The expressive glass mosaic once seen in the SPA salon will not give rest. The charming uniqueness of the picture of the mosaic was mentally asked in the apartment, namely in the bathroom. Turning around at sleepless nights, you will certainly want to make a mosaic with your hands. What needs to be done for this?
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Glass mosaic in the bathroom interior
Among numerous finishing materials, mosaic has a special place. Still would! Mosaic always attracted to itself the elegance of lines and the uniqueness of the drawing, because mosaic laying is a laborious and laborious process.
Modern glass mosaic is made in a convenient for subsequent work performance. These are small-sized squares, combined with fragments of colored glass. For the interior of the bathroom, the glass mosaic is designed and created as an element of decor, capable of incredibly enlivening the rigorous geometric surfaces.
That is why, glass mosaic for the bathroom is laid in the form of curbs, edges or separate panels on the floor and walls. Finishing using a mosaic for a bathroom will never become bothersome or monotonous for premises lined with ceramic tiles. Can I put glass mosaic with my own hands?
Mosaic glass
To begin with, mosaic glass is literally created for decorating surfaces exposed to daily moisture and temperature influences. In a natural way, the question arises, it is so practical for mosaic glass to be honored. It's all about the structure of the glass.
Mosaic glass is an alloy of siliceous sand and additional components that impart transparency and color to the material. Glass mosaic is a stable and heat-resistant material, because in the technology of manufacturing elements the parameters of endurance are incorporated. These are such excellent qualities:
• resistance to chemical attack and temperature changes
• abrasion resistance
• resistance to contamination.
The stunning appeal of mosaic glass is achieved through effective additives in the production process. It can be a golden powder, bright shiny chips or interspersed with natural aventurine.
Glass tiles for mosaic
Glass tiles for mosaic characterize the main qualities that are so appreciated by building materials. It is wear-resistant and easy to operate. Such qualities are inherent in traditional ceramic tiles, embodied only in miniature in a glass mosaic tile.
The most common form of glass mosaic tiles are squares measuring 10x10 or 20x20 mm. More solid squares have dimensions of 50x50 mm. with the thickness of the squares can be from 4 to 12 mm. It is noticed, the smaller the size of the square of the glass tile, the better it is possible to make the detailing of the applied pattern and the color transitions.
Innovative technology of glass production allows reproducing decorative elements of various shapes. It can be classic rectangles or squares, rhombuses or ovals, "sea pebbles". The color of the glass tiles is attached to the additions of rare earth oxides. It can be monochrome tiles, mixes from color mixes, tonal transitions of a selected color or ready-made story elements, as well as a panel.
Laying mosaic
The simplest, and therefore available for laying the mosaic with your own hands, you can call the matrix method. For these purposes it is preferable to work with mosaic plates of factory production glued to the mesh or paper basis of the matrix. Ready-made sheets with a mosaic, 30x30 cm in size, are applied to the treated surface, lubricated with special glue.
Then, after gluing, the paper base is simply removed with a damp sponge. In this case, the laying of a glass mosaic is of no special complexity. True, the apparent simplicity and dexterity of laying are deceptive. Styling the mosaic is a long and laborious process, you can say jewelry work. Here everything will depend on the level of skill and the presence of artistic taste of the master.
All stages of laying glass tiles must be thought out long before the start of work, because it will be problematic to tear off or remove poorly laid mosaic. First of all, it is necessary to take care of the glue for the glass mosaic and the grouting of the seams between the sheets.
Glue for glass mosaic
For external and internal lining with glass mosaic, special dry glue mixtures are used. The field of application of such glue mixtures is specific:
• Glass mosaic flooring, walls in bathrooms and shower cabins
• Glass mosaic tiling of any type.
Use glue is recommended when laying both transparent light and colored glass mosaic. The composition of the finished glue does not change the original color of the surface and the gluing material.
After mixing with the amount of water recommended by the manufacturer, the dry glue mixture forms an elastic pasty solution. The resulting adhesive has good adhesion and increased thixotropy.
Improved thixotropy of special glue eliminates the sliding of glass mosaic from vertical surfaces. To apply glue for glass mosaic use a notched trowel. Dimensions of teeth of this spatula are selected depending on the size of the mosaic tile. This will ensure the necessary condition for covering the back side of the glass tile with glue.
How to apply glue and mosaic
On the carefully prepared surface of the bathroom, the intended pattern or markup of the future mosaic is applied.
Prepared glue solution is applied to the working surface of the wall with a layer of 1 mm. and the adhesive surface is formed by the toothed side of the spatula.
A sheet of glass mosaic is laid on a fresh layer of glue. In this case, the surface of the sheet with the mosaic is pressed tight against the wall and pressed slightly. It is necessary to maintain the distance between the sheets with the mosaic so that the expansion joints and separating seams of the sheets coincide. It is not recommended to lay the tile with the butt-end mosaic, it is necessary to leave a gap of no more than 5 mm at the junctions with the projecting surface elements.
The glued mosaic is protected from moisture and direct sunlight, as well as mechanical effects within 24 hours. Then, after the glued sheets dry completely, the seams are sealed using a grout for the glass mosaic. Grout is selected in tone to the main mosaic sheets. Find out more how professional masters glue mosaic tiles can be in the video.
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