until you can replace the tile. This also applies to mosaics made with molded tile.
For dry indoor mosaics, stained glass can be mounted using Weldbond adhesive, but thinset mortar should be used for outdoor and wet mosaics. In either case, stained glass should be rinsed with detergent to remove any traces of cutting oil.
Rendering With Tiles
Stained glass art often makes use of custom-cut pieces that define entire figures or components. In mosaic art, the approach is different: figures and components are almost always built up from multiple tiles unless the object in question is particularly small. These two modes of rendering images are different aesthetically, and they aren’t compatible. From the years of customer artwork that we have reviewed, we have noticed that it is best to stick to one approach or the other for a particular piece of art and not combine them. Think of it this way: If most of your mosaic is made from individual tiles where no individual tile is a hand or face or tree, it can look strange to have one individual hand, face, or tree that is all one piece cut from a sheet of stained glass.
Smoothing Sharp Edges
Stained glass often has sharper edges than molded glass mosaic tile when cut. At our studio, we use the fine edge of a marble file or a rubbing stone to knock off any razor edges remaining after cutting.
American Made
Youghiogheny stained glass is made in Connellsville, Pennsylvania on the Youghiogheny River. This is quite possibly the most beautiful glass made in the world, including Italy. This is a great opportunity to buy an American-made product and support high labor and environmental standards at a price that is competitive with molded glass tile made in China.
How To Make Mosaic Art
For more advice on designing your mosaic project or mounting, cutting, and grouting tile, please see our page of Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions or our Mosaic Information Guide, which lists instructional pages described by topic. We also post new articles about making mosaics at our How to Mosaic Blog.
Diamond Hole Saw 8mm (5/16 inch) can be used with an ordinary drill to cut holes in mosaic tile, glass, metal, and ceramic.
Product Specifications
5/16-inch diameter
fits ordinary drill
steel cutting edge impregnated with diamond dust
for drilling mosaic tile, glass, ceramics, and metals
Safety
Always wear safety glasses with side shields when drilling materials or using power tools, especially rotary tools. An ordinary Dust Mask rated N95 should be worn when creating dusts from construction materials.
How To Make Mosaics
For more advice on designing your mosaic project or mounting, cutting, and grouting tile, please see our page of Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions or our Mosaic Information Guide, which lists instructional pages described by topic. We also post new articles about making mosaics at our How to Mosaic Blog.
Stainless-Steel Notched Trowel for Thinset is has a spreading area of 11 inches x 4.5 inches and notches sized 3/16 inch wide x 5/32 inch deep. The notched edge is used to spread the thinset in rows, which is how you make sure thinset is applied in the right quantity. It is how you measure the thinset. The smooth edge of the trowel is used to “back-butter” the bottom of the sheet of tile with a thin layer of thinset. This ensures thorough bonding. To prevent thinset from filling the grout gaps during the back buttering process, you can lay the sheet upside down on a flat surface and fill the gaps with sand before buttering.
Usage
Here are some important pointers for using the Notched Trowel to spread thinset for glass mosaic tile:
Don’t spread more thinset than you can tile in less than 15 minutes. Use a humidifier if you are working in a sunny or intense heat or AC.
Sometimes thinset squeezes up between the tiles. For this reason, installers sometimes use the same color grout as thinset or use thinset for the grout. It depends on the manufacturer recommendations. Although Versabond does not recommend their product for grouting, we frequently use it for that purpose on found-object mosaics which are difficult to grout, and have not noticed a problem with weathering on outdoor mosaics. That being said, stick to grout for grouting when making architectural mosaics.
Make sure that sheets of tile are aligned and square with each other.
Make sure that the grout gap between sheets of tile is the same with as the grout gap used in the sheets.
Use a block of wood to press and pound gently on the sheet of tile. This process is called “leveling” and ensure that each tile is pressed to the backer and that no bubbles or voids are underneath any tiles.
We wait 24 to 48 hours to soak off mounting paper because we want to avoid disturbing the thinset as it hardens. Professional installers remove mounting paper in about 20 minutes because they want to see and fix any mistakes as soon as possible. If you remove the paper that soon, you must do it carefully and gently. Pat the paper with a damp sponge gently. Avoid causing drips of water to run down the mosaic. Make sure that the sponge isn’t fully saturated with water. You want to get the paper wet without getting any water on the thinset. After 2 or 3 minutes, the paper should turn dark brown as it absorbs the water, and you can peel it off.
Stainless-Steel Notched Trowel for Thinset
Product Specifications:
material: stainless steel.
spreading area: 11 inches x 4.5 inches.
notch size: 3/16 inch wide x 5/32 inch deep.
polymer comfort-grip handle.
How To Make Mosaics
For more advice on designing your mosaic project or mounting, cutting, and grouting tile, please see our page of Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions or our Mosaic Information Guide, which lists instructional pages described by topic. We also post new articles about making mosaics at our How to Mosaic Blog.
Stainess-Steel Ruler With Clip is graduated in INCHES and MILLIMETERS. It is 6 inch x 0.5 inch in size and has a sliding “pocket” clip. This clip is best used to hold the ruler to pad of paper. We recommend that you NOT put sharp steel tools in your shirt pocket for the following reasons:
It is not the 1960s.
It destroys clothing.
It destroys clothing even if you go total nerd with a pocket protector.
It’s dangerous.
Even engineers look stupid when they impale themselves.
Why You Need This
A stainless steel ruler and fine-tip permanent marker make it MUCH easier to cut the size and shape you need.
Usage Tip
Avoid trying to trim down a slightly incorrect piece to an exact dimension. Instead, mark and cut a larger piece or whole tile. If necessary, cut up several tiles to the size and shape you need, and use the best piece. That is always more efficient than trying to shave off a sliver from a piece that was cut slightly too large.
Stainess-Steel Ruler With Clip
Product Specifications:
stainless steel.
graduated in INCHES and MILLIMETERS.
sliding clip.
6 inch x 0.5 inch in size.
How To Make Mosaics
For more advice on designing your mosaic project or mounting, cutting, and grouting tile, please see our page of Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions or our Mosaic Information Guide, which lists instructional pages described by topic. We also post new articles about making mosaics at our How to Mosaic Blog.
Economy Glass Gems Medium are dome-shaped lumps of colored glass with flat bottoms that can be used as tesserae (tile) in craft projects and mixed-media mosaic. Their shapes are NOT always uniformly circular but are sometimes slightly elliptical. The diameters vary by color and can run anywhere from larger than 1/2 inch to smaller than 3/4 inch depending on the batch. See pictures. Sold by the 1/2 pound.
Economy Glass Gems Medium
dome-shaped circular lumps with flat bottoms.
size can run anywhere from larger than 1/2 inch to smaller than 3/4 inch. See pics.
varies in size and circularity.
sold by the 1/2 pound.
piece count varies. maybe 50+ as an estimate.
Product Variation
These gems are circular domes of glass, but they vary in size and exact shape. Please do NOT purchase these if you need tightly controlled shapes or sizes. Also, the glass is not optical quality and contains occasional bubbles. We sell these for use as mosaic tile, not covers for photo refrigerator magnets, etc.
Product Coverage
A 1/2-pound bag of glass gems covers approximately 25 square inches, possibly as much as 36 square inches or 1/4 square foot. Glass gems are better used as accents than area coverage because they are circular and can nest together only so tightly. There will always be a larger than desired gap at the juncture between multiple gems.
Compatibility
Glass gems are thicker than most types of glass mosaic tile, which is usually ~1/8 inch thick. The glass gems are about ~3/16 inch thick, but that is approximate and not tightly controlled. The reason to use something like glass gems is precisely BECAUSE you want something that sticks out slightly above the surface of the ordinary tile. This gives the otherwise flat surface of the mosaic an element of texture and dimension, something that can be felt with the hand.
Cutting
Cutting glass gems leaves a sharp edge on an otherwise rounded shape, and for this reason it isn’t commonly done. The sharp edge can be smoothed using the fine side of a marble file, but that only removes the safety issue. Visually, the cut edge will still be sharp compared to the other part of the gem. If you do need to cut the gems, use a mosaic glass cutter.
Use In Mosaic Art
The tops of the glass gems are dome shaped instead of flat surfaces, and this has significant implications for the grouting process. When grouting a mosaic made from glass gems, many novices fail to remove enough grout, leaving most of the glass gem covered. The result is that the finished mosaic appears to be mostly grout with just a little bit of glass peeking out. You have to use your fingertips to remove the grout covering the edges of the gems and make sure that you expose more than just the very tops of the domes.
How To Make Mosaic Art
For more advice on designing your mosaic project or mounting, cutting, and grouting tile, please see our page of Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions or our Mosaic Information Guide, which lists instructional pages described by topic. We also post new articles about making mosaics at our How to Mosaic Blog.
Sample Board Morjo™ THIN Stained Glass Mosaic Tiles 3/4 Inch comes with one of each tile in our color palette in the 3/4 inch (20mm) size. Here is more information about the tiles and how they are used:
Morjo™ THIN Stained Glass Mosaic Tiles 3/4 inch (20mm) are sold by the 1/2 pound, which is approximately 85 tiles. The nominal thickness is thinner than most of the glass tile we sell, but we have used these mixed with them with no problem.
Morjo™ Stained Glass Tile 20mm
Price is for 8 ounces of loose tiles.
Each tile is 20mm x 20mm (~3/4 inch x 3/4 inch).
Pigments: colorfast metal oxide.
Solid color throughout.
Coverage: one bag will cover approximately 0.42 square feet when using a standard grout gap of 1/16 inch.
Thickness: nominally 2.88mm, which is about 35% thinner than vitreous glass tile, but appears to be over 3mm.
Suitable for indoor and outdoor installation.
NOT suitable for floors.
Product Coverage
Each bag covers about 0.42 square feet when mounted with a standard grout spacing on approximately 1/16 inch. Use our tile estimator to calculate how much you need for your project.
Compatibility
Tile thickness is nominally 2.88 mm, which is about 35% thinner than most of the glass mosaic tile we sell, but the actual thickness is probably running more than 3mm. Mixed-media mosaics and even mosaic table tops are routinely made from dissimilar materials with even greater differences in thickness. It makes grouting a little more work but not too difficult, and it is a great way to add texture and visual interest to a mosaic.
Cutting Tile
This tile can be cut with minimal force using the Mosaic Glass Cutters that we sell.
Mounting Stained Glass Tiles
For dry indoor mosaics, stained glass can be mounted using Weldbond adhesive, but thinset mortar should be used for outdoor and wet mosaics.
Use in Mosaic Art
Using different materials in mixed-media mosaic is a great way to add texture, dimension, and visual interest.
Not For Floors
Morjo™Stained Glass Mosaic Tiles 3/4 inch is non-porous and can be used outdoors, but we don’t recommend it for flooring.
How To Make Mosaic Art
For more advice on designing your mosaic project or mounting, cutting, and grouting tile, please see our page of Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions or our Mosaic Information Guide, which lists instructional pages described by topic. We also post new articles about making mosaics at our How to Mosaic Blog.
Sample Board Morjo™ Metallic Glass Mosaic Tiles 3/4 Inch comes with one of each tile in our color palette in the 3/4 inch (20mm) size. Here is more information about the tiles and how they are used:
Morjo™ Metallic Glass Mosaic Tiles have powdered copper swirled inside the molten glass for a permanent sparkle. Sold by the 1/2 pound (approximately 75+ pieces). These tiles are frost proof and can be used outdoors, yet they can be cut into halves, quarters, and triangles with little force using a pair of Mosaic Glass Cutters. The backs of the tiles are embossed with grooves for improved bond strength.
Morjo™ 3/4-Inch Metallic Glass Mosaic Tiles
Price is per 1/2 pound (roughly 75+ tiles).
Tile dimensions: 3/4 inch x 3/4 inch (20mm x 20mm).
Tile thickness: 4mm (1/8 inch nominal).
Material: glass with metallic copper dust swirled inside the glass.
Coverage: each 1/2 pound covers 0.35 square feet.
Coverage: 218 loose tiles cover 1 sq ft. with grout spacing of 1/16 inch.
Frost-proof, impervious to liquid.
Suitable for indoor/outdoor use.
Product Coverage
Each 1/2 pound covers 0.35 square feet assuming a standard grout spacing of 1/16 inch. To cover 1 square foot, 218 tiles are required. Note that cutting tiles generates some scrap, so you may want to budget 5% extra. You can use our tile estimator to help calculate how much you need for your project.
Compatibility
The 3/4 inch size (20mm) and 1/8 inch nominal thickness (4mm) is an industry standard, which means these tiles can be used with a wide variety of brands.
Cutting Tile
Cuts easily with minimal force using the mosaic glass cutters. Ordinary tile nippers are not recommended for any type of glass.
Use in Mosaic Art
Metallic glass tile can be used to literally add sparkle and break up monotonous color fields. Monotonous color fields made from one tile color are boring and not nearly as interesting as color fields made from several related hues or even shades
of the same hue. The occasional metallic glass tile can also be added for sparkle and visual interest.
Sample Board Morjo™ THIN Stained Glass Mosaic Tiles 3/4 Inch comes with one of each tile in our color palette in the 3/4 inch (20mm) size. Here is more information about the tiles and how they are used:
Morjo™ THIN Stained Glass Mosaic Tiles 3/4 inch (20mm) are sold by the 1/2 pound, which is approximately 85 tiles. The nominal thickness is thinner than most of the glass tile we sell, but we have used these mixed with them with no problem.
