Search Results for: weldbond

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

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.

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:

  1. Find a design or picture. Google Images is a great source of photos, images, patterns, models to draw from.
  2. Draw a simple cartoon outline of your design.
  3. Try cutting up some tile and arranging it on the cartoon to see how it looks.
  4. Pay special attention to the smallest detail in your design.
  5. If it is not possible to cut tile that small, or the pieces seem too tedious to work with, then simplify your design.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. You can darken your pencil sketch with a Sharpie brand marker so that glue does not rub it off once you start working.
  9. 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.
  10. Start tiling your design from the center and working to the edges.
  11. Leaving an irregular grout gap of 1/16 inch or less is much easier than fitting the tile tightly together.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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

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.

Mosaic Coaster Base Star THICK 5/16 Inch

mosaic coaster base star

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.

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 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

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:

  1. Find a design or picture. Google Images is a great source of photos, images, patterns, models to draw from.
  2. Draw a simple cartoon outline of your design.
  3. Try cutting up some tile and arranging it on the cartoon to see how it looks.
  4. Pay special attention to the smallest detail in your design.
  5. If it is not possible to cut tile that small, or the pieces seem too tedious to work with, then simplify your design.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. You can darken your pencil sketch with a Sharpie brand marker so that glue does not rub it off once you start working.
  9. 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.
  10. Start tiling your design from the center and working to the edges.
  11. Leaving an irregular grout gap of 1/16 inch or less is much easier than fitting the tile tightly together.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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

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.

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.

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 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

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:

  1. Find a design or picture. Google Images is a great source of photos, images, patterns, models to draw from.
  2. Draw a simple cartoon outline of your design.
  3. Try cutting up some tile and arranging it on the cartoon to see how it looks.
  4. Pay special attention to the smallest detail in your design.
  5. If it is not possible to cut tile that small, or the pieces seem too tedious to work with, then simplify your design.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. You can darken your pencil sketch with a Sharpie brand marker so that glue does not rub it off once you start working.
  9. 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.
  10. Start tiling your design from the center and working to the edges.
  11. Leaving an irregular grout gap of 1/16 inch or less is much easier than fitting the tile tightly together.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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

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.

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.

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 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

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:

  1. Find a design or picture. Google Images is a great source of photos, images, patterns, models to draw from.
  2. Draw a simple cartoon outline of your design.
  3. Try cutting up some tile and arranging it on the cartoon to see how it looks.
  4. Pay special attention to the smallest detail in your design.
  5. If it is not possible to cut tile that small, or the pieces seem too tedious to work with, then simplify your design.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. You can darken your pencil sketch with a Sharpie brand marker so that glue does not rub it off once you start working.
  9. 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.
  10. Start tiling your design from the center and working to the edges.
  11. Leaving an irregular grout gap of 1/16 inch or less is much easier than fitting the tile tightly together.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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

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.

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.

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 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

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:

  1. Find a design or picture. Google Images is a great source of photos, images, patterns, models to draw from.
  2. Draw a simple cartoon outline of your design.
  3. Try cutting up some tile and arranging it on the cartoon to see how it looks.
  4. Pay special attention to the smallest detail in your design.
  5. If it is not possible to cut tile that small, or the pieces seem too tedious to work with, then simplify your design.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. You can darken your pencil sketch with a Sharpie brand marker so that glue does not rub it off once you start working.
  9. 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.
  10. Start tiling your design from the center and working to the edges.
  11. Leaving an irregular grout gap of 1/16 inch or less is much easier than fitting the tile tightly together.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.

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.

Unglazed Porcelain Mosaic Tile CHUNKY 15mm

Unglazed Porcelain Mosaic Tile CHUNKY 15mm

Unglazed Porcelain Mosaic Tile CHUNKY 15mm are over 5/16 inch thick and sold loose in bags of 1/2 kg, which is approximately 130 to 150 pieces. These are fine porcelain with solid color throughout. Raw, unpolished. The corners and edges are sharp. They will more naturally match the edges of any cuts you need to make, but you should smooth sharp exposed corners with the fine side of a marble file for safety reasons. These tiles and very hard and durable, but they can be cut with our Compound Tile Nipper.

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 130 to 150 tiles. Assuming a standard grout gap of approximately 1/16 inch, a bag of 1/2 kg will cover 60 square inches or 0.4 square inches. 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

For best results, these should only be used with thick ceramic and stone tiles instead of most glass. These tiles are 8mm thick, which is twice the thickness of most of the glass mosaic tile we sell. If you mount these on a flat surface alongside 4mm thick glass mosaic tile, then the glass would be recessed significantly, which might not look right because the corner edges of the porcelain tiles are pretty crisp (not rounded).

Use With Glass Tile

There is a way to use these with thinner materials, and that is to temporarily face mount the pieces on mounting tape or mounting paper and then press the sheet of tile into a bed of thinset mortar. The extra mortar beneath the thin glass tile will contract (or “thin”) as it hardens (“sets”), and that means the glass tile would still be recessed some compared to the thicker porcelain tile.

The unglazed porcelain is not glossy like glass, so there would be differences in sheen or finish between the two materials, but that is not necessarily a negative thing.

Cutting Porcelain Tile

This product 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. Corners can be sharp because this material is very hard. Exposed corners should be rounded with the file for safety reasons.

Unglazed Porcelain Mosaic Tile CHUNKY 15mm

  • sold by 1/2 kg, which is approximately 130 to 150 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 kg 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:

  1. Mount the tiles to the surface to be covered.
  2. Use a rag or small artists paint brush to apply GROUT RELEASE to the face of the tiles.
  3. 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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How to Make a Strong Mosaic Backer

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.


Emerald Horizon mosaic art
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.

Seal edges 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.

sealed edge ready to dry
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.

pine for reinforcing the back
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

mitre box to cut the wood
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.

lining up the first piece
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.

wood overhangs broken corner of the cbb
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:

all wood pieces test fitted together
Cut all the pieces and test their fit.

Take a look at each of the corners and make sure everything is lined up well.

inspect corners for fit and alignment
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.

1 inch screws are the right length
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
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.

use weldbond and screws together
Apply a bead of Weldbond before screwing the piece down.

Flip the piece over and add some glue.

first piece secure
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.

2 1/4 inch screw location mark
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
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.

get the piece ready
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
Install the second piece in the same manner as before.

Affix the second piece in the same manner as the first.

Finishing Up

check that everything is square each step of the way
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.

reinforcements are finished
The reinforcements are now finished.

Once you put in the last screw you’re done.

this piece is ready for glass
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.

Essential mosaic art
“Essential” mosaic art by Natalija Moss

The finished mosaic after being grouted and framed. Most of the glass is Spectrum brand stained glass.

Glass Mosaic Tiles 3/8-Inch BULK 5 Pounds Economy Bag

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.

How To Make An Aluminum Frame

Mosaic wall art often takes the form of rectangular “plaques” which, visually, serve the same function as rectangular paintings on canvas. Paintings often look best when they have been framed properly; this can also be true for mosaics.

Paintings are usually framed with some kind of stained wood. This can be done for mosaic art as well, but this tutorial will show how to use another attractive option: angle aluminum. Aluminum might sound daunting at first, but with some common hand-tools a clean and sharp frame can be made for your mosaic. Aluminum is also nice because it doesn’t rust and the metallic shine nicely compliments glass.

Part I: Framing a mosaic that has not been grouted yet

Step 1: Preparation

Installing an aluminum frame is easiest when the mosaic has not yet been grouted. However, it is possible to put a frame onto an existing already-grouted mosaic using similar techniques. This tutorial will first demonstrate how to frame an un-grouted mosaic.

Angle aluminum is readily available in three sizes: 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch, and 1 inch. In my experience the 1/2 inch variety would be unsuitable for most of my artwork because it would be hard to get a screw into the side of it, and it wouldn’t provide a nice lip beyond the surface of the mosaic tile. 3/4 inch angle aluminum is big enough for most projects. Because of its size and weight, 1 inch angle aluminum is only suitable for mosaics whose base is at least 1/2 an inch thick, and should not be used for smaller projects.

The first mosaic is an abstract pattern made of stained glass triangles glued with Weldbond onto a composite backer made of half-inch thick concrete backer board (CBB) and quarter-inch thick plywood. The total thickness of the backer is therefore 3/4 of an inch which is suitable for a 3/4 inch angle aluminum frame. The frame will need to sit a little higher than the glass, so the frame will rest solely on the CBB. The second mosaic is larger and will use a slightly different construction with 1 inch angle aluminum. We have a discussion about how to use concrete backer board as a mosaic surface on our page about ideal mosaic surfaces. Angle aluminum can be purchased in 8 foot lengths at your local big box hardware store. Don’t buy the cheap stuff, get one of the thicker materials seen in this tutorial. The dimensions can be seen more easily in this picture. Notice that each of the “arms” of the “L” are 1/16 inch thick.

The glue needs to be dried before you begin. If you used Weldbond you can perform most of the framing operations as early as three hours after gluing the last tile, but you should still wait 24 hours before grouting. This allows the glue to cure and develop water resistance so that it won’t be weakened by the wet grout.

Most of the tools used in this tutorial should already be available to you. You’ll want gloves, a hacksaw, a drill, a square, a ruler or measuring tape, screws, a metal file, and a marker. Safety glasses should also be worn while drilling. If you have a chopsaw in your garage or work room then you can use that instead of the hacksaw as long as you have a blade suitable for cutting metal. Aluminum is soft as far as metals go, so doing it by hand isn’t that difficult. You should wear gloves to protect your hands from the saw and from the metal file. A small slip with a file can actually take off quite a bit of skin so be careful.


two mosaics on a table, ready for framing
Two mosaics ready to be framed.

most of the tools needed to make an aluminum mosaic frame
Most of the tools needed.

Step 2: Measure the first piece

For this mosaic we will cut sections of angle aluminum at right angles and have two “inside” pieces butt up against two “outside” pieces. With a chop saw a mitred frame can be produced, but mosaic artists with only a hacksaw should stick to right-angle frames instead.

We will make one of the inside pieces first. When they’re completed it will be easy to make the outside pieces. Making the first inside piece is the hardest part of the project, so take your time and measure twice. Lay the aluminum flush with one edge of the mosaic, and then use a marker to draw the cutting line. When you cut bias the saw towards the outside of the mark because you’ll have to file it down.

measuring the length of the first piece
Use the mosaic to get the length.
the first piece is ready to be cut
Lay the angle on the table edge for cutting.

Step 3: Make the first cut

When cutting with the hacksaw be sure to make many long but shallow strokes. Aluminum is tougher than wood, so you need to take it slow. It also helps if you clamp the aluminum to the table. Remember to leave some extra lenghth because you’re going to have to file the end later.

cutting angle aluminum with a hacksaw
Cutting with a hacksaw. Bias outwards so you can file it down.
cutting the angle aluminum with a hacksaw
Cutting just outside the line. Use many long, shallow strokes.

Step 4: Clean up the edge

After cutting the edge will be very sharp and dangerous. It must be filed down. Sandpaper is not ideal, it will get shredded by the aluminum and you risk scratching the surface that you want displayed. The marker can be wiped off now, but if it has set too long it might be dry. If that happens and water can’t get it off just hold the end of the bar in bleach for 15 seconds then wipe it on a rag.

this cut needs to be filed smooth
This edge needs to be filed now.
using a small amount of household bleach to remove marker from the aluminum
Remove dried marker by dipping in bleach.

Step 5: Measure in for screws

With our first piece cut we can now attach it to the frame, but the screws need to be positioned properly. Screw positioning depends on the dimensions of the angle aluminum and the thickness of the mosaic.

For this mosaic the screws will be put two inches in from each end, and then lined up so they go right into the middle of the CBB. It is better to have the screws go into wood than CBB, but for a small mosaic like this the CBB will suffice.

measuring screw hole location
Measure two inches from each end for screw holes.
this frame will be aligned with the backer plywood
For this mosaic we will align the frame with the backer plywood.

Step 6: Determine screw depth

We want the screws in the exact middle of the CBB so that they don’t damage it. With the angle positioned even with the CBB/plywood transition that means the screws are going to go 1/4 of an inch away from the lip of the angle aluminum. This gives us a nice gap above the surface of the glass.

illustrated photo showing frame alignment and thicknesses of the mosaic backing layers
This is how the thickness of the mosaic breaks down.
illustrated photo showing screw hole position
The screw should be in the middle of the CBB, or 1/4 inch into the frame.

Step 7: Drill pilot holes

Mark the screw holes and clamp the bar of angle aluminum to the work surface. Drill pilot holes with a 1/32 drill bit before drilling out the actual hole size. The actual size is going to be determined by the type of screws you use.

clamp the aluminum to the work surface
Clamps make drilling easier.
pre-drill with a 1/32 inch bit
Drill a 1/32 inch pilot hole.

Step 8: Drill the holes larger

Once the pilot holes have been drilled choose the appropriate drill bit and then drill the holes larger. Then check for burrs around the drill hole on both sides. They should be cleaned up before installing the frame piece.

drill the hole again with a larger bit appropriate to your screw size
Drill again with the bit appropriate for your screws.
burr from drilling
Drilling can leave a burr. File it off before installing the piece.

Step 9: Attach the first piece

Line up the angle piece with the mosaic where you want it mounted. Drill through the holes into the CBB, but whatever the length of the screw is subtract about 1/4 inch. This doesn’t have to be exact. Screw the frame piece to the side of the mosaic.

screw into the side of the frame.
Screws might leave another burr, you can back them out and file if you want.
first frame piece installed
The first frame piece is installed. Don’t worry if it doesn’t sit 100% flush with the mosaic.

Step 10: Make the opposite piece

Repeat steps 2-9 to produce the next piece. Screw it on opposite the first piece, in the same manner as shown above. You can check for accurate fitment by taking the mosaic and resting it sideways on the table to see if your frame pieces line up properly, or you can use a square.

Everything needs to line up flush or else the next two pieces won’t fit properly. You can play with the angle at which the screws are drilled in and with tightening or loosening them to adjust the frame. This frame has two screws per side, but for larger pieces you might want to go with three screws. If you do that it can help to get the middle screw figured out before attaching the screws near the edge.

second frame piece installed using the same method as the first piece
Make and install the second piece.

Step 11: Make one of the sides

Using steps 2-9 make one of the side pieces, but this time you need to allot enough extra length to accommodate the width of the two pieces you just installed. Now that the other two pieces are already in place you can flip the mosaic upside-down when you go to pre-drill the screw holes in the sides of the mosaic for the frame piece.

third frame piece is finished
Make the side pieces the same as above, but include the width of the frames.
ready to install the third frame piece
It’s easy to install sides when the piece is upside down.

Step 12: Make the other side

With three pieces down, simply copy the piece you just made for the other side and install it. The frame is now complete.

third frame piece installed, angles are flush
Third piece installed. Notice how the pieces are flush.
fourth frame piece installed
Final piece installed. Make sure everything is flush before grouting.

Step 13: Fill in gaps if needed

If the mosaic backing was cut by hand (as this one was) there might be some small gaps between the frame and the mosaic. These gaps can be filled with Weldbond before grouting. If you do this wait 24 hours before grouting so the glue can dry. I glued the seam and then pressed the glue in with my index finger, wiping the excess onto a paper towel.

photo of gap on back side of frame
Small gaps may be present between the frame and mosaic backer.
you can seal cracks with Weldbond
Weldbond can be used to fill in gaps.

Step 14: Grout your mosaic

The final step for the frame is to grout the mosaic. If the frame is installed before grouting it saves lots of trouble later.

The grout I use in this tutorial dried rather quickly because it was done in a warm environment, but exposure to wet grout can stain some aluminum trim pieces because of a mild chemical reaction. It’s best to mask the surface of the frame to prevent contact with wet grout.

optional masking tape on the frame before grouting
Tape the frame to protect it from grout scratches and chemical damage.
grouting after frame installation
Grout in the normal fashion, but clean out the grout in the corners.

You’re Done!

At this point the frame is complete and the mosaic is grouted. All that remains is to put a hanging wire or hook on the back and sign it.

Triangles V mosaic wall art by Natalija Moss
Triangles V mosaic art by Natalija Moss.


Part II: Framing a mosaic that already has grout

Framing a mosaic which has already been grouted with an angle aluminum frame is not ideal!! You should try to decide whether or not a mosaic will get a frame before you grout it, or you should look at using some kind of trim wood with a lip to make a mitred frame which covers the edges of the mosaic.

That being said, you may find yourself in the position I found myself in when I decided to make this tutorial. I had a mosaic I was very proud of, but after grouting it I realized that the way I had planned to deal with the edges just wasn’t going to look as nice as I wanted it to. I could tell that this piece needed a nice clean frame and I had to do it even though the grout was already in place.

Part II shows how to install a frame made out of 1 inch angle aluminum onto a stained glass mosaic whose backing is a little over 1 inch thick. You will follow the same steps as Part I, but make accommodations for the larger size of the mosaic, the new size of aluminum, and the deeper thickness of the mosaic backing.

Building the Frame

This mosaic is mounted on 1/2 inch concrete backer board as was the previous mosaic, but this time the wood backing is much thicker. Between the wood and the larger aluminum we are able to screw directly into the side of the wood.

You can see in the diagram that the aluminum overlaps the wood by about 5/16 of an inch, yet still has a nice lip above the glass. We’re putting the screws about mid-way through this overlap directly into the wood, or about 5/32 of an inch from the edge of the aluminum. The piece is also larger so you may notice that there are three screws each on the top and bottom. I installed the middle screws first.

Diagram of the frame position on the side of the mosaic.
The screws will be set approximately 5/32 of an inch away from the edge of the aluminum.
Rei II mosaic art by Natalija Moss nearing completion.
Build the frame as detailed in Part 1. More screws might be required.

Grout the seams

Once the frame is constructed you might find that there are gaps along the edges. These gaps can be filled with grout. Mix a small amount of it and try to work only around the areas that need it. You might find that one side is already flush with the frame and doesn’t need any grout. Be sure to clean out the grout properly so that it lays flush with the grout on the mosaic so it looks nice.

Mosaic with wet grout in the frame seams.
Grout the seams using the same exact grout as the mosaic already had.
Grout in one seam after being cleaned up.
Wipe the grout clean. Try to keep it level with grout that was already there.

All Finished!

Once again your mosaic is essentially complete and all you need to do is put some mounting hardware on the back. Enjoy your new mosaic.

Triangles V and Rei II mosaic art by Natalija Moss
Triangles V and Rei II mosaic art by Natalija Moss