If you’ve been to an art museum, then chances are good that you have seen a mosaic. Mosaic is a form of art where an image or design is created by carefully placing smaller pieces of stone, glass, or some other object. Glass tiles are perfect for creating a mosaic in some room of your home or even a decorative area outside. Because glass tile comes in a variety of shapes and a stunning number of colors, you can design the mosaic of your dreams.
Sometimes we think of pictures or scenes when we think of mosaics, but in home design, a mosaic is more often a pattern. If you have seen a backsplash in a kitchen that has several colors of shades of the same color, that is a mosaic also.
The mosaic style has a long history. Some of the earliest examples of mosaics have been found in ruins of civilizations from the 3rd century B.C. The beauty and timelessness of this approach has endured. If you have done any traveling outside the United States to more established cultures, you have likely seen mosaic tile decorating some of the finest establishments and dating back hundreds of years. Glass mosaic tile endures.
Glass tile comes in types; fused glass, cut glass, layered or laminated glass, or cast glass. Depending upon the look you want, you can choose whichever type suits your taste. Fused and layered or laminated glass are similar. Layered (laminated) glass is basically a glass sandwich, which is heated to create one piece of glass. Fused glass is the same concept but create a more artistic, less uniform look, and often employs a variety of shapes to create one tile as well. Cast glass is made from a hot liquid poured into a cast and then cooled. Cut glass is simply a single piece of glass that was cut into smaller pieces.
Glass mosaic tiles were created specifically for creating this beautiful style in your own home. Typically, mosaic tiles are about 2 inches or less. They can be made from porcelain, or ceramic materials, but glass tile have really caught on in the mosaic home interior world. Some glass mosaic tile are textured, but often they are vibrant and bold. Sometimes the glass tiles are iridescent, patterned, decorated, or 3-D, but the tile are always sturdy and durable.
Glass mosaic tile does vary in color from batch to batch. So once you have settled on your project, you will want to make sure you purchase enough to complete your mosaic. Otherwise, when you reorder or purchase from another batch, the color may not match.
Sometimes people mix in other materials with their glass tile. Terracotta, porcelain, ceramic, and even stone can be mixed in to create a truly one of kind look. However, if you are new to mosaic and tiling, then you probably want to enlist the help of a professional in creating just the look you want.
In terms of glass tile installation, when you are thinking mosaic, you may want to leave the job to the professional. But if you are intent on self-install, be aware that some tile come already arranged in a pattern and held together on sheets. This takes the guesswork out of creating a pleasing mosaic pattern.
Sometimes a geometric pattern is preferred. This takes a fair level of skill as the tile must be cut precisely so that they will fit together to create the desired overall shape. Unless you have some experience with glass mosaic tile, as well as practice making precision cuts, you will probably want to allow someone else to do that project for you.
Aside from creating the pattern, the glass tile installation of mosaics is very much like installing any other kind of tile. You will need a thinset mortar to bind the tile to the surface. Then the tiles must be grouted. Sometimes people choose a combination product so that allows you to simply press the tile into the fusion of mortar and grout and allow them to sit.
Glass mosaic tiles can be a great asset to your home. Seek out the advice of a professional until you have enough experience to try a glass tile installation project on your own.