Tips for choosing and laying Mosaic Wall Tiles

Mosaic tiles can create the great finish you were looking for in your new or existing kitchen space. As well as looking great, they are quicker and easier to lay and fit around various obstacles such as switches and sockets - they are also impervious to liquids, easy to replace if needed, and highly durable to extreme temperatures such the ones around stoves and fireplaces. In this article, we've featured Tile Depot's choice of mosaic wall tiles. If you are considering laying your own tiles, you should read the following tips in order to ensure that you end up with making the most out of your mosaic wall tiles - if you install them incorrectly the results can some times be more than disappointing...

Dune Alpha Mosaic

First, you will have to mark out the area you want to tile: for instance, if you tile the splash back, mark out the exact place where the mosaic tiles will finish on your kitchen wall. Next, take a spirit level and a length of batten and have a pencil line drawn to mark the necessary top edge of the mosaic tiles. Next, you will have to apply the adhesive – go for a top quality notched adhesive spreader and tile adhesive and have it applied to the kitchen area to be tiled. Make sure you hold the spreader right at a 45 degree angle in order to drag it through the tile adhesive and make sure that the ridges come at an even depth.

 

Dune Megalos HighTech

Laying the mosaic tiles is what comes next – take your first sheet of mosaic tiles and apply them right to the tile adhesive. Press them firmly by using your hands and tamp them level and flat by using a shorter length of wood. Continue to apply the mosaic tiles until you meet an obstacle such as a kitchen socket or switch. Once you meet such an obstacle, measure the distance between the edge of your last full sheet of mosaic tiles before the socket/switch and the near edge of this obstacle.

If tiling a kitchen back splash and your socket is much lower than your pencil mark on the kitchen wall, make sure you measure down starting from this mark to the top edge of the socket/switch. Next, you will have to measure the width and height of the obstacle and transfer all your measurements to the tile sheet. Cut out every mosaic tile that is inside your marks by using a sharp trimming knife. Before spreading tile adhesive around the obstacle, hold the mosaic sheet against the kitchen wall in order to make sure your tiles fit.

 

 

Dune Aston Mosaic

Grouting is the final step – leave the mosaic tiles to set in their place for 24 hours (at least) before applying the grout. Make sure you use a top quality waterproof grout. Apply it as instructed by its manufacturer and use a rubber-edged grout spreader to do it. Clean the excess grout from the mosaic tiles as you go and make sure you let the grout set for a while. Next, use a thin piece of dowel or grout shaper to neaten all the grout lines.

Supplier: Tile Depot