Thin Set Mortar

Thin set mortar is one of the best adhesives for mosaic art whether it be for a small piece or large structural installation. It is basically cement and is perfect for anything going outdoors.

Don't buy thinset already mixed up from the home improvement stores. It is much more expensive and doesn't hold as well. Just buy it in dry format. If you don't want to buy a 25 pound bag for your first piece, we sell it in 1 1/2 pound containers for you to dabble in.

The best liquid to mix in is a latex or acrylic additive. This can be found at your local hardware store. Once again, if you don't want to buy a gallon jug of the stuff, we sell it in smaller bottles. Use this additive instead of water for mixing. It will make the thin set stickier and it creates an awesome bond with the glass tiles. You will mix it to the consistency of toothpaste (like grout).

Thin set can be used on many surfaces including cement, ceramic, terra cotta, wood, and backerboard. Thin set doesn't hold well on metal or plastic. If you are doing a large piece then I recommend creating your piece on mesh using the double direct method. Then you can just install the entire piece at once after spreading the thinset.

If you mosaic is small then you can either spread a little thinset at a time and lay in the pieces or backbutter each piece as you set it in place. Thinset can be very messy. Keep your area clean as you lay the tiles especially if you are backbuttering. You will get it all over your fingers so keep an old towel nearby.

Once the thinset has set up then it is very difficult to scrape out of the grout joints. Keep a toothpick handy to wipe out the joints as you go. Also, only mix a little thinset at a time if you are laying tiles using the direct method. Once the thin set starts to haze over then it is no good and must be thrown out.

Be sure to use all disposable items when working with thin set so that you can just throw everything away when finished. Don't wash thinset down the drain as it WILL clog your pipes (I know this from experience)!

Once your piece has dried for 24 hours, grout and seal. You can then place it outside and not have to worry about the tiles popping off.