Cathay Blue JTMG-22 Chunky Glass Beads are large and chunky and sold in 4 ounce assortments of approximately 20+ pieces. These beads are competitively priced by weight for use in mosaic art, but the diameters of most of these beads are 1/2 inch or more, which means they best pressed into mortar or concrete instead of being glued to a flat surface.
Product Coverage
This is a problematic question because beads was intended to be used as an accent instead of as area coverage, and the piece size can vary. One 4-ounce assortment covers roughly 3+ square inches.
Compatibility
Cathay Blue JTMG-22 Chunky Glass Beads are usually 3/8 inch or larger in diameter, which is thicker than mosaic of the glass mosaic tile we sell. For this reason, these beads are best used by pressing into a bed of thinset mortar or a stepping stone mold filled with concrete.
Cutting Cathay Blue JTMG-22 Chunky Glass Beads
Some of these beads are too large to be cut using a Mosaic Glass Cutter because they won’t fit into the jaws. These beads are best used uncut.
Cathay Blue JTMG-22 Chunky Glass Beads
Price is per 4 ounces. (Approximately 20+ pieces.)
Diameter: mostly 1/2 inch or more.
Length: up to 1 inch.
Coverage: should cover roughly 3+ square inches.
Material: glass of varying degrees of translucence.
frost proof.
impervious to liquids.
Suitable for indoor and outdoor installation.
Not suitable for floors.
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.
Cathay Red JTMG-24 Chunky Glass Beads are large and chunky and sold in 4 ounce assortments of approximately 20+ pieces. These beads are competitively priced by weight for use in mosaic art, but the diameters of most of these beads are 1/2 inch or more, which means they best pressed into mortar or concrete instead of being glued to a flat surface.
Product Coverage
This is a problematic question because beads was intended to be used as an accent instead of as area coverage, and the piece size can vary. One 4-ounce assortment covers roughly 3+ square inches.
Compatibility
Cathay Red JTMG-24 Chunky Glass Beads are usually 3/8 inch or larger in diameter, which is thicker than mosaic of the glass mosaic tile we sell. For this reason, these beads are best used by pressing into a bed of thinset mortar or a stepping stone mold filled with concrete.
Cutting Cathay Red JTMG-24 Chunky Glass Beads
Some of these beads are too large to be cut using a Mosaic Glass Cutter because they won’t fit into the jaws. These beads are best used uncut.
Cathay Red JTMG-24 Chunky Glass Beads
Price is per 4 ounces. (Approximately 20+ pieces.)
Diameter: mostly 1/2 inch or more.
Length: up to 1 inch.
Coverage: should cover roughly 3+ square inches.
Material: glass of varying degrees of translucence.
frost proof.
impervious to liquids.
Suitable for indoor and outdoor installation.
Not suitable for floors.
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.
Cathay Green JTMG-3 Chunky Glass Beads are large and chunky and sold in 4 ounce assortments of approximately 20+ pieces. These beads are competitively priced by weight for use in mosaic art, but the diameters of most of these beads are 1/2 inch or more, which means they best pressed into mortar or concrete instead of being glued to a flat surface.
Product Coverage
This is a problematic question because beads was intended to be used as an accent instead of as area coverage, and the piece size can vary. One 4-ounce assortment covers roughly 3+ square inches.
Compatibility
Cathay Green JTMG-3 Chunky Glass Beads are usually 3/8 inch or larger in diameter, which is thicker than mosaic of the glass mosaic tile we sell. For this reason, these beads are best used by pressing into a bed of thinset mortar or a stepping stone mold filled with concrete.
Cutting Cathay Green JTMG-3 Chunky Glass Beads
Some of these beads are too large to be cut using a Mosaic Glass Cutter because they won’t fit into the jaws. These beads are best used uncut.
Cathay Green JTMG-3 Chunky Glass Beads
Price is per 4 ounces. (Approximately 20+ pieces.)
Diameter: mostly 1/2 inch or more.
Length: up to 1 inch.
Coverage: should cover roughly 3+ square inches.
Material: glass of varying degrees of translucence.
frost proof.
impervious to liquids.
Suitable for indoor and outdoor installation.
Not suitable for floors.
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.
Cathay Brown JTMG-21 Chunky Glass Beads are large and chunky and sold in 4 ounce assortments of approximately 20+ pieces. These beads are competitively priced by weight for use in mosaic art, but the diameters of most of these beads are 1/2 inch or more, which means they best pressed into mortar or concrete instead of being glued to a flat surface.
Product Coverage
This is a problematic question because beads was intended to be used as an accent instead of as area coverage, and the piece size can vary. One 4-ounce assortment covers roughly 3+ square inches.
Compatibility
Cathay Brown JTMG-21 Chunky Glass Beads are usually 3/8 inch or larger in diameter, which is thicker than mosaic of the glass mosaic tile we sell. For this reason, these beads are best used by pressing into a bed of thinset mortar or a stepping stone mold filled with concrete.
Cutting Cathay Brown JTMG-21 Chunky Glass Beads
Some of these beads are too large to be cut using a Mosaic Glass Cutter because they won’t fit into the jaws. These beads are best used uncut.
Cathay Brown JTMG-21 Chunky Glass Beads
Price is per 4 ounces. (Approximately 20+ pieces.)
Diameter: mostly 1/2 inch or more.
Length: up to 1 inch.
Coverage: should cover roughly 3+ square inches.
Material: glass of varying degrees of translucence.
frost proof.
impervious to liquids.
Suitable for indoor and outdoor installation.
Not suitable for floors.
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.
Cathay Yellow JTMG-26 Chunky Glass Beads 4oz are large and chunky and sold in 4 ounce assortments of approximately 20+ pieces. These beads are competitively priced by weight for use in mosaic art, but the diameters of most of these beads are 1/2 inch or more, which means they best pressed into mortar or concrete instead of being glued to a flat surface.
Product Coverage
This is a problematic question because beads was intended to be used as an accent instead of as area coverage, and the piece size can vary. One 4-ounce assortment covers roughly 3+ square inches.
Compatibility
Cathay Yellow JTMG-26 Chunky Glass Beads are usually 3/8 inch or larger in diameter, which is thicker than mosaic of the glass mosaic tile we sell. For this reason, these beads are best used by pressing into a bed of thinset mortar or a stepping stone mold filled with concrete.
Cutting Cathay Yellow JTMG-26 Chunky Glass Beads
Some of these beads are too large to be cut using a Mosaic Glass Cutter because they won’t fit into the jaws. These beads are best used uncut.
Cathay Yellow JTMG-26 Chunky Glass Beads
Price is per 4 ounces. (Approximately 20+ pieces.)
Diameter: mostly 1/2 inch or more.
Length: up to 1 inch.
Coverage: should cover roughly 3+ square inches.
Material: glass of varying degrees of translucence.
frost proof.
impervious to liquids.
Suitable for indoor and outdoor installation.
Not suitable for floors.
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.
Cathay Orange JTMG-28 Chunky Glass Beads 4oz are large and chunky and sold in 4 ounce assortments of approximately 20+ pieces. These beads are competitively priced by weight for use in mosaic art, but the diameters of most of these beads are 1/2 inch or more, which means they best pressed into mortar or concrete instead of being glued to a flat surface.
Product Coverage
This is a problematic question because beads was intended to be used as an accent instead of as area coverage, and the piece size can vary. One 4-ounce assortment covers roughly 3+ square inches.
Compatibility
Cathay Orange JTMG-28 Chunky Glass Beads are usually 3/8 inch or larger in diameter, which is thicker than mosaic of the glass mosaic tile we sell. For this reason, these beads are best used by pressing into a bed of thinset mortar or a stepping stone mold filled with concrete.
Cutting Cathay Orange JTMG-28 Chunky Glass Beads
Some of these beads are too large to be cut using a Mosaic Glass Cutter because they won’t fit into the jaws. These beads are best used uncut.
Cathay Orange JTMG-28 Chunky Glass Beads
Price is per 4 ounces. (Approximately 20+ pieces.)
Diameter: mostly 1/2 inch or more.
Length: up to 1 inch.
Coverage: should cover roughly 3+ square inches.
Material: glass of varying degrees of translucence.
frost proof.
impervious to liquids.
Suitable for indoor and outdoor installation.
Not suitable for floors.
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.
Most surviving ancient mosaic art is architectural in nature. One instantly thinks of the designs found in Roman baths or Turkish mosques. Today, the interiors of houses are usually made with wood and drywall, and are therefore unsuitable for heavy mosaic art. The sturdy brick and stone architecture of the ancients was ideal for the mosaicists of the time.
To decorate walls we often turn to paintings because they can be easily mounted on a modern interior wall. Mosaic “plaques” fill the same role as a painting. However, as mosaics increase in size their weight can become an issue for not just the wall, but also for themselves. Mosaic art must be very rigid so that cracks don’t appear over time. Larger pieces are more susceptible to warping so they need a sturdier construction.
This mosaic has a reinforced CBB structure behind the glass and frame.
Reinforced Concrete Backer Board
In this tutorial I will describe how to use 1/2 inch Concrete Backer Board (CBB) and wood to build a sturdy foundation for a large wall-mounted mosaic. Mosaics a square foot in size or smaller can be built with a less substantial backer, but this technique should be considered for pieces in the 2 square foot to 8 square-foot range. At 8 square feet and beyond mosaics will become prohibitively heavy and should instead be built into the wall instead of mounted upon the wall.
Getting Started
Concrete backer board is notoriously dusty. You should wear a dust mask when cutting it to the size you need. The N95 Dust Masks we sell are suitable. Cut the CBB outdoors if you can. It can be cut by scoring it multiple times with a box cutter or by using a simple hand saw. Once you have it cut to the right size glue the sides with Weldbond.
Concrete Backer Board can be dusty. Seal the edges with Weldbond.
The purpose of the glue is to seal the edges to prevent them from leaving more dust as you work.
Smooth the bead of glue with your finger.
Smear the glue with your finger until it is a nice flat application as seen above. This should be dry enough to work with very quickly.
Reinforce the Back with Wood
I like to use pine. Any lumber store or big-box home improvement store should have suitable wood. You can also ask a carpenter friend for scraps. What we’re going to do is make a frame-like structure on the back of the CBB by putting wood around the edges. For smaller CBB-backed mosaics it is easier to simply laminate the back of the CBB with plywood to create a decent structure. However, to save weight on larger projects like this we can create a frame which won’t weigh as much but will still help us out. Mounting hardware can’t be affixed directly to the CBB because it can break under the localized stress of the screws. Wood will not break under that pressure. The wood can also support an external frame if desired.
This is 1½” x ¾” pine.
For this mosaic I used pine with actual dimensions of 1.5 inches by 3/4 of an inch. At the lumber store they will call this something else. It comes in a hard edge variety as seen here, or with rounded edges. I prefer the hard edges, but it’s up to you.
Cut the First Piece
If you don’t have a chop saw you can use a mitre box to get 45° edges.
Choose which side you want to work with and cut a piece. I used mitre cuts because they look nicer, but if you want to do this on the quick you can cut right angles and butt the ends up against eachother.
Line up the first piece to ensure a proper fit.
Make sure the wood is placed so it meets or slightly exceeds the dimensions of the concrete backer board. Sometimes CBB can have gnarled corners or uneven edges from sawing it or cutting it. The wood should be either flush with the edges or slightly hang past it.
The point may overhang a broken corner.
In this example, one of the corners is broken. Make sure the wood overhangs it enough to form a right angle with the other side.
Cut the Other Pieces
With the fitment of the first piece confirmed cut the other three pieces of wood to the appropriate sizes and try to line them up. It should look like this:
Cut all the pieces and test their fit.
Take a look at each of the corners and make sure everything is lined up well.
Pay particular attention to the corners, make sure they look good on each side.
Here you can see that the corners of the wood is aligned directly with the corner of the CBB. The wood has the slightest overhang, which you can see in the photo if you look at the shadow where the wood and CBB meet. This overhang is probably only about 1 millimeter, or just over 1/64th of an inch, it is very small, but you can feel it if you touch the sides. It’s okay if they are totally flush, but if it’s hard to make it exact err on the side of making the wood slightly larger than the backer board as in this example.
We’re now almost ready to permanently affix the wood to the backer board. Double-check using a square that all of the angles are correct and then you’re ready to move on.
Attach the First Piece of the Wooden Frame
You’re going to need some screws and some wood glue or Weldbond. Weldbond is an excellent adhesive for this application.
A 1 inch screw will not exceed the thickness of the CBB.
I am going to use these exact screws. Notice how the screw will not protrude from the face of the CBB even if I tighten it a little too far. I want screws with this style of head because they can be screwed just past the surface of the wood which will keep them from scratching the wall once the mosaic is complete. In this case the screws are 1 inch long.
Drill pilot holes first.
These pilot holes are in the middle of the wood, and 2.25 inches in from the sides. This measurement looked nice, but has no other real significance.
Apply a bead of Weldbond before screwing the piece down.
Flip the piece over and add some glue.
The first piece is secure. Make sure the screws are flush with or sunk into the wood.
Put it back in place and screw it down. Now this piece can be used with a square to ensure the next pieces will be at right angles.
Attach the Rest of the Frame
Start by deciding where to put the screws.
This screw will go 2.25 inches from the edge.
Determining the screw positions for the other sides will be a little more tricky because of how long they are. The additional length means they will need more screws to hold them in position. In this case I started with the same 2.25 inch measurement as was used for the screws on the small piece. This will help everything look uniform when it’s completed.
Establish the locations of the middle screws.
With the end screw locations established by using the 2.25 inch measurement we have to decide where to put the other two screws. In this case there was 25.25 inches between the two end screws. Divided into 3 that becomes 8.4166 inches, or just less than 8 and a half inches, so that’s where I put the two central screws.
Making the screws even like this is simply a matter of workmanship. It isn’t essential that you have equal gaps between each screw, but if you want it to look nice then you can do it this way.
Pre-drill all holes and apply glue to the underside of the piece.
Pre-drill everything and apply the glue. I have been using a 7/32 inch drill bit for all of the pilot holes.
Install the second piece in the same manner as before.
Affix the second piece in the same manner as the first.
Finishing Up
Continue with pieces 3 and 4. Don’t forget to check that everything is square.
You can move on to one of the other sides. Use the same measurements for the screw locations. Be sure to check the angles with a square as you go along.
The reinforcements are now finished.
Once you put in the last screw you’re done.
This piece is ready for glass.
Now that this is finished you can make a mosaic and know with confidence that it will survive a very long time. The wood frame gives you some options when selecting hanging hardware that will allow for a flush fit with the wall. This reinforcement also allows for different possibilities when deciding to either frame or mosaic the sides.
Millefiori Glass 8mm-12mm (5/16 inch to 1/2 inch) by Mud Turtle Mosaic™ is sold in 1.85-ounce units (approximately 55+ pieces). It is a next-generation product that is much more affordable than traditional Italian millefiori and is actually superior in several ways. For starters, the glass used is translucent and semi-translucent instead of being fully opaque, and this makes the colors more vibrant. Second, the Mud Turtle Mosaic is more cleanly cut and flame polished, so the pieces are smooth with a molded appearance instead of the rough, irregular, and uneven pieces usually seen in Italian millefiori, which is much more expensive.
What Is Millefiori?
Millefiori is a traditional form of art glass that is disk-shaped with different multicolored patterns and is commonly used in jewelry and mosaic art.
Product Coverage
This is a problematic question because the millefiori was intended to be used as an accent instead of as area coverage, and the piece size can vary. That being said, one 1.85-ounce bag should cover roughly 5 or 6 square inches, but that will depend somewhat on how efficiently you nest the pieces.
Compatibility
The thickness varies, usually running between 1/8 inch and 3/16 inch. This makes it about the same thickness as most of the glass mosaic tile we sell, with some pieces slightly thicker.
Cutting Millefiori
In theory the millefiori can be cut using a pair of Mosaic Glass Cutters, but the pieces are already small enough to make cutting unnecessary and problematic.
Mud Turtle Mosaic™ Millefiori 10mm-12mm
Price is per 1.85 ounces (approximately 55+ pieces)
Diameter: approximately 8 to 12 mm (5/16 inch to 1/2 inch).
Thickness: roughly 1/8 inch and 3/16 inch.
Coverage: each 1.85 ounce bag should cover roughly 5 or 6 square inches.
Material: glass with solid color throughout.
frost proof.
impervious to liquids.
Suitable for indoor and outdoor installation.
Not suitable for floors.
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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Thinset Mortar 2.25 lb is a traditional portland-cement mortar for mounting tiles in outdoor and wet locations such as showers where adhesives cannot be used. The mortar comes in the form of a dry powdered cement mixed with sand plus an adhesive polymer that makes it extra sticky and extra strong. This is the material you want to use if your desire is to press tiles into a grout-like cement without having to glue the tiles down first. Think of thinset as grout mixed with adhesive, which is what it is. When it hardens, it looks like concrete but is even stronger.
Thinset Mortar 2.25 lbs
traditional dry thinset mortar with sand
approximately 2.25 pounds
dry powder in plastic tub
just add water (9/10 cup)
PURCHASE LOCALLY IF YOU NEED MORE
Please don’t buy many units of this product. Instead, buy thinset in large bags from the building material store and save money.
How To Use Thinset Mortar For Mosaic Art
Mix the powdered thinset with approximately 9/10 cup of water until a dough-like consistency is achieved. Mist with water to control dust. Detailed instructions for handling, mixing, and using thinset mortar can be read at How To Use Thinset.
Safety
Always wear safety glasses with side shields when mixing and using thinset. It is cement with sand in it, and the motions of mixing and wiping can sling grit.
Portland cement products such as thinset contain powdered silica (sand) and is slightly caustic because of the lime it contains. Avoid breathing the dust. Use a dust mask when mixing or use a misting water bottle to avoid creating dust.
Thinset can also irritate the skin, sometimes severely if you have sensitive skin. The sand and rubbing required in grouting further aggravate this problem. To protect your skin when spreading thinset, wear heavy-duty rubber grouting gloves or thin examination gloves if you are using detailed work and need more dexterity.
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.
Glass Mosaic Tiles 3/8-Inch Economy Bulk 5 lbs are sold loose at an affordable price for class projects. Approximately 3200 tiles. These are the same thickness (~1/8 inch) as the other vitreous tiles we sell, and they are the same size as the other brand of 3/8-inch minis we sell, and so they can be used in the same mosaic. .
3/8-Inch Economy Bulk 5 lbs
tile size: 3/8 inch (10mm)
thickness: 1/8 nominal (4mm)
sales unit: 5 pounds (approximately 3200 pieces)
material: glass
variety: vitreous
pigments: colorfast, UV resistant
durability: frost-proof, impervious to liquid
usage: suitable for indoor and outdoor use
Coverage
Each 5-pound bag will cover approximately 4 square feet assuming a standard grout gap of approximately 1/32 inch. Most Mosaic Mounting Paper is 1.15 square feet and requires 841 tiles (29 tiles x 29 tiles). 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.
Cutting Tile
The Mosaic Glass Cutter is recommended for cutting all types of glass mosaic tile including these. Note that there is a limit to how small they can be cut because the sides of the tiles are tapered, and small pieces tend to fall over. We cut halves and quarters and diagonal triangles but do not try to go small than that, at least most of the time. If you are making the fine details of your image and need to cut smaller, you can lean pieces against each other, but that can get tedious.
Mounting Mini Kaleidoscope 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
These can be used in children’s crafts projects and stepping stones, but they are also used for photorealistic mosaic images and fine art. The advantage of this material is that you can use tiles from different manufacturers if you find you need additional colors.
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.
