Economy Glass Gems JUMBO are dome-shaped lumps of glass with flat bottoms that can be used as tesserae (tile) in craft projects and mixed-media mosaic. They vary in size and shape. The nominal diameter of these MEDIUM gems is 25 to 33mm, which is about 1 to 1.3125 inch. BUT, those are nominal dimensions, and these should not be purchased by people needing gems with exact dimensions or shapes. Sold by the 1/2 pound.
Economy Glass Gems JUMBO
dome-shaped circular lumps with flat bottoms.
Nominally 1 to 1.3125 inch in diameter with variation.
varies in size and circularity.
sold by the 1/2 pound.
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-pound bag of glass gems covers approximately 30+ square inches. 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 dimension and texture, 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.
Morjo™ Metallic Glass Mosaic Tiles 3/4 inch (20mm) are beautifully pigmented glass tiles with sparkling copper streaks and swirls. Some, such as Deep Blue and Purple, also include stunning color streaks. Opacity varies from transparent to completely opaque. Powdered copper infused within the glass gives these tiles their permanent, UV-resistant sparkle. Each 1/2-lb bag contains about 75 tiles. They are durable, frost-proof, and suitable for outdoor mosaics, yet easily cut into halves, quarters, and triangles with little force using a pair of Mosaic Glass Cutters. The grooved embossing on the back improves bond strength.
Morjo™ 3/4-Inch Metallic Glass Mosaic Tiles
Sales unit: 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 pound covers 0.69 square feet, assuming a standard grout spacing of 1/16 inch. Coverage for 1 square foot requires 218 tiles. Note that cutting tiles generates some scrap, so you may want to budget 5% extra.
Compatibility
Our Metallic mosaic glass tile is compatible with our 3/4-inch Morjo™ Vitreous, Lojee-Nojee™, and Morjo™ Iridescent product lines. The 3/4 inch size (20mm) and 1/8 inch nominal thickness (4mm) is industry standard, which means these tiles can mix and match with a wide variety of brands.
Cutting Glass Tile
Though durable enough for outdoor mosaics, this tile cuts easily with minimal force using the mosaic glass cutters. Ordinary tile nippers are not recommended for any type of glass, as they will tend to crush the material rather than yield a precise cut.
Metallic Glass Tile in Mosaic Art
Even as an occasional accent, metallic glass tile will add sparkle, depth and luminosity to any mosaic project. Break up monochromatic color fields with their metallic equivalent, or sprinkle in pieces to add drama to your details.
Rosegold Confetti Glass is a multi-colored assortment of tiny glass shapes, ridiculously tiny, and it is sold in units of 4 ounces. We aren’t quite sure how they will be used by different artists because most all of the pieces are significantly thinner than our regular glass mosaic tile. Glass Confetti could easily be used in jewelry, micro-mosaic, and non-grouted-mosaic projects like gluing it to a picture or mirror frame. Experienced artists could use SOME of the pieces with regular mosaic tile by shimming it up in an indoor project or pressing it into thinset mortar in an outdoor project
Coverage
This is definitely one product that should be thought of more in terms of an accent than a covering. One of the 4-ounce bags could cover about 2 to 4 square inches depending on how densely you spread it.
Compatibility
Beginners shouldn’t purchase this product to use with regular glass mosaic tile because it is thinner, and the pieces are very small. That being said, an experienced artist could use some of the pieces with regular glass mosaic tile by shimming it up in an indoor mosaic or pressing it into thinset mortar.
Safety
The pieces are very small and present a chocking hazard like most mosaic tile. Keep away from small children.
This color of 12mm Iridescent Recycled Glass Mosaic Tile by MORJO Mosaic Tile™ is now being sold loose by the 1/2 pound (approximately 185+ pieces), which covers slightly over 1/3 of a square foot with a standard grout gap of 1/16 inch. Morjo 12mm Iridescent Recycled Glass Mosaic Tile have a glossy finish, and the glass has solid color throughout (and not just on the tops or bottoms), but note that iridescence is a surface treatment fired into the glass.
These wonderful tiles cut cleanly into tiny pieces with minimal waste, and so they are an ideal material for micromosaic artwork. They are hard and durable and UV-resistant and can be used for the exteriors of commercial buildings. The fusing process for making these tiles from powdered recycled glass is referred to as “warm glass” or “enamel glass” or “pate de verre.” Mounting grids are available.
Each 1/2-pound bag of about 185+ tiles covers 1/3 of a square foot assuming a standard grout gap of 1/16 inch. Use our tile estimator to calculate how much you need for your grouted project.
Grout Gap?
Note that dry indoor mosaics do not have to be grouted (and thus you can simply mount the tiles tightly together), but outdoor and wet mosaics must have grout to prevent water from penetrating behind the tiles. The best way to ensure that the gaps between the tiles is to leave a 1/16-inch gap instead of pressing them tightly together, and this point seems counterintuitive to some people. Consider this: you can never mount them so closely together that water can’t penetrate it, but you can accidentally put them so close that grout doesn’t get adequately pressed into the crack during the grouting process.
Compatibility
These tiles have a NOMINAL thickness of 1/8 inch (4mm), which is the same nominal thickness as most of the glass tile we sell, but these run slightly thicker than Elementile and vitreous.
Cutting Morjo 12mm Iridescent Glass Mosaic Tile
The MORJO brand cuts like butter into tiny pieces using a pair of Mosaic Glass Cutters. You can make tiny cubes without a lot slivers or cutting waste. This makes them ideal for micromosaic or rendering small details in larger work.
Use in Mosaic Art
The color palette of the Morjo Recycled Glass Mosaic Tile is rich in hue and tint, and this makes it a professional rendering tool suitable for portaiture and murals. The 12mm (~1/2 inch) size is sufficiently large for conventional applications, but the material cuts very cleanly into small pieces that can be used for micromosaic artwork.
Confetti Glass is a multi-colored assortment of tiny glass shapes, ridiculously tiny, and it is sold in 100 gram (2 ounce) bags. We aren’t quite sure how they will be used by different artists because most all of the pieces are significantly thinner than our regular glass mosaic tile. Glass Confetti could easily be used in jewelry, micro-mosaic, and non-grouted-mosaic projects like gluing it to a picture or mirror frame. Experienced artists could use SOME of the pieces with regular mosaic tile by shimming it up in an indoor project or pressing it into thinset mortar in an outdoor project
Coverage
This is definitely one product that should be thought of more in terms of an accent than a covering. One of the 2-ounce bags could cover about 2 to 4 square inches depending on how densely you spread it.
Compatibility
Beginners shouldn’t purchase this product to use with regular glass mosaic tile because it is thinner, and the pieces are very small. That being said, an experienced artist could use some of the pieces with regular glass mosaic tile by shimming it up in an indoor mosaic or pressing it into thinset mortar.
Safety
The pieces are very small and present a chocking hazard like most mosaic tile. Keep away from small children.
We have a beautiful selection of Youghiogheny brand stained glass in 6-inch square sheets. Use these square sheets to hand cut your own art glass shapes for mosaics. Our selection includes bright, earth tone, transparent, and iridescent varieties, and many types including swirled, streaky, mottled, and textured, for endless possibilities in mosaic applications. Along with High Strike, Stipple, and Reproduction Glass, we also now carry Fusible, Dichroic, Uroboros, Oceana, Granite, Ripple, Modern Art Series, and Textured Streakies all by Youghiogheny.
Youghiogheny stained glass is the highest quality art glass suitable for mosaic artwork currently available on the market. We are very excited to be able to make this premier product available to our customers. Made in the USA.
Stained Glass Surface Finishes
We primarily carry Youghigheny’s High-Strike (HS) and Stipple (SP) glass lines, as indicated in the product number of each variation. Glass labeled RG is Reproduction Glass; these are authentic reproductions of Tiffany stained glass. High-Strike glass is a traditional mottled art glass and looks glossy. Stipple glass is high quality and has a waxy, ice-like effect, with a textured, shiny finish. RG glass usually has a finish that is very similar to the HS glass. The thickness is remarkably uniform at exactly 3 millimeters, which is about 1/8th of an inch.
Stipple Finish Stipple glass has a waxy or ice-like finish. These usually have a degree of translucence to them and are great for use in glass-on-glass mosaics. The surface of the glass has a small amount of texture.
High Strike Finish High Strike glass has a traditional finish, and is usually mostly smooth or glossy. This glass is more likely to be opaque. Reproduction Glass or RG variations usually have the same finish.
Finish Variations in Mosaic Art
The differences in texture and finish between HS, SP, and RG glass shouldn’t cause concern for most mosaic artists. We have used Stipple and High-Strike glass right next to each other in the same projects with spectacular results.
An N in the product number refers to use of neodymium for a strong purple pigment. The letter i refers to iridescence on the face of the glass.
Youghiogheny Stained Glass Sheet 6-Inch
STAINED GLASS VARIES IN COLOR AND PATTERN BY SHEET. Do not order if you cannot tolerate variation.
Sales unit: 6×6-inch square piece
Squares are hand-cut using a straight edge and not always perfectly square.
This is cutting stock for making small mosaic tiles; not intended for use as finished mosaic tile.
Thickness: 3 mm or 1/8th of an inch
Pigments: colorfast metal oxide.
Coverage: 1 sheet covers approximately 1/4 square feet.
frost proof
impervious to liquids
Suitable for indoor and outdoor installation.
NOT suitable for floors. More fragile than glass tile.
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 6-inch square 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
Sheet 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.
Cutting Stained Glass for Mosaics
Stained glass can be cut quickly with minimal force using our Mosaic Glass Cutters. Use this wheeled cutter for irregular rectangle and triangle shapes. For long straight cuts and curved cuts, use the Pistol-Grip Cutter to score the glass, and a pair of Running Pliers to apply pressure and snap it. Finally, you can also use cutting oil to lubricate cutters for more precision.
Use as Cutting Stock vs. Whole Tile
We hand cut these sheets using a straight edge, and so there is variation in size and straightness. We sell these square sheets as cutting stock for making small mosaic tiles, not as single finished tiles. Some sheets may have a rippled edge along one side of the glass – this is the outer edge of the larger sheet we cut into squares. For a finished tile option, see our 3/4-inch Morjo™ Stained Glass Tiles.
Mounting Stained Glass Mosaics
First, before mounting always rinse stained glass with detergent to remove any traces of cutting oil residue. Even if you don’t use cutting oil, it may be present from the manufacturer. For dry indoor mosaics, Weldbond adhesive works well for mounting stained glass. However, for outdoor and wet mosaics, we recommend you use thinset mortar.
Smoothing Sharp Edges
Stained glass often has sharper edges than molded glass mosaic tile when cut. At our studio, we use a marble file or a rubbing stone to knock off any razor edges remaining after cutting.
Safety Notes
We have chosen Youghiogheny stained glass for its beautiful quality and pigment density which makes it suitable for mosaic artwork. However, while it is non-porous and suitable for outdoor mosaic art including benches, tables, and garden décor, it is not recommended for tiling floors. If a mosaic becomes damaged on 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.
Rendering in Mosaic Art
Traditional 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. It is best to stick to one approach or the other for a particular piece of art..
American Made Stained Glass
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.
MiniMAG™ Micro Mosaic Art Glass 4 oz is untumbled shards & pieces of American-made stained glass in colors chosen for pigment density and opacity for use in micro mosaic artwork. We also sell individual colors of American-made stained glass in 6-inch sheets if you need an individual color. Each bag is a random assortment of our most popular colors, in sizes suitable for cutting into micro mosaic tesserae.
Caution: Sharp Edges
Stained glass is usually sharper than regular molded glass mosaic tile, so extra care must be used in cutting and handling and in grouting to ensure that sharp edges are not left exposed. At the studio, we sometimes cut up sheets of stained glass into pieces and then swirl the tiles around in a plastic bucket with a little water to knock off the razor slivers from the freshly-cut edges (called flash or groze).
Product Coverage
Each bag is 4 oz of stained glass shards & pieces. For micro mosaic, coverage will vary heavily depending on how small you are cutting the pieces and how much waste is produced as cutting scraps.
Compatibility
The thickness is approximately 1/8 inch and nominally the same as the 3/8-inch and 3/4-inch glass mosaic tile we sell.
Cutting Tile
MiniMAG™ Micro Mosaic Art Glass can be cut quickly with minimal force using our Mosaic Glass Cutters.
MiniMAG™ Micro Mosaic Art Glass
untumbled with sharp edges.
Piece size: Varies heavily, but most pieces are under 1 inch.
Thickness is nominally 1/8 inch but varies considerably, typically around +/- 1/32 inch.
American made.
Pigments: colorfast metal oxide.
Material: glass with solid color throughout.
Suitable for indoor/outdoor use.
Frost-proof and impermeable to liquid.
Not recommended for floors.
Colors vary by bag, but we keep it colorful with an emphasis on brighter, stronger colors.
Individual Colors Available As 6-Inch Sheets
If you need an individual color instead of an assortment, we also sell 6-inch sheets of American-made stained glass.
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.
Our Beach Glass Alternative is 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of lightly tumbled stained glass scrap straight from the factory. The glass is minimally tumbled to get rid of most of the sharp edges but NOT tumbled enough to frost most of the surface of the glass to make it look like old beach glass. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you are actually using the stuff in a mosaic.
Unlike real beach glass, our beach glass alternative isn’t overly porous and vulnerable to staining by grout. Unlike artificial beach glass made from recycled bottles, our beach glass doesn’t include a lot of pieces too small or too oddly shaped to be used easily in a glue-then-grout mosaic. Instead, our Alternative is mostly flat pieces.
Note that the Beach Glass Alternative does contain some pieces of transparent clear glass and the occasional tile that you might not care to use. We have calculated the price accordingly. Please do not order if that is a problem.
These tumbled shards of stained glass can be cut quickly with minimal force using our Mosaic Glass Cutters. Rubbing Stones and Marble Files can be used to round off sharp points and corners of cut pieces.
Each 2.2-lb bag is approximately 1.5 to 1.8 square feet of glass.
Compatibility
The thickness is approximately 1/8 inch and nominally the same as the 3/8-inch and 3/4-inch glass mosaic tile we sell.
Cutting Tile
Our Beach Glass Alternative can be cut quickly with minimal force using our Mosaic Glass Cutters.
Beach Glass Alternative
tumbled stained glass factory scrap with occasional sharp edges.
Piece size: varies.
Thickness: 1/8 inch.
Coverage: a 2.2-pound bag covers about 1.5 to 1.8 square feet.
Mounting Grid for 22mm (~7/8 inch) Stained Glass Tile is for temporarily mounting patterns of uncut tile to paper for rapid installation using the indirect method. These are not needed for most projects. Most artists use cut tiles or glue each tile directly on the surface they are covering and do not need grids.
These grids come directly from the factory and show various signs of use. They were made by machining blocks of plastic instead of pressed in a mold, so they look home made to be brutally honest, but they work.
Note that these grids were made for 25mm beveled tile, but they work with 22mm (~7/8 inch) tiles with straight (non-beveled) edges. We decided that the grout gap was too small when used with 25mm tile.
Note that the paper we sell is 1.15 square foot, which is larger than these grids but should not pose any problems. (You can always trim away the excess paper after you mount the tiles.)
Mosaic Tile Mounting Grid 22mm
grid size: 12 tiles x 12 tiles.
grid area: 30cm x 30cm (just under 1 square foot).
grout gap: approximately 1/16 inch.
tile size: 22mm (~7/8 inch).
Indirect Method
Mosaic tile can be glued one at a time DIRECTLY to a surface, or you can lay your mosaic out on a temporary surface in what is called the “Indirect Method.” Temporary surfaces can include things like fiberglass mesh, paper, adhesive contact paper or trays filled with lime putty. Our grids were made to work with self-adhesive mounting tape or mounting paper that is glued to the faces of the tiles.
Why Use The Indirect Method
Why would you want to use the Indirect Method? It is easier to lay up your mosaic design at your work table than it is to lay it out on a floor or vertical wall. Also, you can work for days or weeks at your work table laying up the mosaic without tying up the location where the mosaic will actually be installed. Again, none of this is necessary for a beginner laying up a small craft project like a trivet or a mosaic mirror.
Use In Mosaic Art
The following is how to do the indirect method using our grids and mounting paper:
Place glass mosaic tile into the grid face up, filling up the grid with your design.
Dilute water-soluble glue such as Elmer’s Glue with 3 parts water to 1 part glue.
Paint the water soluble glue onto the mounting paper using a small artists paint brush. Use a light coat to avoid wrinkling the paper.
Lay mounting paper onto the face of the tile, careful to avoid wrinkles.
Allow sheet to dry completely and remove from the grid.
Spread thinset mortar or mosaic adhesive on the surface to be mosaiced.
“Butter” the bottom of the sheet of tile with the same mortar or adhesive. Of coarse, you butter the bare glass bottoms of the tile, not the paper.
Press the sheet of tiles into the adhesive-covered surface with the PAPER ON THE OUTSIDE.
Allow the thinset or adhesive to cure for 24 hours.
Mist the paper until it is soaked and peel it off the tiles.
The 298ml (10.1 oz) cartridge of GE Advanced Silicone 2 is intended for use in a caulking gun. It covers up to 20 square feet depending on surface roughness.
GE Advanced Silicone 2 Window and Door adhesive can be used for glass-on-glass mosaics or for doing mosaic artwork on certain metal surfaces such as a mailbox. We do not recommend Weldbond for glass-on-glass mosaic applications because Weldbond will NOT fully cure when placed between two pieces of glass. Silicone will cure properly and remain clear when used to laminate two pieces of glass, and so it is preferred for that application instead of Weldbond.
GE Advanced Silicone 2 Clear Window and Door Formula Adhesive
Dries Clear
Waterproof
Resists Mold
Water resistant in only 30 minutes
Less than 3% VOC by weight
Dry to touch in about 3 hours
Full cure in 24 hours
Product Specifications
Read the manufacturer’s specifications and instructions here.
Advanced Silicone 2 is a clear sealant and adhesive suitable for wet environments. It is a single-component neutral cure silicone suitable for use on a variety of materials including glass, metal, and wood. It dries with some permanent flexibility which makes it suitable for glass-on-glass mosaics and on mosaic mailboxes. It will bind to many metals such as steel and aluminum. Conforms to ASTM C920.
Advanced Silicone 2 should NOT be used underwater such as in a pool or where water exposure will be continuous, such as in an aquarium. These applications should instead use thinset as an adhesive.
Product Coverage
The 298ml (10.1 oz) cartridge of Silicone II covers about 20 square feet IN THEORY. Actual coverage is about 20% less than that for most users doing detailed work, but messy users or coarsely porous substrates could require significantly more glue. The coverage is greatly affected by how neatly you work and how thick you apply the adhesive.
Use In Mosaic Art
We recommend silicone for glass-on-glass mosaic applications, and for mosaics on top of metal surfaces, such as a mailbox. For most indoor mosaic applications on wood or cement board where no water exposure is expected we instead recommend you use Weldbond.
Limitations
Not for Submerged Applications
Silicone is water-proof when fully cured, but it should not be used where permanent exposure to water is expected, such as in a pool. Mosaics in wet locations such as pools and fountains should be made with thinset bonding mortar (a type of sticky concrete) instead of adhesive.
Other Limitations
Silicone is messier than Weldbond and is harder to work with for this reason. Always have extra rags or paper towels on hand. When using the 298ml (10.1 oz) caulking gun tubes we recommend using a caulking gun with a quick tension release lever on the handle. We carry this product because it fulfills two use cases where Weldbond is unsuitable — glass on glass mosaics and mosaics on metal surfaces.
Silicone should not be used with small children, as it can be harmful when swallowed. We can NOT recommend it be used in a project with participants who are not yet high school age.
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.
