Question from Cazza

Hi, I am new to mosaics having just completed my first term.

I making a pot using some ceramic floor and wall tiles. I have created some frames around the pot with cut tile and into these i wanted to put my broken china. As the china is markedly thinner could I build up a layer of the cement based grout-leave it to dry then butter the china and put in to the needed height.

I think I have cut the china smaller than I meant to and it’s hard to position

Thanks Cazza

Reply from Brett

Hi Cazza

Thanks for your question.

The answer depends on how far you need to pack up the china area. If it’s less than 10mm (as I assume it would be), then you pack up the area with thinset stick the china to it whilst wet if you can do this without the tiles slipping off.

If they do slip off, then you could trowel the thinset around the area, wait for it to dry, and then glue the china to that.

Don’t use grout though – it won’t adhere to the pot properly you’re pretty much guaranteed that the pot won’t last.

Make sure you prime both the pot the dried thinset before putting on another layer.

If you need to pack up more than 10mm, you’ll want to use a high quality glue system for it to be successful. In this situation I’d be considering graduating the depth between the thick part & thin part so that most of the mosaic is less than 10mm from the terracotta.

I hope I’ve understood your question properly you can understand my response – let me know if it’s not clear.

Cheers & good luck with it.

Brett

Reply from Cazza

Thanks Brett for your fast reply.

Just to clarify the bit about graduation. Do you mean rather than have adhesive more than 10mm if the difference is great – have the china set lower than the tiles ?.

cazza

Reply from Brett

Hi Cazza

Yes, if the difference is more than 10mm, I’d suggest stepping it down so the china’s set lower – you might want to use a row or two of china to graduate it down.

I don’t know whether it’s a great idea to have the whole pot carrying more than 10mm of glue – it’ll be heavier & more vulnerable I’d think.

Cheers

Brett

Reply from Cazza

Thanks Brett

I’ll give that a go.

Cazza