Following, you’ll find a list and brief description of the main tools required for drawing and mosaicing in ceramic.
You don’t need all of the tools for every mosaic, but many of them can be found around the home and if not, you can often improvise.
Mosaic toolkits are available here or you can get them from many hardware stores and tiling outlets.
Drawing Tools
1. Steel Ruler – Stainless steel seem best, different lengths are useful.
2. Square – the biggest one you can find is best.
3. Protractor – for marking out your angles. I find a round one best.
4. Pencil – HB lead pencil or builders pencil.
5. Permanent Marker – In a few different colours can be helpful.
6. Compass – for drawing circles. Again, the biggest you can find.
7. Scissors – sharp paper cutting scissors
8. Stanley knife – For cutting templates and a variety of tasks.
Cutting Tools
9. Straight edged nippers – My favourite nippers for straight cuts, convex curves, circles, and splitting tiles, cutting strips etc. I find you can cut more accurately & predictably than with curved nippers. On the downside, more force is usually necessary to cut (harder on your hands & wrists), and you simply cannot cut concave curves.
10. Curved nippers – Probably the best choice for your first set. You can pretty much do anything with curved nippers except cut consistently straight. You might have to accept a bit more wastage and take a bit more time and practice with straight cuts. These nippers are also easiest on your hands & wrists which is a worthwhile consideration.
11. Parrot Beak nippers – Least necessary of the nippers, but very handy for fine cutting. You can nibble away very small shards & create shapes and curves not possible with the other nippers.
12. Safety Glasses – To be worn whenever cutting tiles or using power tools. Sunglasses could be used as a last resort.
13. Tile File – There’s several different kinds on the market – all seem useful. Used for taking off sharp edges from tiles & creating smooth edges where you want them. Not an essential tool, but very useful.
14. Cotton gloves – I wear gloves when doing long stretches of cutting – saves the blisters!
Tools for grouting, mixing, sealing etc.
15. Paintbrush – for applying sealants & paints.
16. Boat Grouter – There are cheaper grouting tools about, but I wouldn’t be without a boat grouter. They make the job of grouting easier, quicker, and give much better results.
17. Spoons – Different size spoons for mixing, distributing and all sorts of things.
18. Palette knife and /or chisel – Great for mixing, cleaning up dried glue and a variety of other things.
19. Stainless steel wool – very effective for cleaning up metal and glass utensils.
20. Rubber Gloves – for working with the concrete products & other harmful stuff.
21. Old towels – Old towels, nappies and rags are used for grouting, sealing and just general cleaning up.
22. High Density sponge – used for grout cleanup. All sponges work, but the firmer, denser ones make the job easier.
23. Stainless steel bowls – For mixing your grouts & glues. Easy to clean.
24. Ice Cream & Yoghurt containers – 1-2 litre containers are good for storing tiles, shards etc.
25. Plastic plates – Great for your working shards & precut tiles – easy to move around & you can see your tesserea. I use larger plates & lids too.
