You are in the right place! Visit the playlist on this channel titled BEGINNERS. I have written 2 really good books, links for them as well as the link to makeitmosaics.com store information is all in the video description. Thanks for watching (and subscribing!)
Thanks for watching. I am teaching a beginner mosaics online interactive course this autumn through the Smithsonian, might be beneficial, take a look. maverickmosaics.com/workshops/
I am preparing to mosaic preformed cement pavers for the garden. I am considering using mesh for this project, instead of lugging the pavers up and down stairs. I noticed in the video that no examples for floor/ground installations were shown. Is this method more for vertical applications? Are there any things to consider if using the mesh method for stepping stones. Thank you for such fine instructional videos.
You can absolutely use for something flat. The fish table in the Mesh Method video is a good example of that - I did the complicated fish on mesh, mounted those on table then did the background directly. For that design worked really well. Kim has a good video about doing stepping stone using face tape method, also a technique worth considering. Really depends on your design. Thanks for being a fan! ruclips.net/video/3Jd20qX6L8U/видео.html
Depending on the size of my tesserae sometimes I back-butter OR put a dab of thin-set on each piece using the pastry bag trick to put a dab on the back of each OR spread a line of thin-set on the mesh with a spatula or pastry bag and set each piece directly. Either way, allow thin-set to cure overnight. Then gently peel the plastic off and guarantee the majority of your tesserae will stay on the mesh. There may be a learning curve for how much thin-set to use based on the size and weight of the tesserae. The thinset is really strong This is pastry bag trick ruclips.net/video/ZVNZDGqQSrw/видео.html
I am using this method at the moment with a mindful amount of PVA glue to allow the tile adhesive to stick the back of the ceramic tesserae. Question, how long should I wait between assembling the mosaic to the wall with thinset and grout? My plan is to use a thin later of thinset on the wall, a thin one on the back of the tiles, and make a sandwich. Leave it to dry for at least 24 hours and then grout it straight onto the wall. I'm using pva because I'm working with children and find it best to do it this way. Any other advice for a first time installation? Thank you!
Sorry, i just saw this. Thinset needs about 24 hours to set up enough to grout; your plan is good - some mud on the surface and some on the back of the mosaic. I like to use a rubber float to smush the mosaic into the mud on the wall. Good for yoe working with children - we need to recruit the next generation!
English Translation: if I want to make a transparent mosaic, should I put it on glass or does it require an epoxy to hold the pieces against the elements? Answer: Creo que estás interesado en el mosaico de vidrio sobre vidrio; el método de la malla no es una buena técnica para materiales transparentes; Verás la malla detrás. Los adhesivos de vidrio sobre vidrio incluyen productos de silicona y pegamentos PVA que se secan transparentes. English Translation: I believe you are interested in glass-on-glass mosaic; the mesh method is not a good technique for transparent materials; you will see the mesh behind. Glass-on-glass adhesives include silicone products and PVA glues that dry clear.
Thank you for your video. I have found both sticky and non sticky AR mesh. Do you recommend one over the other for small framed wall hangings up to 12x16 inches?
I do not use sticky mesh; I use AR mesh, as given in the description. I do not trust sticky mesh to stay sticky and hold the weight of my tesserae. Good question! Thanks.
Sorry Chat abruptly ended! To answer about using pva glue if piece for outside, yes I have done it, but be careful to not create a barrier with the pva glue. The installation glue needs to get around the individual teaasrae.
I don't use WeldBond for outside because it turns back white and soft even after its cured. I live in Wisconsin and I want the tile seated as strongly as possible due to freeze thaw cycles. The weldbond creates a barrier and doesn't allow the thinset to stick to the tile in that area. My general rule is use as few types of material as possible because there is less opportunity for reaction between the materials and less chance of failure.
Hi Kim and Bonnie - another great video! Thank you so much! I'm preparing to make a garden pole with matching table. I have consulted with Kim directly on the pole project (TY!). I to am going to try and use PVC pipe on this piece for the substrate. The advice given is to use Lexel as my adhesive and Latricrete Spectralock 1 for the grout. My question is, can I use these two products with A/R mesh? The pole project is increasingly daunting the more I think about it!
Is the pole too large or inconvenient to mosaic directly onto with Lexal as adhesive? To do mesh method as shown in video you would have to prep the pole, make it concrete with A/R mesh tape and thin-set, then build mosaic on the white mosaic mesh in the video then thin-set as adhesive onto the pole. And after that grout. The direct method with Lexal would be easiest.
@@MakeitMosaics Thanks - I was still in the planning process and haven't purchased a pole yet. My thoughts were PVC would be a lighter, easier to handle material. The diameter could be as little as 5" I would imagine. For the other portion of this project, I'm doing an outdoor patio table. I have a table with a place to lay a piece of glass. I've traded out the glass for a piece of wedi board. For this project, I can use the mesh with Lexel and Spectralock 1? And for a third project, I purchased 3 of the aluminum EZ frames from WitsEnd to make house number mosaics for myself and my two neighbors. Lexel + Spectralock 1 on mesh? My thoughts were they are all outdoor projects, so they same adhesives and grouts would work, but I'm very much a beginner, so maybe NOT!! ;-)
Great video! Thank you for the excellent instruction. I'm hoping you can answer a question for me. At 4:57 in the video you show red tesserae. Could you please tell me what material that is? Thank you!
Thank you so much, this is really so informative and helpful. I am currently starting on a project that is much larger than the dimensions of the mesh. I know I would need to connect pieces of mesh together to complete the whole. Would appreciate if you could share your process in terms of how you do this. Would the edge of one mesh section over lap with the other or would you leave a gap between them? Also when placing tessera down, do you intentionally leave a space before the edge and then work on filling them in once the mosaic has already been attached to its substrate for a seamless work? Thank you in advance! :)
Great question! I often am working sizes larger than the mesh, if I know for sure where the mesh runs out will be. the place I am going to cut anyway then I don't bother to overlap, but most often I overlap about an inch. Sometimes I am cutting as I go because I run out of table space. Just remember - take LOTS of photos and give yourself registration marks before you cut the mosaic apart for installation. I am always amazed how easy it is to get lost in the process! Hope that answers your questions. If not, let us know. Thanks for being a fan!
Not a good technique for glass on glass because the mesh will be seen. Most folks adhere glass to glass directly because pattern can be taped to back of glass. For large gog pieces I use tempered glass as my “substrate”, regular glass may crack over time due to weight of mosaic. If your mosaic pieces are bigger than about 2”x2” be aware if using PVA or MAC glue it may take a long time to dry clear, the glue dries from the outside-in. Good luck!
@@jasbirkaur5733 Legacy is important, and kids and mosaics are a great combination. Please take a look at my website www.maverickmosaics.com, I have an entire section dedicated to legacy projects, may give you some ideas. Thank you for being a fan and keep creating!!
For exterior glass on glass, you need to use silicone or epoxy as adhesive. If you can obtain MAC glue in your country, that's great, but there have been supply chain issues. Use sanded, polymer-fortified grout, and consider using an exterior sealant-although many grouts have sealants already in them, read the manufacturer label.
Thank you for the great tips. I have a question about using thinset: does the thinset also have to be used in small amounts when using it attach the Tesserae to the mesh, as you noted should be done when using PVA or Weldbond? Thank you!
Yes small amounts to initially attach tess to the mesh, this is in lieu of PVA (Weldbond). You can use Weldbond BUT be mindful to not accidentally create a barrier by using too much PVA - because ultimately the adhesive that holds the mesh-backed mosaic to the wall needs to squish up around the edges of each tile, even if it is more Weldbond.
Hard to say without more info. Are you using a good quality PVA glue (Weldbond), the right kind of mesh? Are tiles heavy or large scale? Did it dry overnight? Humm.
I bought mesh that says it is for mosaic but I can't find it it is AR or not. The directions inside say mesh is not meant for outdoors, which is very confusing!
Humm, did you buy "sticky mesh"? The mesh sold by Witsend, and construction supply places, is A/R mesh and is fine for outside. It is confusing! If you email me a pic and the label I may better be able to answer your question. bonnie@maverickmosaics.com
There are a few gauges, but you'll have to shop at a building supply place for variety. This is the BEST middle of the road size and you can buy smallish amounts. witsendmosaic.com/mosaic-mounting-mesh-1.html
Yes I have never used mesh great video I’m saving this one ♥️
Thanks for being a fan!
Great video. You ladies are the best instructors! Thanks!!!!
Our pleasure!
I have never done this before but always have been interested. Could you/anyone tell me where to start? Is there any manual like Mosaic for Dummies?
You are in the right place! Visit the playlist on this channel titled BEGINNERS. I have written 2 really good books, links for them as well as the link to makeitmosaics.com store information is all in the video description. Thanks for watching (and subscribing!)
Thank you for this informative video on mesh mosaic. Video was very helpful in the society
Beautiful work that you do as recommended by RUclips.
Thank you for your kind words. Keep creating!!
Thank you. Yes your video was very helpful.
Beautiful work that you do.
❤😀🖐🇦🇺
Thanks for being a fan.
Thank you so much. Very helpful . I’m a beginner😊
Thanks for watching. I am teaching a beginner mosaics online interactive course this autumn through the Smithsonian, might be beneficial, take a look. maverickmosaics.com/workshops/
Another great tutorial! Thanks so much!
Thanks for being a fan!
Very informative easy to understand video. Thank you so much and beautiful projects!
You are very welcome! Thanks for being a fan.
This was so HELPFUL and answered my questions. Thank you so much!
Thanks for being a fan.
I am preparing to mosaic preformed cement pavers for the garden. I am considering using mesh for this project, instead of lugging the pavers up and down stairs. I noticed in the video that no examples for floor/ground installations were shown. Is this method more for vertical applications? Are there any things to consider if using the mesh method for stepping stones. Thank you for such fine instructional videos.
You can absolutely use for something flat. The fish table in the Mesh Method video is a good example of that - I did the complicated fish on mesh, mounted those on table then did the background directly. For that design worked really well. Kim has a good video about doing stepping stone using face tape method, also a technique worth considering. Really depends on your design. Thanks for being a fan! ruclips.net/video/3Jd20qX6L8U/видео.html
Best mesh video
Thanks for being a fan.
Love it! Just discovered this stuff.
So helpful! Such a wonderful video! Thanks so much! 🌷
You are so welcome!
Love!🩵
Thank you for watching!
ALWAYS GREAT!! Thanks!
Help! Do you apply thin set to the top of the mesh and then apply the tesserae? How do they stick otherwise so they don’t fall off when moved?
Depending on the size of my tesserae sometimes I back-butter OR put a dab of thin-set on each piece using the pastry bag trick to put a dab on the back of each OR spread a line of thin-set on the mesh with a spatula or pastry bag and set each piece directly. Either way, allow thin-set to cure overnight. Then gently peel the plastic off and guarantee the majority of your tesserae will stay on the mesh. There may be a learning curve for how much thin-set to use based on the size and weight of the tesserae. The thinset is really strong This is pastry bag trick ruclips.net/video/ZVNZDGqQSrw/видео.html
I am using this method at the moment with a mindful amount of PVA glue to allow the tile adhesive to stick the back of the ceramic tesserae. Question, how long should I wait between assembling the mosaic to the wall with thinset and grout? My plan is to use a thin later of thinset on the wall, a thin one on the back of the tiles, and make a sandwich. Leave it to dry for at least 24 hours and then grout it straight onto the wall. I'm using pva because I'm working with children and find it best to do it this way. Any other advice for a first time
installation? Thank you!
Sorry, i just saw this. Thinset needs about 24 hours to set up enough to grout; your plan is good - some mud on the surface and some on the back of the mosaic. I like to use a rubber float to smush the mosaic into the mud on the wall. Good for yoe working with children - we need to recruit the next generation!
Apreciado señora si quiero hacer un mosaico trasparente debo ponerlo sobre un vidrio o requiere un epoxi para sujetar las piezas para la intemperie?.
English Translation: if I want to make a transparent mosaic, should I put it on glass or does it require an epoxy to hold the pieces against the elements? Answer: Creo que estás interesado en el mosaico de vidrio sobre vidrio; el método de la malla no es una buena técnica para materiales transparentes; Verás la malla detrás. Los adhesivos de vidrio sobre vidrio incluyen productos de silicona y pegamentos PVA que se secan transparentes. English Translation: I believe you are interested in glass-on-glass mosaic; the mesh method is not a good technique for transparent materials; you will see the mesh behind. Glass-on-glass adhesives include silicone products and PVA glues that dry clear.
Thank you for your video. I have found both sticky and non sticky AR mesh. Do you recommend one over the other for small framed wall hangings up to 12x16 inches?
I do not use sticky mesh; I use AR mesh, as given in the description. I do not trust sticky mesh to stay sticky and hold the weight of my tesserae. Good question! Thanks.
Sorry Chat abruptly ended! To answer about using pva glue if piece for outside, yes I have done it, but be careful to not create a barrier with the pva glue. The installation glue needs to get around the individual teaasrae.
Thanks for tuning in.
I don't use WeldBond for outside because it turns back white and soft even after its cured. I live in Wisconsin and I want the tile seated as strongly as possible due to freeze thaw cycles. The weldbond creates a barrier and doesn't allow the thinset to stick to the tile in that area. My general rule is use as few types of material as possible because there is less opportunity for reaction between the materials and less chance of failure.
Hi Kim and Bonnie - another great video! Thank you so much! I'm preparing to make a garden pole with matching table. I have consulted with Kim directly on the pole project (TY!). I to am going to try and use PVC pipe on this piece for the substrate. The advice given is to use Lexel as my adhesive and Latricrete Spectralock 1 for the grout. My question is, can I use these two products with A/R mesh? The pole project is increasingly daunting the more I think about it!
Is the pole too large or inconvenient to mosaic directly onto with Lexal as adhesive? To do mesh method as shown in video you would have to prep the pole, make it concrete with A/R mesh tape and thin-set, then build mosaic on the white mosaic mesh in the video then thin-set as adhesive onto the pole. And after that grout. The direct method with Lexal would be easiest.
@@MakeitMosaics Thanks - I was still in the planning process and haven't purchased a pole yet. My thoughts were PVC would be a lighter, easier to handle material. The diameter could be as little as 5" I would imagine.
For the other portion of this project, I'm doing an outdoor patio table. I have a table with a place to lay a piece of glass. I've traded out the glass for a piece of wedi board. For this project, I can use the mesh with Lexel and Spectralock 1?
And for a third project, I purchased 3 of the aluminum EZ frames from WitsEnd to make house number mosaics for myself and my two neighbors. Lexel + Spectralock 1 on mesh?
My thoughts were they are all outdoor projects, so they same adhesives and grouts would work, but I'm very much a beginner, so maybe NOT!! ;-)
Are you and Kim going to do more live programs.when got on RUclips . It has been 4 month's we have been waiting .where are YOU ?
PLEASE
Save the date, Dec. 11, 2 pm ET will formally announce this weekend, will post a video about it. Live Q&A, thanks for being a fan!!
Great video! Thank you for the excellent instruction. I'm hoping you can answer a question for me. At 4:57 in the video you show red tesserae. Could you please tell me what material that is? Thank you!
It is a mix: some vintage Sicis glass tiles, some red stained glass and the perfect little (uncut) squares are Kismet glass tiles (matte finish).
Thank you so much, this is really so informative and helpful. I am currently starting on a project that is much larger than the dimensions of the mesh. I know I would need to connect pieces of mesh together to complete the whole. Would appreciate if you could share your process in terms of how you do this. Would the edge of one mesh section over lap with the other or would you leave a gap between them? Also when placing tessera down, do you intentionally leave a space before the edge and then work on filling them in once the mosaic has already been attached to its substrate for a seamless work? Thank you in advance! :)
Great question! I often am working sizes larger than the mesh, if I know for sure where the mesh runs out will be. the place I am going to cut anyway then I don't bother to overlap, but most often I overlap about an inch. Sometimes I am cutting as I go because I run out of table space. Just remember - take LOTS of photos and give yourself registration marks before you cut the mosaic apart for installation. I am always amazed how easy it is to get lost in the process! Hope that answers your questions. If not, let us know. Thanks for being a fan!
Can this technique be used for glass on glass? Would appreciate tips for the best way to place glass mosaic on a large piece of glass substrate.
Not a good technique for glass on glass because the mesh will be seen. Most folks adhere glass to glass directly because pattern can be taped to back of glass. For large gog pieces I use tempered glass as my “substrate”, regular glass may crack over time due to weight of mosaic. If your mosaic pieces are bigger than about 2”x2” be aware if using PVA or MAC glue it may take a long time to dry clear, the glue dries from the outside-in. Good luck!
@@MakeitMosaics Thanks for your tips - I’m a beginner with big dreams to leave behind a large piece of legacy for my kids
@@jasbirkaur5733 Legacy is important, and kids and mosaics are a great combination. Please take a look at my website www.maverickmosaics.com, I have an entire section dedicated to legacy projects, may give you some ideas. Thank you for being a fan and keep creating!!
Si uso vidrio sobre vidrio con que pego y q lechada pongo para el invierno y el verano . A la intemperie?. Gracias mis queridas señoras.
For exterior glass on glass, you need to use silicone or epoxy as adhesive. If you can obtain MAC glue in your country, that's great, but there have been supply chain issues. Use sanded, polymer-fortified grout, and consider using an exterior sealant-although many grouts have sealants already in them, read the manufacturer label.
Thank you for the great tips. I have a question about using thinset: does the thinset also have to be used in small amounts when using it attach the Tesserae to the mesh, as you noted should be done when using PVA or Weldbond? Thank you!
Yes small amounts to initially attach tess to the mesh, this is in lieu of PVA (Weldbond). You can use Weldbond BUT be mindful to not accidentally create a barrier by using too much PVA - because ultimately the adhesive that holds the mesh-backed mosaic to the wall needs to squish up around the edges of each tile, even if it is more Weldbond.
@@MakeitMosaics thank you!
Do you have suggestions for tile retailers/providers? I am having a hard time finding much variety online.
A/R Mesh is available at: witsendmosaic.com/mosaic-tools-supplies/mosaic-picks-tweezers/mosaic-mounting-mesh-1.html
My tiles do not stick to the mesh I used PVA glue, what am I doing wrong?
Hard to say without more info. Are you using a good quality PVA glue (Weldbond), the right kind of mesh? Are tiles heavy or large scale? Did it dry overnight? Humm.
I bought mesh that says it is for mosaic but I can't find it it is AR or not. The directions inside say mesh is not meant for outdoors, which is very confusing!
Humm, did you buy "sticky mesh"? The mesh sold by Witsend, and construction supply places, is A/R mesh and is fine for outside. It is confusing! If you email me a pic and the label I may better be able to answer your question. bonnie@maverickmosaics.com
Is there any specific gauge or size holes in the mesh I need to order other than AR?
There are a few gauges, but you'll have to shop at a building supply place for variety. This is the BEST middle of the road size and you can buy smallish amounts. witsendmosaic.com/mosaic-mounting-mesh-1.html
@@MakeitMosaics thanknn bc you so much
Thank you so much!