Glue, Primer, Silicone
Choosing the right glue for your mosaic project is one of the most challenging decisions as there are a number of considerations to be made:
1) Inside or outside: this is the biggest single divider. If you are using your artwork outside, your glue must be suitable for the local weather. The freeze-thaw cycle requires flexibility; rain followed by sun also creates movement and the glue should be water-resistant.
2) What are you sticking the tiles onto? Some materials are notoriously difficult as their surfaces are too slippery for adhesion. Plastics are a problem—particularly polypropylene. If you are working on plastic, be sure to use a two-part epoxy designed specifically for that.
3) What type of tiles are you using? Glass bonds through a different mechanism than ceramic. Choose a glue that is suitable for your most difficult tesserae, then all the other types should be okay. The exceptions to this are mirror and foil-backed tiles, as they need a pH-neutral glue.
4) How large is your project? If your project is small, there are fewer stress points and the glue is less important. However, if you are making a large artwork, the glue is very important, as different areas may require different glues.
5) Water exposure? If your mosaic is for a bathroom, spa, pool or fountain in which full water resistance is required, then use a polyurethane- or silicon-based glue. If there is only occasional exposure, other glues may be considered.
6) Priming? Almost all surfaces demonstrate improved adhesion when they are primed. This is particularly true of concrete. Make sure you consider priming your surface if the cement is less than six months old or more than two years old, as the chemical reactions will affect the glue bond.
7) Read the information on the glues and if you need more advice, please contact our team and we will help you as much as we can. We offer a range of glues and should have the right one for your project.
1) Inside or outside: this is the biggest single divider. If you are using your artwork outside, your glue must be suitable for the local weather. The freeze-thaw cycle requires flexibility; rain followed by sun also creates movement and the glue should be water-resistant.
2) What are you sticking the tiles onto? Some materials are notoriously difficult as their surfaces are too slippery for adhesion. Plastics are a problem—particularly polypropylene. If you are working on plastic, be sure to use a two-part epoxy designed specifically for that.
3) What type of tiles are you using? Glass bonds through a different mechanism than ceramic. Choose a glue that is suitable for your most difficult tesserae, then all the other types should be okay. The exceptions to this are mirror and foil-backed tiles, as they need a pH-neutral glue.
4) How large is your project? If your project is small, there are fewer stress points and the glue is less important. However, if you are making a large artwork, the glue is very important, as different areas may require different glues.
5) Water exposure? If your mosaic is for a bathroom, spa, pool or fountain in which full water resistance is required, then use a polyurethane- or silicon-based glue. If there is only occasional exposure, other glues may be considered.
6) Priming? Almost all surfaces demonstrate improved adhesion when they are primed. This is particularly true of concrete. Make sure you consider priming your surface if the cement is less than six months old or more than two years old, as the chemical reactions will affect the glue bond.
7) Read the information on the glues and if you need more advice, please contact our team and we will help you as much as we can. We offer a range of glues and should have the right one for your project.