Our printable gift certificates are delivered to you as a digital copy to your email by default, so you don’t have to wait.
On the gift certificate is a PIN number which the recipient can use as store credit.
Why A Gift Certificate Is Best
Artists like to choose their own colors and materials, so a gift certificate is a good way to get them exactly what they want, while trying to pick for them is problematic. When in doubt, get the gift certificate. It’s easier, and they won’t be disappointed. Your artist will also have access to all the mosaic tips and instructions at our website, which is the largest, most complete online source of how-to-mosaic information.
Mosaic Tips and Instructions
All of our online mosaic content was written by a professional artist who also holds an engineering degree and has worked in a materials testing laboratory.
Beware Of Questionable Information
There is quite a bit of instructional material online, and a lot of it is questionable, particularly when it comes to crafts. All too much of it was written merely to drive sales without regard to durability or longevity. For example, you can see websites recommending the use of water-soluable glues to attach tile to terracotta flower pots, which is problematic for several reasons and not likely to last. For comparison, here is something our mosaic artist wrote about potential problems with mosaic flower pots and how to fix them.
How To Mosaic Blog
Our How To Mosaic Blog is where we post new content written after 2013. Check it regularly for new articles concerning all aspects of making a mosaic: choosing a grout color, how to transfer a pattern, how to make a mosaic lawn sculpture, etc.
Mosaic FAQs
Our page of Frequently Asked Questions addresses many basic issues and is organized by topic. A novice could get oriented and avoid many classic mistakes merely by skimming through this page.
Mosaic Instructions
We have many different mosaic instruction pages, and most of these are described in our Mosaic Information Page.
Nitrile Gloves Disposable 9.5-Inch Medium 1 Pair are powder-free, latex-free 4 mil thick examination gloves for detailed work with thinset mortar and Weldbond adhesive. These are more durable than the latex gloves we used to sell and allow the wearer more dexterity than our heavy-duty grouting gloves.
Nitrile Gloves Disposable 1 Pair
material: nitrile
1 pair
size: medium 9.5 inch
weight/gauge: 4 mil
color: blue
powder-free
latex-free
When To Use These Gloves
These gloves can keep your hands and fingertips clean when working with thinset mortar for an extended period, but they are thin and fragile and will not protect the hands from cuts. For that reason, you would NOT use these gloves for grouting, which involves a lot of rubbing and wiping over the surface of the mosaic and exposes the hands to sharp edges. For grouting, we recommend the Heavy-Duty Grouting Gloves, but even those can be sliced by a jagged piece of mosaic tile. Tip: It is better to keep grout gaps fairly narrow to make grouting easier and prevent fingertips from getting in between tile where they can be cut.
We use these gloves at our studio for making found-object mosaics from artifacts and thinset mortar, which involves a lot of careful positioning of small objects in concrete. The gloves are thin enough to not interfere with dexterity, yet they still keep the mildly caustic mortar from contacting the skin and drying it out. Some people also wear these gloves for working with Weldbond adhesive, but that is merely based on preference and not safety. We have never observed any problems with Weldbond on the skin, even when in contact for long hours day after day. Weldbond is a water-based adhesive and was selected by NASA for use in space because it is non-toxic.
Tip: Talcum powder can be used to help get the gloves on and off. We keep a dispenser of baby powder in our studio for applying to our hands before inserting them into gloves. Without the powder, the sweat from the hand makes getting the glove off a lot more difficult.
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.
N95 Comfort Dust Mask has braided headbands, an exhalation valve, and an adjustable nose clip to make wearing it more comfortable. This is a a 3M brand 8511 particulate dust mask that meets NIOSH and OSHA standards and is rated at N95.
The N95 rating means they capture 95% of all particles 0.3 microns in diameter or larger. We wear these when mixing grout and thinset mortar.
Product Specifications
3M brand 8511
quantity: 1 each
N95 particulate rated
NIOSH and OSHA approved
adjustable nose clip
braided headbands for comfort
exhalation valve
When and How To Use The N95 Comfort Dusk Mask
Keep in mind that dust masks are only part of a strategy to prevent breathing dust. You should also mimimize the amount of dust you generate by pouring and mixing carefully and using spray bottles to mist the grout as you mix it.
The masks are not individually wrapped, so keep the box closed during storage to prevent incidental contamination.
Vacuum off used masks before storing them in individual Ziplock sandwich bags labeled with the student’s name.
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.
First check out our Mosaic Classes List to look for classes near you. The listings on that page are organized by location. Although many classes are offered in the evening, others are offered on weekends to accommodate students driving in from other towns. Keep in mind that you will probably only need a class or two to get you started, and once you get going, you can always find answers to specific questions online.
Children’s Mosaic Art Project. Keep in mind that mosaic is a popular children’s summer camp project because the basics are simple: draw an outline pattern on your backer, glue on the tile, and then grout it.
Check With Your Local Institutions
If our Mosaic Classes page does not include a mosaic instructor in your area, there are other ways to find one. As you’ve probably already learned, an Internet search for “mosaic classes” isn’t the best way to find a local instructor because chances are whoever you find online will be at least several hundred miles away. But what about your local schools and churches and organizations? We recommend checking with the following local institutions, many of which have activity schedules posted online or offer continuing education programs:
art schools
community colleges
universities
YMCA
churches and synagogues
city and county recreation departments
community centers
museums
art centers
local mosaic artists
Alternatives To Mosaic Classes
If no class is available near you, do not give up hope. Remember that a class is not the only way to learn how to mosaic, and it might not be the best way after all. Most of the time in an art class is spent learning by doing, and you can do that on your on. The instructor’s main purpose is to introduce basics, answer questions, and keep you from making obvious mistakes. You can get all that by reading our mosaic instructions and our mosaic FAQs page and our How To Mosaic blog.
Email Us Your Project Questions
You can also email us with your technical questions or for artistic advice. We are all working artists, and we have consulted on tens of thousands of projects worldwide, ranging from first time beginner projects to large public art projects and murals. We have answered your question before, and we probably have a web page that has exactly the information you need.
Imitation Gold Mosaic Glass Smooth 10mm (3/8 Inch) is SILVER (Ag) alloy leaf fused under hand-cut glass and sold in sheets of 196 tiles mounted on removable clear film. These are what some competitors are selling as real gold mosaic (shame, shame), but they are great for what they are: a beautiful and economical alternative to real gold mosaic.
These are hand-cut tiles, but they are fairly square and uniform for the most part, although some are slightly irregular in shape. Note that the backs are coated with a yellow epoxy to inhibit oxidation from tarnishing the silver foil.
sales unit: 196 tiles imprecisely mounted on removable clear film with protective tray
material: glass fused over SILVER alloy leaf with gold tone
variety: molded tile
colorfast, UV resistant
durability: frost-proof, impervious to liquid
usage: suitable for indoor and outdoor use
CAVEAT: The glass tiles are on Mosaic Mounting Tape, but the alignment is more loose than desired. We recommend using these as individual tiles and not as sheets of tile.
Coverage
One sheet of 196 tiles covers 1/4 square foot. Use our tile estimator to calculate how much you need for your project. Add about 5% extra to account for cutting scrap.
Compatibility
These can be mixed and used with most brands of 3/8 inch mosaic tile because their thickness is 1/8 inch nominal (4mm), which is a common industry standard. BUT, keep in mind that these are hand cut and do not have beveled edges like molded tile, and this means they will not fit into mounting grids as deeply as the molded tile.
Cutting Imitation Gold Mosaic Glass
Imitation Gold Mosaic Glass can be cut into halves, quarters, triangles and irregular shapes using our Mosaic Glass Cutter.
Use in Mosaic Art
These are an attractive and affordable alternative to real gold.
Imitation Gold Mosaic Glass Wavy 10mm (3/8 Inch) is SILVER (Ag) alloy leaf fused under hand-cut glass and sold in sheets of 196 tiles mounted on removable clear film. These are what some competitors are selling as real gold mosaic (shame, shame), but they are great for what they are: a beautiful and economical alternative to real gold mosaic.
These are hand-cut tiles, but they are fairly square and uniform for the most part, although some are slightly irregular in shape. Note that the backs are coated with a yellow epoxy to inhibit oxidation from tarnishing the silver foil.
sales unit: 196 tiles imprecisely mounted on removable clear film with protective tray
material: glass fused over SILVER alloy leaf in gold tone
variety: molded tile
colorfast, UV resistant
durability: frost-proof, impervious to liquid
usage: suitable for indoor and outdoor use
CAVEAT: The glass tiles are on Mosaic Mounting Tape, but the alignment is more loose than desired. We recommend using these as individual tiles and not as sheets of tile.
Coverage
One sheet of 196 tiles covers 1/4 square foot. Use our tile estimator to calculate how much you need for your project. Add about 5% extra to account for cutting scrap.
Compatibility
These can be mixed and used with most brands of 3/8 inch mosaic tile because their thickness is 1/8 inch nominal (4mm), which is a common industry standard. BUT, keep in mind that these are hand cut and do not have beveled edges like molded tile, and this means they will not fit into mounting grids as deeply as the molded tile.
Cutting Imitation Gold Mosaic Glass
Imitation Gold Mosaic Glass can be cut into halves, quarters, triangles and irregular shapes using our Mosaic Glass Cutter.
Use in Mosaic Art
These are an attractive and affordable alternative to real gold.
Imitation Gold Mosaic Glass Wavy 20mm (3/4 Inch) is SILVER (Ag) alloy leaf fused under hand-cut glass and sold in sheets of 49 tiles mounted on removable clear film. These are what some competitors are selling as real gold mosaic (shame, shame), but they are great for what they are: a beautiful and economical alternative to real gold mosaic.
These are hand-cut tiles, but they are fairly square and uniform for the most part. Note that the backs are coated with a yellow epoxy to inhibit oxidation from tarnishing the silver foil.
sales unit: 49 tiles imprecisely mounted on removable clear film with protective tray
material: glass fused over SILVER alloy leaf in gold tone
variety: molded tile
colorfast, UV resistant
durability: frost-proof, impervious to liquid
usage: suitable for indoor and outdoor use
CAVEAT: The glass tiles are on Mosaic Mounting Tape, but the alignment is more loose than desired. We recommend using these as individual tiles and not as sheets of tile.
Coverage
One sheet of 49 tiles covers 1/4 square foot. Use our tile estimator to calculate how much you need for your project. Add about 5% extra to account for cutting scrap.
Compatibility
These can be mixed and used with most brands of 3/4 inch mosaic tile because their thickness is 1/8 inch nominal (4mm), which is a common industry standard. BUT, keep in mind that these are hand cut and do not have beveled edges like molded tile, and this means they will not fit into mounting grids as deeply as the molded tile.
Cutting Imitation Gold Mosaic Glass
Imitation Gold Mosaic Glass can be cut into halves, quarters, triangles and irregular shapes using our Mosaic Glass Cutter.
Use in Mosaic Art
These are an attractive and affordable alternative to real gold.
Imitation Gold Mosaic Glass Smooth 20mm (3/4 Inch) is SILVER (Ag) alloy leaf fused under hand-cut glass and sold in sheets of 49 tiles mounted on removable clear film (1/4 square foot). These are what some competitors are selling as real gold mosaic (shame, shame), but they are great for what they are: a beautiful and economical alternative to real gold mosaic.
These are hand-cut tiles, but they are fairly square and uniform for the most part. Note that the backs are coated with a yellow epoxy to inhibit oxidation from tarnishing the silver foil.
sales unit: 49 tiles imprecisely mounted on removable clear film with protective tray
material: glass fused over silver leaf in gold tone
variety: molded tile
colorfast, UV resistant
durability: frost-proof, impervious to liquid
usage: suitable for indoor and outdoor use
CAVEAT: The glass tiles are on Mosaic Mounting Tape, but the alignment is more loose than desired. We recommend using these as individual tiles and not as sheets of tile.
Coverage
One sheet of 49 tiles covers 1/4 square foot. Use our tile estimator to calculate how much you need for your project. Add about 5% extra to account for cutting scrap.
Compatibility
These can be mixed and used with most brands of 3/4 inch mosaic tile because their thickness is 1/8 inch nominal (4mm), which is a common industry standard. BUT, keep in mind that these are hand cut and do not have beveled edges like molded tile, and this means they will not fit into mounting grids as deeply as the molded tile.
Cutting Imitation Gold Mosaic Glass
Imitation Gold Mosaic Glass can be cut into halves, quarters, triangles and irregular shapes using our Mosaic Glass Cutter.
Use in Mosaic Art
These are an attractive and affordable alternative to real gold.
24kt Gold Mosaic Glass Smooth 20mm (3/4 Inch) is real gold leaf fused into the face of the glass and sold in units of 10 tiles. These are superior to the “gold” tiles sold by competitors for two reasons: First these are real 24 kt gold instead of the brass alloys the competitors sell as real gold (seriously). Second, the gold is fused into the surface of tile so that it is inside the glass instead of just being on the back side of a piece of glass. We also sell the competitor’s product correctly labeled as Imitation Gold Mosaic. If you are reproducing a mosaic icon or a piece of traditional religious art, using real gold instead of brass mirror tile is an easy way to make your work look more authentic.
These are molded tiles of the same size and thickness as vitreous glass tile and can be used in the same mosaics indoors and outdoors and fit into the same mounting grids.
24kt Gold Mosaic Glass Smooth 20mm (3/4 Inch)
tile size: 3/4 inch (20mm)
thickness: 1/8 nominal (4mm)
sales unit: 10 tiles
material: glass fused with 24 kt gold leaf
variety: molded tile
colorfast, UV resistant
durability: frost-proof, impervious to liquid
usage: suitable for indoor and outdoor use
Coverage
To cover 1 square foot with a standard grout gap, 218 tiles are needed. Most mosaic mounting paper is 1.15 square feet and requires 225 tiles (15 tiles x 15 tiles). Use our tile estimator to calculate how much you need for your project. Add about 5% extra to account for cutting scrap.
Compatibility
These can be mixed and used with most brands of 3/4 inch mosaic tile because their thickness is 1/8 inch nominal (4mm), which is a common industry standard.
Cutting Gold Mosaic Glass
Gold Mosaic Glass can be cut into halves, quarters, triangles and irregular shapes using our Mosaic Glass Cutter.
Use in Mosaic Art
Real gold glass is expensive, and so it is usually used as halos, rays of light, and other small elements of the image being rendered. However, for small religious icons, gold glass is often used for the background and sometimes for larger parts of the figures being depicted. Remember that less is more and contrast (such as using bright gold with dark colors) is a good way to make the gold stand out.
