Some Tips
The cement based adhesive you’re using performs better when there’s a “bed” of glue between the tile & the backing board. Please resist the temptation to push your tiles hard to the board – try to simply “float” them in the glue with a gentle tap to ensure good contact.Clean off any glue that pushes through the gaps, or onto the face of the tiles as you go. Cleaning up dried glue can be a nightmare, and may affect the final look of your work.
You can keep the surface of your mosaic reasonably flat by using a good thickness of glue, and tapping the tiles flat with the back of a tile, or a similar flat object. Flatten each section as you lay it, before the glue sets too hard. Don’t push the tiles in too hard though – you’ll push glue through the spaces and create a mess to clean up.
General laying concepts
How neatly and thoughfully you place your tiles is the most important aspect to a well laid mosaic.Here’s some techniques for using a glue bag for best results:-
 | When filling large areas of colour, bead glue into small areas and work your way around the design in sections. don’t be tempted to cover too big an area – your glue might “skin”, in which case you’ll need to pull it up & start again. Work around the edges first so it’s nice and neat where the colour changes. |
 | To lay smashed tile into a specific area, bead glue in a pattern which leaves no large gaps as shown. Always bead the edges in first, in a slightly larger bead than the fill – this ensures the tiles around the edge have plenty of glue. |
 | Lay tiles around the edge of the section first, following the shape closely, and nipping contours on the tiles to get a well defined edge. Then you can simply lay tiles into the centre to complete the section. |
 | For thin lines, bead the glue down along the line you want to make, and gently push the tiles into the glue as shown. If you put a generous bead of glue down, it’s easy to adjust the position of the tiles to create an excellent flowing, neat line. |
 | For thicker lines of tile, try to use two beads of glue as shown. This makes it easier to balance the tile and also gives better glue contact. |
 | If you’ve precut larger shapes, it’s easier to bead the glue on the tile as shown. The same principles apply as glueing straight to the board – cover the piece as evenly as possible. |
 | If you have to leave your project for a time, and some of your glue hardens, it’s essential to remove the dags with a chisel or palette knife as shown, before continuing to lay tiles. Leaving them in place will make it hard to lay tiles nearby, and inevitably results in sharp edges of tile sticking out on your work. If possible, do this before the glue sets too hard. |
