Making Your Home Beautiful

If you have a sink or some other location that needs a backsplash applied in order for it to look truly great and to protect the walls around it, you might be considering a mosaic tile backsplash to really elevate the area. However, you might not know how to apply such a fixture. Here are some tips for applying a glass mosaic backsplash so that the process goes as smoothly as possible.

1. Seal Colorful Walls

If you are going to be applying your backsplash to a brightly colored wall, be sure that you apply a coat or two of sealer first. This is because many glass mosaic pieces are relatively translucent, meaning that if the colored paint from the wall bleeds into the thinset that you are going to be using to apply the tiles, the tiles themselves are going to take on some of this color. This is going to throw off the entire look of your mosaic if you do not prevent it. You can prevent it by sealing the wall using a sealant. This part of the preparation process should occur before you sand the wall, rather than after, in order to make absolutely sure that the tile is going to adhere correctly to the wall.

2. Start at a Natural Focal Point

The next thing that you will want to do is figure out the natural focal point of your kitchen where the backsplash can be started. This could be above the range or above the sink directly, depending on where your backsplash is going to be located. Use a pencil to mark the exact center of wherever you think the natural focal point is. Start laying the center of the glass tiles there and fan outwards. This will allow you to center your design and ensure that it looks good.

3. Work in Small Areas

When you are working with the thinset, be sure that you are working in small areas, rather than coating a large area with thinset and then attempting to cover it up with tiles before it dries. Work in small areas so that you don't have to worry about it drying out too quickly for you to actually be able to apply the tile. If the thinset does dry out, you can just scrape it off, throw it away, and then try again.

For more information, talk to a company that specializes in tile installation, like Art Tile Co. Inc.