Since ancient times, mosaic tiles were used to decorate the walls of temples and palaces, but now the possibilities of using this material to make a mosaic table top. Today, if the available space allows, a tabletop made of mosaic will help you to make your own bathroom, kitchen or any other room stylish. In addition, you can make and author’s coffee tables for home.
Let’s analyze in detail the manufacture of tiled table tops. For this choose glass, ceramic, stone, metal, wood and other types of tiles.
Features
Every year the cost of furniture and building materials is only increasing, so it is not possible for everyone to update the interior regularly. Kitchen furniture is especially deformed over time. Do not get upset, for such a case there is a great solution. Mosaic tiles will help you to save, refresh, decorate your old kitchen furniture or other surfaces and add originality and freshness to the interior.
Mosaic is a tile, the size of which is defined from one and a half to 2.5 cm. The shape of the fragments can be very diverse. They can be square, triangular, rectangular, round and any other arbitrary shape.
Mosaics for facing various surfaces in the interior is divided into the following types:
- Glass – the most used type, the main feature of which is a low price and different types of performance (matte, transparent, colored, gold and silver, with various shades and additions);
- Metal mosaic;
- Ceramic – comes in the form of sliced sheets of porcelain tiles and ceramic tiles;
- Stone – made of lapis lazuli, jasper, marble, travertine;
- Smalt tiles – the most expensive type, but at the same time qualitative and reliable.
Reliability and unusual appearance is what distinguishes mosaic countertops. This decorative solution is ideal for decorating the living room, bathroom and other rooms. Small tiles form a picture or a beautiful pattern.
How to make it yourself?
To begin with, decide on a specific area of placement. Most often choose these options: the transition between furniture, a mosaic coffee table and just the surface of the mosaic. All options for finishing with tiles is a great solution for your interior. It is used to decorate the living room, finish the apron and countertop in the kitchen, while it is not recommended to lay a mosaic on the old garniture.
Sometimes, to expand the working area in the kitchen, mosaics decorate the window sill. But the most options for the use of such tiles can be found in the bathroom. For example, with its help mask the washing machine, decorate the walls, link the washbasin with the screen.
Keep in mind, the construction of a tiled table requires dexterity and a certain experience, although it seems an ordinary case. The following materials are perfectly suitable for the base: concrete, wood materials with a good, moisture-resistant impregnation, water-resistant gypsum cardboard surfaces, dense polyurethane.
It is worth noting that you can make a mosaic of your own hands. It is only necessary to make of glass suitable in shape and color fragments. A glass fragments can be obtained in any company that sells consumables and colored glass for stained glass. It’s a great way to try your hand at something new and get into it.
To stack a tiled surface, you will need:
- grout for joints;
- primer;
- putty;
- antiseptic.
Tools:
- trowel;
- container for mixing glue;
- container for mixing grout;
- rags;
- sandpaper;
- soft spatula for grouting joints.
To ensure that the mosaic tile is firmly anchored to the table, use special adhesive mixes. Specialists recommend choosing a plastic mixture of white. You can also use any adhesive mixtures for tiles, but only in the case of laying opaque mosaics. For glass tiles, you need to choose only transparent or white mixtures.
Surface preparation
Before laying tiles, it is necessary to level the surface with putty. Next, the surface must be cleaned and degreased. To protect the surface from the appearance of mold and mildew, it is necessarily necessary to cover it with antiseptic impregnation. The next step will be the application of primer.
Laying out a mosaic
The process is a bit similar to making stained glass in the Tiffany technique. Before you start laying tiles, be sure to lay them out on the table and form the pattern you want. This way you can assess the possible variant and correct something if necessary.
It is recommended to start laying mosaics from the near edge of the countertop. This way, if it is necessary to cut the elements, it will be on the far side and will not attract much attention. But if you are sure that trimming will not be necessary, you should start on the far side. If, however, the mosaic should form a certain pattern, then lay it out from the center of the tabletop.
Order of work:
- Priming the surface in two layers.
- Apply a small amount of glue to level the surface.
- Placed a special grid, and on top of it the tiles. Leveled (you can also use paper instead of the grid, it will later get soaked and removed). But be sure before laying tiles think through the pattern, and draw it first on a sheet in scale 1: 1, and later on the surface, to protect yourself from unwanted results.
- Next, the result of surface decoration should be covered with grout. It will make the finished coating safer, stronger and more durable. It must be applied with a soft spatula to the seams and rubbed in thoroughly. It is required to leave the surface to dry completely, and you can not use a hair dryer or other heating methods. The rule is this: the tile will be stronger on the surface if it takes longer to dry.
- Excess dried composition is removed from the mosaic with a dry soft cloth. Sometimes, when the mixture dries very strongly, it is necessary to use sandpaper with the finest grit.
- Polishing the tiles. For this purpose, furniture wax is used. It is necessary to apply it to a soft, lint-free cloth and carefully rub it into the elements of the tile.
- Wait until the surface is completely dry. Usually it takes about a day.
If you are not confident in your abilities to create complex patterns and paintings, then experts recommend using a circular pattern. To perform it, you need to draw diverging circles from the center of the surface. The shape of the elements does not really matter, it is only important that small elements are located closer to the center, and large – to the edges.
On a carefully prepared base to get a perfect mosaic laying will not be difficult. It is important to make even, identical joints over the entire surface area. You can cut the elements with a wire cutter. If the wall will be attached to the baseboard, you can leave a gap between the wall and the tile.
On the adhesive also fix the edge, if necessary. Then it is necessary to treat the surface with epoxy compounds and latex mastics to protect against moisture. Expensive Italian, and any other tiles from this can deteriorate very quickly.
Finishing furniture and various surfaces with mosaic tiles requires a lot of hard work, patience, skill and dexterity, it takes a lot of time and effort, but the result is worth it. Such a solution for your home will be a real gift. Recently, more and more people are using the idea of mosaic everywhere. It is no longer fashionable to clog the free space with boring and monotonous furniture, much better to make something special with your own hands, which will please you and your loved ones.
Countertops or other surfaces with tile finish look like expensive designer goods that are not so affordable. You can line a sink with it or finish a dining table. So if you want a stylish and luxurious living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom or other rooms, then be sure to take advantage of the idea of mosaic trim.