mastic | tilegypsy.com

Tools & Adhesives

#1 Wheeled Tile & Glass Nippers have a set of disc shaped wheels on spring-loaded handles used to cut tile and glass. Replacement wheels are sold separately.

#2 Tile Cutters are for thicker tiles, plates and crockery. Better tile nippers have tungsten-carbide cutting edges and spring-loaded handles.

#3 Glass Cutters practice makes perfect and is absolutely epic when it works.

#4 Weldbond Adhesive – Non-toxic white glue, safe for indoor use/kids and dries clear in most circumstances.

#5 Clear e6000 Adhesive – Toxic adhesive, clear is my preference, use in well ventilated area, great for glass and not for kids.

#6 Mastic is for tiling dry areas, sets faster than Thinset and has an odor that lingers.

#7 Tile Thinset is used for areas where water is present, it sets slower than mastic and is harder to remove if you change your mind.

#8 Grout comes with sand and without sand. Use unsanded grout for any gaps less than ⅛” inch. Always seal grout.

Tools — Lighten up … cutting takes practice.

Always good to have nearby:

Small Hammer
Needle Nose Pliers
Tweezers
Beverage of Choice
Toothpicks or Wooden Skewers
Paper Towels
Vinegar/Water Spray
FIRST AID KIT
SAFETY GLASSES
Open Window
Base, Tile, Shards and Found Objects …

get lost in trying. 🙂 mara lee

Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler. – Albert Einstein

Basic instruction for indoor mosaic tile construction:

Cut pieces to size – wear safety glasses.
Glue pieces to the a prepared surface like this one with Mastic (it’s not concrete)
Let the glued pieces dry for at least 24 hours
Prepare grout according to instructions – put on gloves
Grout the piece filling in all the gaps but avoiding delicate objects
Then clean off the wet grout until it’s shiny
Dispose of unused grout properly … meaning NOT DOWN THE DRAIN – you’ll be sorry.
Let the cleaned piece dry for another 24 hours and polish with a soft cloth as needed
Seal with grout sealer found at any tile or home improvement store