Laying Mosaic Tiles On A Grid: Types, Technology, Video

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-24 22:24

• The justified cost advantage
• Types of tiles
• Mosaic application
• What glue to use
• Laying technology
• Foundation preparation
• Laying tiles
• Conclusion

In terms of its aesthetic characteristics, mosaics have long been quite popular. Even using just a few colors can help make a space incredibly effective. Well, laying a mosaic tile-panel is an object of admiration. And note that earlier, not everyone could afford such "luxury" as design using mosaics. And this is far from due to the cost of the material, but more directly due to the price of the work of a specialist in laying it.

The justified cost advantage

Even now, the cost of laying such a tile is quite high (especially compared to ordinary tiles), but today it is possible to install it yourself.

The complexity of the work lies in the fact that such a tile is created from many small pieces, fastened together with paper or a construction mesh. One plate is the same size as the ceramic counterpart. But at the same time, flexible tiles are in the hands.

The undoubted advantage of such a material is precisely its flexibility. And the fact that it is fastened with a special mesh allows you to cut such a tile into pieces of any size without a special tool.

Types of tiles

When laying mosaic tiles is concerned, the first step is the question of its choice. And in order to be correctly identified, you need to know the types of such material.

1. The first, and most common, is the standard glass mosaic. This option is quite cheap, and besides, it has a pleasant appearance. Made of high-strength glass.

2. The next option is smalt coating. Here there is a slight difference from glass, in particular, the additional use of components that give it an unusual look. In addition, the strength of such a tile is slightly higher, therefore, it can be used at high loads.

   

3. The next type is ceramic mosaic. In terms of its characteristics, in addition to its size, it fully coincides with ordinary tiles.

4. A rather unusual finishing option is the creation of a stone coating. In this case, as the name implies, stone tiles are used. It is mainly used to decorate a building from the outside.

   

   

5. And the last type is metallic material. It is also worth noting here that it is quite expensive, which allows it to be used mainly in small rooms. For manufacturing, stainless steel is used.

Mosaic application

The laying of mosaic tiles finds its use in a wide variety of ways. Thus, for example, using it, you can select any area in the room, or decorate one or more elements.

In addition, in addition, some details that are finished with mosaics look very attractive. For example, decoration of rounded podiums, or round walls is performed. While ordinary tiles will not lie on them, the mosaic will look very original.

Also, sometimes, it is used as a kind of borders, which looks pretty interesting. Learn more about the ideas for using mosaic tiles in the bathroom.

What glue to use

It should be noted that, unlike other types of tiles, a special adhesive mixture is used for this variety. It can be noted that according to the principle of gluing, and in its strength, it does not differ from the usual adhesive mixture. The only difference is that white glue is used for the mosaic, unlike ordinary tiles, where for the most part it has a cement shade.

This is done because most of the glass tiles are used. It is a transparent coating, and the gray tint of the glue will hopelessly spoil its beauty. And with a white background, such a coating will look the best possible.

But even in the case when a different type of tile is used, the dark color still seeps through the grout, and therefore only special glue is used.

Laying technology

And now, it's time to move on to considering how to properly lay the tiles in the bathroom. Unlike standard ceramic materials, this type of tile requires a special approach.

Although the tools and materials you need are the same, the process itself will be slightly different. To begin with, let us recall in particular the tools and materials used when laying tiles on the wall in the bathroom:

1. First of all, the surface should be primed, and of course, an appropriate composition will be needed.
2. Tile adhesive is also needed. As mentioned special, preferably latex based.
3. Of course, the tile itself, as well as the grout for it, will come in handy.
4. Several spatulas, regular (with rubber base), notched for glue, and rubber for grouting.
5. To apply the primer, you will need a roller, or a brush.
6. A container for glue is also needed.
7. And the last will be a construction mixer for mixing the mixture.

We figured out the tool, and now it is necessary to consider directly the stages of laying. There are two of them:

1. Preparation of the base.
2. And the second is direct styling.

Let's consider each of them separately.

Foundation preparation

So, given that the tiles are laid on a grid, and this is a flexible material, then much attention to leveling can be ignored (except for the presence of large cracks, potholes and other significant defects). Separately, it is worth noting how to properly prepare a wall for tiles.

The main process will be the dismantling of the old finish, especially if in some places it began to fall off or crack by itself.

By itself, the tile is easy to fit, both on concrete and drywall.

After surface preparation, it is primed in at least 2 layers, for a greater guarantee, some experts advise to provide up to 4 layers, this will reduce the absorption of tile adhesive into the wall. It is possible to use betokontakt for improvement.

By the way, the tiles can be laid immediately after the application of the primer is complete, without waiting for it to dry completely. Note that this will not affect the quality of the coating in any way.

Laying tiles

And it's time to actually figure out how to properly lay the tiles in the bathroom on the wall. To do this, we will go through the following steps:

1. First you need to mix the glue. As with any other styling, you should not plant a lot at once, since it tends to set. The maximum amount of mixing is for an hour of work, in some cases for one and a half, no more. The preparation itself should be done strictly according to the instructions on the package.

   

2. Next, we apply glue to the wall surface, this is done with a notched trowel. Thus, grooves should be obtained. It is desirable to apply such an amount, more precisely, on an area that will be processed in 20-30 minutes, but no more.
3. The next step is to take the tiles in our hands and press the rubber handle of the spatula to the surface. Note that when laying on uneven surfaces, first remove the tape from the tile. Then we remove the excess glue that protrudes beyond the tile and check the tile with a level, vertically and horizontally. To align the joints, we use crosses or tile alignment systems.
4. After laying one zone, move on to another. After 30-40 minutes, use a damp cloth to remove dirt from the adhesive mixture from the tile. It is important to do this right away, because the later the removal of contamination is carried out, the more difficult the process will be.
5. A day later, or preferably two, we start grouting the tile joints. For it, we prepare a special grouting mixture and use a spatula to drive it diagonally into the seams (for more details, see the process in a separate article on grouting).
6. After 30 minutes, remove the remaining grout on the tiles with a damp sponge or cloth.

This completes the installation process.

Conclusion

Laying the mosaic tiles on the grid, as you may have noticed, is quite simple. The technology itself does not differ from standard masonry, except that alignment is not as important as when arranging tile finishes. In addition, it becomes possible to work with curved surfaces. Therefore, finishing with such tiles is quite popular. In conclusion, we propose to visually consider the process of laying the mosaic in the video below.

Video: