Polished Porcelain Mosaic Tile 15mm

Polished Porcelain Mosaic Tile 15mm are 4mm thick, the same nominal thickness as most of our glass tile. They are 15mm (roughly 5/8 inch) on each side and sold loose in bags of 1/2 pound, which is approximately 130 pieces. These are fine porcelain with solid color throughout. The tops are mechanically polished (buffed) but not glazed. They can be cut with our Compound Tile Nipper, and we recommend smoothing cuts in hard materials using the fine side of a marble file. These tiles and very hard and durable. Please note, the polished surfaces still have small incidental pits that can be stained with grout and colorants.

Grout Staining in Pits

Note that the polished surfaces still have small incidental pits that can be stained with grout. This isn’t a problem for our projects, and we have simply ignored the issue in our art. Do not order if this is a problem for your project.

Never Install Tile in Batches

Tile varies by manufacturer batch, and sometimes a color will go out of stock for an extended period if the manufacturer isn’t making it. You should never install tile before you are sure that you have all the tile you need. You could attempt to order more and find that the manufacturer has changed the color or discontinued it.

Product Coverage

Some colors are sold loose in 1/2-kg bags of approximately XXX tiles. Assuming a standard grout gap of approximately 1/16 inch, a bag of 1/2 pound will cover 55 square inches or 0.4 square feet. To cover 1 square foot, you will need about 3 bags. Use our tile estimator to calculate how much you need for your project.

Compatibility

The Polished Porcelain Tiles are 4mm thick, the same nominal thickness of most of our glass tile. They also have a glossy finish similar to glass.

Cutting Porcelain Tile

Polished Porcelain Mosaic Tile 15mm is not soft like most glazed ceramic tile. Porcelain is extremely hard, but it can be cut. Our Compound Tile Nipper is the recommended tool for hard materials like stone and porcelain. A Marble File is also required for smoothing the edges of cuts and shaping the pieces. Exposed sharp edges should be rounded with the file for safety reasons.

Polished Porcelain Mosaic Tile 15mm

sold by 1/2 pound, which is approximately 130 pieces.
fine porcelain with solid color throughout.
crisp edges, which more naturally matches cut edges.
Each tile is 15 mm x 15 mm x 8 mm thick (approximately 9/16 inch x 9/16 inch x 5/16 inch)
Coverage: 1/2 pound will cover 0.4 square feet when using a standard grout gap of approximately 1/16 inch.
Frost-proof, impervious to liquid.
Suitable for indoor or outdoor use.

IMPORTANT INSTALLATION TIPS

For architectural installations, the manufacturer recommends that the porcelain tile be installed with a latex-modified thin set mortar instead of glue. For dry indoor mosaics, we use Weldbond glue.

Porcelain is essentially non-porous and impervious to moisture, and so it is supposedly not stained by grouting, but we have noticed discrete pits and divots in the surface of the tile that can be filled with grout. For this reason, we recommend using GROUT RELEASE (from a building materials store) on the mosaic before grouting:

Mount the tiles to the surface to be covered.
Use a rag or small artists paint brush to apply GROUT RELEASE to the face of the tiles.
Take care not to drip excess GROUT RELEASE in between the tiles or down the sides of the tiles or any place grout will need to bond.

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.

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Sample Boards Morjo™ Vitreous Glass Tile 3/4 Inch

Sample Boards for Morjo™ Glass Tile 20mm (3/4 inch) is a dated sample set from our current inventory. The samples for this product line are mounted on two boards.

Sample Boards

Sample boards should be used wisely with the understanding that all tile can vary by manufacturer batch, even the most expensive brands. This is because tile is fired in a kiln, and that process is more difficult to control than mixing paint, and so there can be differences in shade or hue. Feel free to contact us if you need to know if a color has changed since you ordered your sample board.

Morjo™ 3/4-Inch Vitreous Glass Mosaic Tile

3/4-inch vitreous glass mosaic tiles by Morjo™ are sold loose in bags of 1/2 kg (1.1 pound), which is about 165 tiles. Like all Morjo Mosaic Tile products, these vitreous tiles are affordable yet suitable for fine art. They are UV resistant and factory certified for commercial exteriors, swimming pools, backsplashes, showers, murals, as well as art-&-craft projects like mosaic stepping stones. The backs of these glass mosaic tiles are embossed with ridges to help the cement or adhesive bond more securely. Mounting grids are available.

Tile Specs

tile size: 3/4 inch (20mm)
thickness: 1/8 nominal (4mm)
sales unit: 1.1-pounds (approximately 165 tiles)
material: glass
variety: vitreous
pigments: colorfast, UV resistant
durability: frost-proof, impervious to liquid
usage: suitable for indoor and outdoor use

Coverage

With a standard grout gap of approximately 1/16 inch, one bag of approximately 165 tiles will cover 0.76 square feet. Approximately 218 loose tiles are needed to cover 1 square foot. You can also use our tile estimator to calculate how much you need for your project.

Compatibility

Tile thickness is 1/8 inch nominal, the same as most of the glass mosaic tile we sell, which means that these can be used with other types and brands. There are smaller 10mm versions of Morjo™ Vitreous available, and many of the color names are the same, but do not assume that they will match exactly because our current inventory of each size often comes from different manufacturer batches.

Cutting Morjo 3/4-Inch Vitreous

We recommend using the wheel-blade Mosaic Glass Cutter we sell to cut all types of glass mosaic tile including vitreous. (Regular tile nippers are for ceramic tile, and they tend to crush glass tile.)

Use in Mosaic Art

Vitreous glass is sometimes thought of as an architectural surface covering not suitable for rendering images of any sophistication, mostly because of the limited color palette. That is not true. Mosaic is an exercise in using a limited color palette. The exact hue or shade an artist would prefer to use is often not available, even in premium lines of tile, and so the solution is to use approximate colors cut into smaller pieces and positioned together so that they blend visually. For example, if the exact shade of cyan blue is not available, try using a shade slightly lighter and a shade slightly darker in a field of small pieces mixed together. If this seems daunting, then spend some time browsing pictures of ancient Greek and Roman mosaic and note what sophisticated designs they were able to create with about seven or eight distinct colors. Modern vitreous glass is a rainbow of intense colors by comparison. Also keep in mind that simplifying your design to use a more limited color palette is an opportunity to make the design stronger and more iconic.

How To Make Mosaics

For more advice on designing your mosaic project or cutting and grouting tile, please see our Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions page or our How To Mosaic blog or our Mosaic Information Guide.

Yellow Cathedral Transparent K38-282R-PP

This glass is too transparent for normal mosaic use, but might work great in other stained glass projects!

This glass came to us much too transparent for use in most mosaics, so we are putting it on clearance. Our loss, your gain!

Read details concerning our stained glass products below, but keep in mind that this stained glass is almost completely transparent.

Stained Glass Sheet 6-Inch

STAINED GLASS VARIES IN COLOR AND PATTERN BY SHEET. Do not order if you cannot tolerate variation.
Price is for one sheet of stained glass nominally 6 inch x 6 inch
Sheets are cut by hand using a straight edge and are not always perfectly square.
Sheets are cutting stock for making small mosaic tile and are not sold as finished mosaic tile.
Thickness: nominally 1/8 inch with variation usually around +/- 1/32 inch.
Pigments: colorfast metal oxide.
Coverage: 1 sheet covers approximately 1/4 square feet.
Cuts relatively easily with Mosaic Glass Cutters.
frost proof
impervious to liquids
Suitable for indoor and outdoor installation.
NOT suitable for floors. More fragile than glass tile.

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 approximately 1/8 inch, which is NOMINALLY the same as most of the glass mosaic tile we sell, but stained glass tends to run a little bit thinner than the vitreous and is more variable in thickness. That being said, mixed-media mosaics and even mosaic table tops are routinely made from dissimilar materials with even greater differences in thickness.

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

Our stained glass is made in America by several manufacturers (Armstrong, Kokomo, Spectrum and Wissmach) and is some of the most beautiful art glass made anywhere in the world, including Italy. Here is a great opportunity to buy American-made products and support high labor standards and high environmental standards. Furthermore, you can do it without sacrificing selection or quality, AND THE PRICE IS COMPETITIVE WITH THAT OF MOLDED GLASS TILE MADE IN CHINA.

How To Make Mosaic Art

Morjo ™ 12mm Recycled Glass Mosaic Tile LOOSE 1/2 LB

This color of 12mm Recycled Glass Mosaic Tile by MORJO ^™ 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. These tiles have a glossy finish, and the glass has solid color throughout (and not just on the tops or bottoms.) They are opaque when mounted on an opaque surface.

Morjo 12mm Recycled Glass Mosaic Tile cut cleanly into tiny pieces with minimal waste, because of this they are an ideal material for micromosaic artwork. They are hard, durable and UV-resistant. Because of this they 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.

Morjo 1/2-Inch Recycled Glass Mosaic Tile

tile size: ~1/2 inch (12mm)
thickness: 1/8 nominal (4mm)
sales unit: 1/2 pound loose tile (about 185+ pieces).
material: glass
variety: recycled glass
pigments: colorfast, UV resistant
durability: frost-proof, impervious to liquid
usage: suitable for indoor and outdoor use

Coverage

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. 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, although the graininess of some vitreous colors might not look good when combined with the homogeneous glassiness of recycled glass tiles.

Cutting Morjo 12mm 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.

How To Make Mosaics

For more advice on designing your mosaic project or cutting and grouting tile, please see our Mosaic Frequently Asked Questions page or our How To Mosaic blog or our Mosaic Information Guide.

Soft Glass Shapes

Soft Glass Shapes are clear glass shapes with rounded tops and flat bottoms fired with opaque colored enamel. They are sold by the 1/2 pound, which is about 160+ pieces, unless a batch is running slightly thicker than normal. The thickness is about 3/16 inch ( ~5mm ) , with slight variation. Note that the clear glass is softer than glass tile, and so it is possible to scratch these with the sand in grout. Grout with care and avoid buffing too firmly.

Product Specifications

Sold by the 1/2 pound.
piece count: around 160+
clear uncolored glass with opaque enamel bottoms.
mixed shapes as pictured.
thickness: approximately 3/16 inch ( ~5mm ) .
not certified for flooring.
Soft clear glass can be scratched by the sand in grout.

Mosaic coaster using our glass shapes by Celia.

Piece Count

Tiles are approximately 3/16 inch ( ~5mm ) + pieces per 1/2 pound.

Product Coverage

Each 1/2-pound sales unit should cover an area of roughly 49 square inches (0.34 square feet) assuming a small grout gap.

Compatibility

Tile thickness is thicker than our 4mm-thick glass mosaic tile, and so these can add some interesting texture to your mosaic.

Cutting Tile

We do not recommend cutting these.

How To Make Mosaic Art

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Mosaic Coaster Base Doily THICK 5/16 Inch

Doily Coaster Base 4-inch diameter, 5/16" thick, with lacquer finished back.

Mosaic Coaster Base Doily THICK 5/16 Inch is made from cherry hardwood right here in the USA. The doily shaped base is 4 inches wide and 5/16 inches thick, which is thicker than the coasters we originally sold. They are cut out with a laser, so the sides have a natural burnt wood color. The bottom and sides have been lacquered. The top surface is bare wood for a good adhesive bond.

Note that the wood is not recessed to form a border for your mosaic. Instead, your mosaic should extend to the edge of the coaster so that the finished coaster looks like a fragment of an ancient mosaic. This is easiest to do when you use tile without a heavy embossed pattern on the underside, and for this reason, we recommend the 8mm Morjo Recycled Glass Mosaic Tile for use with the coasters.

Weldbond adhesive or another high quality PVA glue is recommended for attaching tiles to the coaster base, and there are several options for grouting your mosaic coaster. You can press the tiles closely together instead of leaving a gap, but that requires much more time and effort than leaving an irregular gap and then grouting the mosaic. With an irregular grout gap of 1/16 inch or less, you can use almost every piece of tile you cut because it does not have to be exact. You can also use regular sanded grout to grout it.

Mosaic Art Projects Using Coaster Bases

Product Specifications

1 piece hardwood cherry doily shaped coaster base.
wood pattern is natural and varies by piece.
width: 4 inches.
thickness: 5/16 inches. THICKER than our original coasters.
laser cut edges (natural burnt wood finish).
lacquered sides and bottoms.
bare wood face.
made in America

Compatibility

Any type of glass mosaic tile could be used with these, but there is no border on the coaster, so your mosaic will go all the way to the edge. If you use a type of glass tile that has coarse embossing or bevels on the underside, then these might look odd at the edge of the mosaic. It is also more difficult to cut a tile into small pieces if the bottom has an embossed pattern. For these reasons, the coasters are best covered with stained glass or the 8mm and 12mm sizes of recycled glass mosaic tile by Morjo. We prefer Morjo to stained glass because stained glass tends to form sharper edges when cut. Whatever tile you decide to use, make sure you file off any sharp edges at the sides of the mosaic using a rough stone or marble file.

Instructions For Using The Coaster Bases For Detailed Mosaic Art

The coaster bases can be used any way you want, including simple projects for children with tiles glued randomly with variable grout spacing, and these make great first-time projects because they are small and do not require as much time and material. However, it is possible to create a more sophisticated mosaic design on the coaster using these instructions. Due to the limited space provided by the coaster, one of the most important steps is making sure you can cut tile small enough to render the smallest detail of your design and modifying your design if necessary:

Find a design or picture. Google Images is a great source of photos, images, patterns, models to draw from.
Draw a simple cartoon outline of your design.
Try cutting up some tile and arranging it on the cartoon to see how it looks.
Pay special attention to the smallest detail in your design.
If it is not possible to cut tile that small, or the pieces seem too tedious to work with, then simplify your design.
Note that when you start using glue, it will be easier to arrange small pieces because they will not move around as unexpectedly. Tweezers also help.
Once you have you have verified that your design is not too detailed to be rendered in tile, then sketch the cartoon on the coaster in pencil.
You can darken your pencil sketch with a Sharpie brand marker so that glue does not rub it off once you start working.
Wipe Weldbond glue over the face of the coaster and allow to dry to seal the wood. Use a very thin coat to avoid warping the coaster from the moisture in the glue! Remember, the reason you are sealing the coaster in the first place is to avoid warping it later when you use lots of glue for the tiles. Use two light coasts and allow to dry thoroughly between coats.
Start tiling your design from the center and working to the edges.
Leaving an irregular grout gap of 1/16 inch or less is much easier than fitting the tile tightly together.
At the edge of the coaster, cut the tile so that it fits flush with the edge. You can place a tile on the coaster, mark where it should be cut with a Sharpie marker before gluing and then make the cut.
Use the fine side of a marble file or a piece of rough stone to rub the edge of the cut tile so that the edge is not as sharp.
After the glue has completely dried (preferably for 48+ hours) grout your mosaic with sanded grout.

How Much Tile Do I Need For The Coaster Base?

The top surface of a 4-inch doily shaped coaster base has only 12.4 square inches (0.09 square feet) in area. This means you could cover it with 20 to 56 pieces of the 12mm Morjo or 88 to 126 pieces of the 8mm Morjo depending on how you cut and space the tile. In either case, you might want to order more than that to account for the cutting waste, possibly twice as much if you are fitting the tile exactly with no grout gap.

How To Make Mosaic Art

Mosaic Coaster Base Star THICK 5/16 Inch

Mosaic Coaster Base star THICK 5/16 Inch is made from cherry hardwood right here in the USA. The star shaped base is 4 inches wide and 5/16 inches thick, which is thicker than the coasters we originally sold. They are cut out with a laser, so the sides have a natural burnt wood color. The bottom and sides have been lacquered. The top surface is bare wood for a good adhesive bond.

Mosaic Art Projects Using Coaster Bases

Product Specifications

1 piece hardwood cherry star shaped coaster base.
wood pattern is natural and varies by piece.
width: 4 inches.
thickness: 5/16 inches. THICKER than our original coasters.
laser cut edges (natural burnt wood finish).
lacquered sides and bottoms.
bare wood face.
made in America

Compatibility

Instructions For Using The Coaster Bases For Detailed Mosaic Art

Find a design or picture. Google Images is a great source of photos, images, patterns, models to draw from.
Draw a simple cartoon outline of your design.
Try cutting up some tile and arranging it on the cartoon to see how it looks.
Pay special attention to the smallest detail in your design.
If it is not possible to cut tile that small, or the pieces seem too tedious to work with, then simplify your design.
Note that when you start using glue, it will be easier to arrange small pieces because they will not move around as unexpectedly. Tweezers also help.
Once you have you have verified that your design is not too detailed to be rendered in tile, then sketch the cartoon on the coaster in pencil.
You can darken your pencil sketch with a Sharpie brand marker so that glue does not rub it off once you start working.
Wipe Weldbond glue over the face of the coaster and allow to dry to seal the wood. Use a very thin coat to avoid warping the coaster from the moisture in the glue! Remember, the reason you are sealing the coaster in the first place is to avoid warping it later when you use lots of glue for the tiles. Use two light coasts and allow to dry thoroughly between coats.
Start tiling your design from the center and working to the edges.
Leaving an irregular grout gap of 1/16 inch or less is much easier than fitting the tile tightly together.
At the edge of the coaster, cut the tile so that it fits flush with the edge. You can place a tile on the coaster, mark where it should be cut with a Sharpie marker before gluing and then make the cut.
Use the fine side of a marble file or a piece of rough stone to rub the edge of the cut tile so that the edge is not as sharp.
After the glue has completely dried (preferably for 48+ hours) grout your mosaic with sanded grout.

How Much Tile Do I Need For The Coaster Base?

The top surface of a 4-inch star shaped coaster base has only 5.3 square inches (0.04 square feet) in area. This means you could cover it with 20 to 25 pieces of the 12mm Morjo or 38 to 54 pieces of the 8mm Morjo depending on how you cut and space the tile. In either case, you might want to order more than that to account for the cutting waste, possibly twice as much if you are fitting the tile exactly with no grout gap.

How To Make Mosaic Art

Mosaic Coaster Base Heart THICK 5/16 Inch

Heart Coaster Base ~4-inch across, 5/16" thick, with lacquer finished back.

Mosaic Coaster Base Heart THICK 5/16 Inch is made from cherry hardwood right here in the USA. The heart shaped base is 4 inches wide and 5/16 inches thick, which is thicker than the coasters we originally sold. They are cut out with a laser, so the sides have a natural burnt wood color. The bottom and sides have been lacquered. The top surface is bare wood for a good adhesive bond.

Mosaic Art Projects Using Coaster Bases

Product Specifications

1 piece hardwood cherry heart shaped coaster base.
wood pattern is natural and varies by piece.
width: 4 inches.
thickness: 5/16 inches. THICKER than our original coasters.
laser cut edges (natural burnt wood finish).
lacquered sides and bottoms.
bare wood face.
made in America

Compatibility

Instructions For Using The Coaster Bases For Detailed Mosaic Art

Find a design or picture. Google Images is a great source of photos, images, patterns, models to draw from.
Draw a simple cartoon outline of your design.
Try cutting up some tile and arranging it on the cartoon to see how it looks.
Pay special attention to the smallest detail in your design.
If it is not possible to cut tile that small, or the pieces seem too tedious to work with, then simplify your design.
Note that when you start using glue, it will be easier to arrange small pieces because they will not move around as unexpectedly. Tweezers also help.
Once you have you have verified that your design is not too detailed to be rendered in tile, then sketch the cartoon on the coaster in pencil.
You can darken your pencil sketch with a Sharpie brand marker so that glue does not rub it off once you start working.
Wipe Weldbond glue over the face of the coaster and allow to dry to seal the wood. Use a very thin coat to avoid warping the coaster from the moisture in the glue! Remember, the reason you are sealing the coaster in the first place is to avoid warping it later when you use lots of glue for the tiles. Use two light coasts and allow to dry thoroughly between coats.
Start tiling your design from the center and working to the edges.
Leaving an irregular grout gap of 1/16 inch or less is much easier than fitting the tile tightly together.
At the edge of the coaster, cut the tile so that it fits flush with the edge. You can place a tile on the coaster, mark where it should be cut with a Sharpie marker before gluing and then make the cut.
Use the fine side of a marble file or a piece of rough stone to rub the edge of the cut tile so that the edge is not as sharp.
After the glue has completely dried (preferably for 48+ hours) grout your mosaic with sanded grout.

How Much Tile Do I Need For The Coaster Base?

The top surface of a 4-inch heart shaped coaster base has only 10 square inches (0.07 square feet) in area. This means you could cover it with 35 to 45 pieces of the 12mm Morjo or 70 to 100 pieces of the 8mm Morjo depending on how you cut and space the tile. In either case, you might want to order more than that to account for the cutting waste, possibly twice as much if you are fitting the tile exactly with no grout gap.

How To Make Mosaic Art

Mosaic Coaster Base Square THICK 5/16 Inch

Square Coaster Base 4-inch across, 5/16" thick, with lacquer finished back.

Mosaic Coaster Base Square THICK 5/16 Inch is made from cherry hardwood right here in the USA. The square base is 4 inches wide and 5/16 inches thick, which is thicker than the coasters we originally sold. They are cut out with a laser, so the sides have a natural burnt wood color. The bottom and sides have been lacquered. The top surface is bare wood for a good adhesive bond.

Mosaic Art Projects Using Coaster Bases

Product Specifications

1 piece hardwood cherry square coaster base.
wood pattern is natural and varies by piece.
width: 4 inches.
thickness: 5/16 inches. THICKER than our original coasters.
laser cut edges (natural burnt wood finish).
lacquered sides and bottoms.
bare wood face.
made in America

Compatibility

Instructions For Using The Coaster Bases For Detailed Mosaic Art

Find a design or picture. Google Images is a great source of photos, images, patterns, models to draw from.
Draw a simple cartoon outline of your design.
Try cutting up some tile and arranging it on the cartoon to see how it looks.
Pay special attention to the smallest detail in your design.
If it is not possible to cut tile that small, or the pieces seem too tedious to work with, then simplify your design.
Note that when you start using glue, it will be easier to arrange small pieces because they will not move around as unexpectedly. Tweezers also help.
Once you have you have verified that your design is not too detailed to be rendered in tile, then sketch the cartoon on the coaster in pencil.
You can darken your pencil sketch with a Sharpie brand marker so that glue does not rub it off once you start working.
Wipe Weldbond glue over the face of the coaster and allow to dry to seal the wood. Use a very thin coat to avoid warping the coaster from the moisture in the glue! Remember, the reason you are sealing the coaster in the first place is to avoid warping it later when you use lots of glue for the tiles. Use two light coasts and allow to dry thoroughly between coats.
Start tiling your design from the center and working to the edges.
Leaving an irregular grout gap of 1/16 inch or less is much easier than fitting the tile tightly together.
At the edge of the coaster, cut the tile so that it fits flush with the edge. You can place a tile on the coaster, mark where it should be cut with a Sharpie marker before gluing and then make the cut.
Use the fine side of a marble file or a piece of rough stone to rub the edge of the cut tile so that the edge is not as sharp.
After the glue has completely dried (preferably for 48+ hours) grout your mosaic with sanded grout.

How Much Tile Do I Need For The Coaster Base?

The top surface of a 4-inch square coaster base has only 16 square inches (0.11 square feet) in area. This means you could cover it with 56 to 72 pieces of the 12mm Morjo or 112 to 161 pieces of the 8mm Morjo depending on how you cut and space the tile. In either case, you might want to order more than that to account for the cutting waste, possibly twice as much if you are fitting the tile exactly with no grout gap.

How To Make Mosaic Art

Mosaic Coaster Base Circular Round THICK 5/16 Inch

Circular Coaster Base 4-inch diameter, 5/16" thick, with lacquer finished back.

Mosaic Coaster Base Circular Round THICK 5/16 Inch is made from cherry hardwood right here in the USA. The circular base is 4 inches in diameter and 5/16 inches thick, which is thicker than the coasters we originally sold. They are cut out with a laser, so the sides have a natural burnt wood color. The bottom and sides have been lacquered. The top surface is bare wood for a good adhesive bond.

Mosaic Art Projects Using Coaster Bases

Product Specifications

1 piece hardwood cherry circular coaster base.
wood pattern is natural and varies by piece.
diameter: 4 inches.
thickness: 5/16 inches. THICKER than our original coasters.
laser cut edges (natural burnt wood finish).
lacquered sides and bottoms.
bare wood face.
made in America

Compatibility

Instructions For Using The Coaster Bases For Detailed Mosaic Art

Find a design or picture. Google Images is a great source of photos, images, patterns, models to draw from.
Draw a simple cartoon outline of your design.
Try cutting up some tile and arranging it on the cartoon to see how it looks.
Pay special attention to the smallest detail in your design.
If it is not possible to cut tile that small, or the pieces seem too tedious to work with, then simplify your design.
Note that when you start using glue, it will be easier to arrange small pieces because they will not move around as unexpectedly. Tweezers also help.
Once you have you have verified that your design is not too detailed to be rendered in tile, then sketch the cartoon on the coaster in pencil.
You can darken your pencil sketch with a Sharpie brand marker so that glue does not rub it off once you start working.
Wipe Weldbond glue over the face of the coaster and allow to dry to seal the wood. Use a very thin coat to avoid warping the coaster from the moisture in the glue! Remember, the reason you are sealing the coaster in the first place is to avoid warping it later when you use lots of glue for the tiles. Use two light coasts and allow to dry thoroughly between coats.
Start tiling your design from the center and working to the edges.
Leaving an irregular grout gap of 1/16 inch or less is much easier than fitting the tile tightly together.
At the edge of the coaster, cut the tile so that it fits flush with the edge. You can place a tile on the coaster, mark where it should be cut with a Sharpie marker before gluing and then make the cut.
Use the fine side of a marble file or a piece of rough stone to rub the edge of the cut tile so that the edge is not as sharp.
After the glue has completely dried (preferably for 48+ hours) grout your mosaic with sanded grout.

How Much Tile Do I Need For The Coaster Base?

The top surface of a 4-inch circular coaster base has only 12.6 square inches (0.09 square feet) in area. This means you could cover it with 45 to 60 of the 12mm Morjo or 90 to 130 of the 8mm Morjo depending on how you cut and space the tile. In either case, you might want to order more than that to account for the cutting waste, possibly twice as much if you are fitting the tile exactly with no grout gap.