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What should I use?

 
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Jen



Joined: 06 Jul 2005
Posts: 9
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 2:16 am    Post subject: What should I use? Reply with quote

Question received by email

Hello Jen , I'm trying to begin making a mosaic but
i'm not sure what tools to buy , if I'm working with
some ceramic tiles I have left over and wnat to cut
then into squares do I need to buy a tile knife/
cutter and tile nippers, - score a line - break off a
long piece and then nip it into squares - ?whats the
best basic kit to get ? Also can I use mdf as a
surface to mosaic onto for a bathroom cabinet ?
Another site advised 'wellbond' as the best allround
adhesive , but my local hardware store(ireland) only
has unibond , evo stick and durabond do you think
these would work ok ? Too many questions i know but
your site is the only clearly laid out one for a
novice tthat i've found so i thought you'd be the lady
to ask, cheers
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Jen



Joined: 06 Jul 2005
Posts: 9
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 2:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok firstly I have to say you can't really use MDF in a bathroom. This is because if this type of base gets wet it can swell right up and this will ruin your mosaic. If you are using MDF only for the doors of the cabinet, it still is not ok as the steam in the bathroom can have a similar effect. It would be terrible if you put loads of work into it and then the wood warped!

As for local wood and timber in Ireland, I have to admit I am not completely sure. If you are going to be covering the whole cabinet (i.e. so noone can see any of the base) then either metal or a hard wood. Both will need to be treated to prevent decay and rust, but that is pretty simple and involves about 15 minutes of work a couple of times a year. Go to your local hardware shop and ask them what is a good timber to use in the bathroom that won't swell with the moisture.

As for tools that you need to use. I reckon as a beginner there are two types of pliers that are a great starting point. Tile knife/scorer or as we call it "tile cutters" are fantastic as it allows you to score straight lines and then break off squares in whatever size you want. It leaves clean lines and is great if you are trying to create a neat and orderly effect.

Tile Nippers are also a must as they allow you to cut any shape you want. You can creat circles, squares and unusal things like fish scales. If you buy these two tools you will be right for a while. Once you become more proficient you can start looking at other more specific tools.

Check out this webpage for more information
http://www.mosaic-tile-guide.com/mosaic-tools.html

As for adhesives. I know of urabond and durabond but am not familiar with evo stick (as mosaic adhesives). Of the remaining two I would probably choose durabond. Urabond is great for floors and walls, however durabond can be used on a wide variety of surfaces. However if you live in a small town and haven't got access to other adhesives check out some of the option on the net. Even if it comes from America it probably wont take longer than 10 days. If you are going to use metal I would suggest trying to get your hands on a two part epoxy resin as they are very strong and can glue two different mediums together.

Check out this web page for more infornmation
http://www.mosaic-tile-guide.com/adhesives/two-part-epoxy-resin.html
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erockybalboa



Joined: 16 May 2006
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Tue May 16, 2006 4:45 pm    Post subject: Tools Reply with quote

Now we're going to glue the glass onto the base. On this backer board, I'm going to use a wood glue. It's an interior/exterior wood glue. I put some glue out on a piece of plastic and I use a popsicle stick to butter the glass. And make sure you get plenty on there. And then I place that on the mosaic and press down very firmly. Ok?

Now, what I want to do is add some smaller pieces around it. so what I'm going to do is butter sections of the baseboard instead of buttering the glass. I butter the baseboard and press the small sections of glass into it.

So we're going to use these little pieces to go around it. And you want- it's good to spread a handful of cut glass out so you can get the right shapes that you want. And I'm going to use squares. And when you place them you want to have at least a minimum of a popsicle apart and you press it down into the glue.

Ok, and then you want to use a tool or stick to- the glass will move around a little bit until it starts to set up and you want to make sure that you have it accurately placed. You go back around and you move it until you get it just like you want it.

Check out this free video:
http://homegarden.expertvillage.com/videos/how-to-make-mosaic.htm
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