GetCrafty Craft Facts

Q: I launched into a mosaic with grout and marbles. What a mess!!

A: Have you tried adhering the mosaic pieces in place first? Then, after that is dry, apply the grout. Thus, the grout is just for looks, and the adhesive is what keeps the pieces in place. We use silicone sealer, believe it or not. It works great (unless your work will be subject to a hostile environment, in which case you may need a clear-drying epoxy.) BTW, avoid getting grout on you, as it is somewhat caustic (wear rubber gloves) and definitely avoid letting it go down your drain (it can and will clog the drain pipes in short order). There is a "for Dummies" book for nearly every topic, including art forms (opera, for example), so it is not out of the realm of reason to think there would be a mosaic book to help you! I do not know of one, though. ;-) Making mosaics with stained glass is a popular craft right now. Do you want to make a window-type which you can see through, something light enough to be hung on a wall, or something strong enough to walk on? A 'Stained-Glass' supply company can provide you with supplies and instructions in each instance. For a wall-mounted type, you can buy a kit with instructions. The whole thing is built with a window-glass or masonite backing for rigidity. The glass pieces are glued onto the backing with a mastic, then an epoxy-based grout is wiped on to fill the gaps and the excessed cleaned from the face. It's similar to tiling a floor, I expect. "Dalle-de-verre" is a technique in which course chunks of glass are laid out in a wood, or metal frame resting on a bed of sand. An epoxy is poured to fill the spaces in between. When cured and lifted off the sand bed, the final product is usually about an inch thick, with neither front or back to obstruct the flow of light through the glass pieces. Some abstract church windows are made this way.