Category: Material and Tool Information
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How Much Grout Do I Need?
This is not a straightforward question because most of the grout does not end up in the gaps between the tiles. Instead, there will be some grout on the sides of the mixing bucket, on the mixing tools, on your gloves and last but certainly not least, on your worktable or floor. This last place…
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How To Mosaic a Patio Table
Replace Glass Top With Concrete Board Glass-top metal patio tables can be used to make a mosaic table by replacing the glass top with 1/4 inch concrete backer board. The concrete backer board is roughly the same thickness as the glass top it is replacing, and it can rest on the rim of the metal…
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How To Mount A Mosaic Tile Nipper For Easier Cutting
It is easy to mount a mosaic nipper to a scrap piece of plywood and extend the handle with a short piece of conduit or pipe. Extending the handle in this way provides mechanical advantage to the nipper so that much less downward force on the extended handle is required to cut a hard piece…
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Sanded vs Non-sanded Grout
Sanded grout is recommended for grout gaps larger than 1/8 inch, but we recommend it for all grout gaps larger than a hairline simply because so many customers report problems when using non-sanded grout. Problems With Non-sanded Grout Some of the problems typically encountered with non-sanded grout include shrinking, cracking and crumbling. Customers often report…
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Clear Coatings For Mosaics?
Texture and three-dimensional elements make two-dimensional art much more interesting. Having thicker pieces and pieces that stick out make people want to reach out an touch your mosaic. Why would you want to cover that up with a material that scratches easily, can’t be repaired and turns yellow with age and sunlight? Even if you…
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How To Remove Grout
The grout removal tool we sell is typically used to remove grout from between glazed ceramic bathroom tile, but it can also be used on mosaic art made from small pieces of glass. Dental picks and small screwdrivers may be more useful when the tesserae and grout gaps are smaller, such as typically seen in…
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How To Fix Grout Mistakes
In my previous post, I wrote about how to remove and replace glass mosaic tile to make changes to a mosaic before you grouted it. I also explained why it was good to display the mosaic for a few weeks before grouting so that you had a chance to see the mosaic as a whole…
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How To Change A Mosaic Before Grouting (Or Afterward)
Already Grouted? If you have already grouted your mosaic, you can still use these instructions, but you will first need to remove the grout using a grout removal tool, which is normally used to scrape grout from the gaps between glazed ceramic tile. It may take a little more care with glass, but this tool…
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How To Mix Up Concrete, Mortar and Grout Without Creating Dust
Concretes, mortars and grouts have the potential to create significant amounts of dangerous dust when the water is first added. There is only 1 part water for every 4 parts concrete by weight, so much stirring is required before all the dry concrete will be wet. In fact, you can create a lot of dust…
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How To Dispose of Acrylic Paint Rinse Water
Why You Shouldn’t Pour It Down Drains Acrylics are a great alternative to traditional oil paint because they are water based, and so there aren’t any fumes, and you can clean up with soap and water. However, at the end of a studio session, the jar or container that you use to rinse off your…
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How To Dispose of Leftover Grout and Thinset
Grout and thinset mortar are types of concrete and should never be rinsed down drains. That includes the muddy water rinsed from the buckets and trowels used to handle these materials. Remember concrete contains sand and can actually harden underwater, which makes it perfect for clogging pipes. Most people find it easiest to wash up…
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How To Keep Your Hands Clean When Using Thinset Mortar
Thinset Mortar is concrete with polymers added for enhanced strength and adhesive properties and is the recommended material for all outdoor and wet mosaics (pools, fountains, etc.). Unhardened thinset looks more or less like wet concrete, but it is sticky almost like honey or tar, and handling it for the first time can be a…