Mosaic: laying the mosaic with your own hands

Mosaic is one of the oldest art forms. Used for its manufacture in ancient Greece, stones adorned the walls of palaces and houses of wealthy townspeople. Mosaic is considered one of the most exquisite finishing materials. She always attracted her eyes with her originality, allowing her to create unique interiors. A coffee table, a wall in the bathroom, a kitchen apron and even furniture can get an amazing look thanks to such material as a mosaic. Laying mosaic - the process is quite complex and painstaking. Given that such a coating is not afraid of water or sunlight, it will serve for a very long time.

Mosaic Types

Modern industry produces a huge number of types of this popular material - there is a glass mosaic, ceramic, stone, metal, wood, etc.

Especially often used for creating interiors glass mosaic. It is distinguished by a wide range of colors, textures, sizes and shapes.

Ceramic mosaic resembles a miniature ceramic tile. Its chips are made of ceramics, after which they undergo an invoice and thermal treatment, resulting in a durable and wear-resistant material.

Stone mosaic is the most common type of decoration. The basis for its creation are various rocks. It can be granite, marble, and even semi-precious stones.

Not so long ago, metal mosaic began to be used. For its production, materials with corrosion-resistant properties - alloy steel or aluminum are used.

Wooden mosaic is made from wood species resistant to abrasion and moisture. This decoration is used to decorate the interiors of both living quarters and sanitary zones.

Not only on the walls, but also on the floor, mosaic stonework can be made from porcelain stoneware. It has a special impact resistance. Such products can often be found in the collection of ceramic granite.

Despite the complexity and complexity of the process, laying the mosaic with your own hands - it is quite feasible, if you comply with all the necessary rules.

Surface preparation

Before starting the process of creating a mosaic, you need to prepare a workplace. The furniture in the vicinity should be covered with a protective film. To the place of installation, it is necessary to cut off the padding of electricity and water. The surface on which the mosaic will be glued must be perfectly flat and dry, so the walls will need to be smoked, aligned with cement mortar, and then covered with a primer. The mosaic is laid only after the surface has dried completely. Mosaic - the material is rather capricious. Therefore, it requires exceptional accuracy when working with it.

Instruments

From the tools you will need the following:

1. Mixer construction (for mixing plaster, glue, etc.).
2. Comb for more uniform application of adhesive mass.
3. Level and collapsible meter for marking.
4. Trowel (it is important that it is comfortable).
5. Corner and rubber grater.

Preparing for laying

The mosaic pattern is first laid out on a clean surface, preferably on the floor. If necessary, the tiles are cut and adjusted to fit. This is very scrupulous work, but it will directly depend on the quality of the finish. After the layout is completed, glue is mixed. The adhesive solution is applied to the surface with a notched trowel. It is necessary to make sure that the layer is uniform and not more than 1 cm thick. The toothed edge of the spatula should move at an angle to the wall. Excess glue from it should be cleaned in time.

Process Features

The easiest way to lay is matrix. For this purpose it is convenient to use ready-made plates on a paper or mesh basis. According to the layout scheme, glued mosaic tiles can be started on the glued area. It should be squeezed very gently on the middle line, then smooth the entire sheet with a roller. To flatten the plane properly, you can use plywood. The sheet must be attached to the mosaic and taped with a wooden hammer. At the end of the series, the joints between the sheets are aligned with the crosses.

Laying the mosaic with your own hands requires a thorough check of how smoothly the sheets are laid in a common plane. Do this periodically in the process, using a sheet of plywood and a straight line.

The protective layer of paper, if it is on the mosaic, is immediately removed after laying. To facilitate this process, you can use a wet sponge. After that, you need to fix the tile with a spatula and gently remove the glue residues until it has time to grasp.

For decoration, mosaic on a grid is often used. Stacking in this case is slightly different. It is important to completely immerse the mesh side in the glue, while maintaining even seams between the elements.

Grout

In a day, you can start sealing the seams. It is necessary to be convinced of their cleanliness and dryness of a surface on which the mosaic is laid out. Laying the mosaic involves the use of a special color grouting, which is resistant to moisture, mechanical damage and aggressive detergents. It is applied with an ordinary spatula or rubber float in such a way as to fill all the seams and holes. Remains should be removed with a soft damp sponge before the grout dries. Accurate compliance with the technology for the use of grout is especially important if mosaics are laid in the bathroom, where an increased resistance of joints to moisture is required.

Glass Mosaic

This is a fairly common type of decorative finishing. Glass mosaic is the most successful option for decorating fireplaces, stoves, pools or bathrooms due to its unique characteristics. It is absolutely resistant to aggressive chemical agents, temperature changes and abrasion. This is a completely non-toxic material that does not change its original appearance over time. In addition, a huge variety of colors and textures is distinguished by a glass mosaic. Laying the mosaic is done in the form of borders, edges or individual panels. Such a finish can surprisingly revitalize the rigid geometric surfaces.

Features of laying glass mosaic

All stages of work should be carefully thought out. The first thing you need to take care of glue. Stacking glass mosaic requires the use of special mixtures that do not change the original color of the material and have an increased thixotropy. Depending on the size of the mosaic elements, a notched trowel is used to apply the glue. On the prepared surface, the marking is applied, after which it is covered with a glue composition with a layer of 1 mm. Then a sheet with glass mosaic is laid and pressed against the wall. At the junctions, a small clearance must be allowed. To completely dry the mosaic, it is necessary to exclude the effects of moisture and sunlight during the day, after which you can grout the joints.

With proper performance of the works, the finish, in which the mosaic is used, is almost eternal. The mosaic tiling, produced independently, will allow you to be proud of the result and enjoy the beauty gained over the years.