Before you decide whether or not you can make and lay a mosaic yourself, you should figure out: what is mosaic surface finishing, where does the technology come from and what does it consist of?

Table of contents:

What is known about mosaic?

Mosaic, as a type of finishing art, has been known to man since ancient times. From the times of Ancient Sumer to the present day, mosaicists - masters and amateurs - have created highly artistic compositions, and from the most different materials.

In general, creating a mosaic and laying it are two different things. The first involves several operations at once:

• creating a foundation;
• applying soil;
• selection of components and mixing of the binder;
• template development;
• as well as the production of mosaic elements from the selected material.

As for styling, we are only talking about creating a composition from a complete store-bought set. This is done by amateurs and professional finishers, even those not endowed with artistic talent. A ready-made plot is cheaper than a custom-made work by a master. But if you want something truly original in your interior, you can create a mosaic piece with your own hands. If you do everything strictly according to the instructions and carefully, and also use your imagination, it will turn out really beautiful and original.

What is mosaic?

Mosaic is a durable typesetting pattern made up of solid small elements and fixed to the surface using a hardening binder.

Due to the lack of hardness, works using patchwork, quilling and kanzashi techniques made from paper, thread, film, ribbons, etc. cannot be considered mosaics. All of these are only appliqués, but they can also be used in interior design. Mosaic, unlike stained glass, inlays and intarsia, does not carry a semantic load in each of its elements. This, to put it modern language

, "pixel graphics". Each fragment of it is just a piece of a certain shape and color. Looking at it separately, it is impossible to say which part of the design or pattern it is.

Mosaic also differs from metal “prefabricated” technologies - filigree, granulation and filigree. Its parts are made exclusively from non-metallic materials.

The truly ancient Sumerians were the first to reveal their mosaic patterns to the world. They laid out ornaments from baked clay pyramids on an unfired clay base.

Their initiative was intercepted by the ancient Greeks: they invented smalt - dense and viscous glass that could be chipped in a frozen form without cracking. The Greeks laid out their mosaics from its fragments, sintering multi-colored fragments around the perimeter and into layers along the thickness.

As for the name, the Romans gave it to the mosaic, having adopted the art of folding fragments from their Greek neighbors. It was they who gave the glass masterpieces the name “opus musivum,” which translated means “a work dedicated to all the muses at once.”

Then Byzantium took over the baton of development of mosaic art. Its masters made a significant addition to the layout technique: the background and large images began to be designed with intersecting arcs. At the same time, the drawing lost its “pixel quality” if you looked at it from a certain distance, and became similar to an ordinary one, only more voluminous and “live” a picture.

During the Renaissance, mosaics began to be actively studied again in Italy. And the craftsmen of this country achieved the highest results in its production. In Florence, a new installation technique was invented, thanks to which mosaic images gained perspective. And here a unique binder was developed that holds the mosaic parts incredibly tightly.

During the Rococo period, mosaics became Frenchized. And it was the French who began to lay out panels of shells, beads (porcelain, earthenware), beads, using the “reverse laying” technique, in which the elements were first placed on wax paper and only then transferred to the prepared base. The works “a la francaise” turned out soft, precise, with tints of halftones. Using this technique, it was possible to decorate curved and/or small surfaces with mosaics.

In Islamic countries, masters who laid mosaics could not depict something living in their works (like artists working in other techniques), but they brought mosaic patterns to perfection and began to use new materials to create them: ceramics (tiles), eggshells, etc.

As for the “Russian mosaic”, it is inextricably linked with the name of the great scientist M.V. Lomonosov (although many experts are confident in the existence of ancient Russian mosaics, destroyed during the Mongol-Tatar yoke). Mikhail Vasilyevich was not only a brilliant scientist, but also an extraordinary artist. He was seriously interested in mosaics: he developed new technologies for smalt smelting and founded a mosaic manufactory.

Modernity

Currently, mosaicists are actively using the developments of antiquity. However, they also bring a lot of new things to the technique of creating “pixel” canvases. This applies to new materials (porcelain stoneware, for example), their processing, the creation of adhesive compositions (silicone and PVA, as well as original adhesives are increasingly replacing the traditional chicken egg base) and fixing agents. Mosaics today are becoming repairable. Moreover, they can be disassembled and reassembled in a new place.

As for the artistic side of the issue, the most popular are:

• cubism (as if created as a mosaic);
• pointillism;
• impressionism, etc.

Mosaic laying

You will still have to lay the mosaic - whether it is store-bought or created independently. And there are several technologies (some more labor-intensive, others less) that allow you to transfer a drawing or pattern from small parts to a prepared surface:

1. Straight. Here the elements are laid out in virtually the same way as ceramic tiles - face up. In this way, the mosaic is placed directly on the floor without preparation - simply on a base applied to a cleaned surface. And to place it on the wall, the mosaic image is first laid out horizontally on a fiberglass mesh (exclusively with glue), and then transferred to the prepared place. Grouting the seams in both cases occurs only after the entire panel is where it should be.
   If you are making a direct mosaic of glass and ceramics, then only mortar or glue and grout will be required as consumables. If the mosaic is laid in a bathroom or kitchen, in conditions of high humidity and steam formation, the adhesive composition must be silicone-based. The surface prepared for installation must be absolutely flat, degreased, free of rubber residues, rust, cement laitance, and slightly rough. To do this, it is additionally processed by sandblasting. As finishing Before laying the mosaic, use a deep penetration primer, choosing compositions based on stone or concrete.
   As for the grout, when laying it directly, use it without sand in the composition so as not to scratch the mosaic fragments, especially if they are made of mirror, glass or pieces of porcelain. Traces of grout after use are removed without pressure with a soft, damp cloth - flannel, calico or felt.
2. Reverse. Artistic mosaic panels are most often placed on small curved surfaces in reverse way. And for this you need a template, which is a future mosaic drawing, but in a mirror image.
   Beginning mosaicists attempting backlaying should first scan or photograph their chosen design. Then output to right size and break it into pieces (A4), and then print the result in color. All this will make the work much easier.
   The fragment sheets are laid out on a dry surface to bring together the contours and glued with ordinary office glue. Further back side The resulting image is finished with self-adhesive film - with the adhesive side facing up. When laying mosaic elements (face down, strictly according to the design, with pressure), the protection from the film should be removed gradually, since the base quickly loses its sticky properties in air.
   You can also reverse the pattern by laying it out on plastic wrap, then covering it with egg white. It will be cheaper, but the method will require a steady hand and an accurate eye. Therefore, only experienced craftsmen work in this way.
   When the composition is completely dry (silicone takes 3 days to dry, the old egg solution takes up to 20), the self-adhesive is carefully removed, and the sticky residue is removed with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol or nitro varnish solvent. If the mosaic was assembled using paste or egg white, the paper is soaked and then the remains are washed off with a sponge.

Making your own mosaics

The process of making a mosaic begins with the selection of elements for it. Most often, they take squares from 1 x 1 cm to 5 x 5 cm. They prepare the pieces for future use, in sets, arranging them by color or fragment of a design, pattern, so that later they will not be distracted while working on the image.

“Pixels” for the future mosaic are pricked (like smalt), and not “bited” with side cutters, pliers, etc. Or you can even buy a multi-colored fight tiles V construction company or a store - they will give it away very cheaply, or even just like that. And on the fence you can quickly and easily make the necessary parts from these pieces.

It’s easier for those who chose porcelain stoneware as the source material. This one shoots just great! Therefore, it is better for beginning craftsmen to choose it for their work. For those who work with a prisoner, we can give some practical advice:

1. First you need to break off a particle with a straight edge from the irregular piece. Next, you need to set the movable stop to the selected size in order to pin strips of equal width. And then “crush” these strips into pieces.
2. You should never hit against the edge of the wedge. Only with a shift towards the stop (about half the thickness of the material).
3. If a glass mosaic is divided on a backsplash, the refraction in this material should be taken into account. Otherwise, the glass will crack and crumble, but will not break.
4. The tip of the wedge should be really sharp, without any dents. Otherwise you won't get any pieces.
5. To make a wedge, you can use a file or fragments of a guillotine shears blade with a pobedit tip.

Mosaic binder

Ancient mosaic panels were laid out on a very strong binder. Many masters use it to this day, fortunately the original recipe has survived to the present day:

1 part lime paste + 1/3 part fatty clay + 3 parts quarry or pure mountain (white) sand, washed and calcined + 6 pieces (per bucket of solution) broken eggs with shells.

Sand is sown through a sieve, and after adding eggs, the solution is kneaded until smooth (fragments of the shell should not be visible at all - it is this that serves as an indicator of the homogeneity of the composition).

Eggs in such a mixture did not rot in ancient times, and they do not rot now. They, interacting with clay silicates, only form a strong waterproof impregnation, and putrefactive bacteria are not allowed to develop by lime.

A lime-clay solution mixed with egg gains full strength several years after its use in mosaics. And its reliability has been tested for centuries. However, in order not to transfer the eggs, you can use cement-based tile adhesive. Of course, it has not yet been tested for centuries, but mosaics assembled on it in the open air last for decades.

Glass mosaics must be laid using glue that does not contain cement. If the panel is assembled inside a building, PVA is perfect for glass and stone. For exterior work, ethylene vinyl acetate adhesive (EVA) is successfully used. And when you need to lay a mosaic in conditions of high humidity (kitchen, bathroom, toilet, etc.), there is nothing better than construction silicone glue (aquarium glue is also suitable, but it is very expensive).

Mosaic panels made of beads or small plastic fragments are laid out on PVA or nitro-adhesive - “Moment”, assembly, 88th.

Shell mosaic

If you want to feel like a real mosaicist, you shouldn’t take on complex materials right away. It’s better to show your imagination on something simple and accessible. For example, use shells, and if the result inspires, move on.

Panels made of shells are experiencing a real fashion boom today. Moreover, a design or pattern made from them can easily be assembled onto almost any adhesive base, be it PVA or silicone.

The shells of venerupis and venus, as well as balls, scallops, peas, and freshwater zebra mussels are ideal materials. As for technology, in the case of mollusk shells, bulk and typesetting methods are actively used. In both cases, it is possible to include fragments made from purified sea or river sand, as well as broken shells into small crumbs.

Mosaic tool

You will need a special tool, most of which, unfortunately, you cannot buy in a store - you will have to make it yourself, since the Internet is full of instructions on how to make it. So, you will need:

• an “amber” jigsaw (miniature, the handle of which is held by two fingers), easily bent from an ordinary bicycle spoke;
• stop with a neat notch;
• "claw";
• "fungus" etc.

Material

As for the preparation of the material, the shells for the typesetting mosaic should be sorted by size and color. Touch up something somewhere, if necessary.

The sand needs to be boiled several times (a glass or two at a time, no more) until the water underneath becomes almost transparent. Then it will need to be calcined in the oven and sifted several times through sieves with different mesh sizes to separate into fractions.

Sinks are cleaned differently. Large and dark ones - with periostracum with hydrochloric acid, using a soft brush and a mother-of-pearl scraper. Once the cleaning process is completed, the treated sinks are placed in the solution baking soda(2 tsp per 1 l). And then they soak them for several hours, periodically changing the water.

Small shells are cleaned by soaking in a vinegar solution (acid diluted with water twice), and then, if no tinting is required, the acid is neutralized with alkali and the material is washed running water a lot.

Toning is carried out using aniline dyes.

It is much easier to prepare material for bulk shell mosaics. There is no need to sort anything here; it will be enough to sort the shells by shade (and even then approximately). And crush more or less finely. And then simply sprinkle the crumbs in a layer over the fresh glue, evenly distributing and adjusting the resulting pattern with your fingers. The final version of individual panel fragments is pressed down with special boards.

As for the adhesive, it is better to use silicone, quick-drying, under the crumbs.

Eggshell mosaic

Eggshell mosaic has a very beautiful name - “crackle”. It looks decent, adding subtlety and sophistication to any interior. And the material for it is prepared as follows:

1. First, you need to soak the collected shells in a baking soda solution (2-3 days) to soften the organic matter.
2. Afterwards, the remaining protein is carefully removed with a brush (but there is no need to touch the inner film).
3. Next, the shell is colored with food coloring to easter eggs in the right colors.
4. At the very end, the multi-colored shell fragments are thoroughly dried.

The “egg” mosaic technique is not too complicated, but it will require painstaking execution.

First you need to prepare the base - thickly and evenly grease a sheet of paper or plastic tracing paper with PVA, and then leave it for 3 to 15 minutes until it gelatinizes (sticky tack).

The finished shells are laid out on the base with their bulges up, at intervals - you need to achieve the appearance of a certain pattern, pattern. Afterwards, the finished picture is pressed down with a special board so that the shell is flattened and broken into smaller fragments. Then the board is removed and the image is smoothed with a special wooden stick. Then tissue paper soaked in flour paste is placed on the panel and left until completely dry.

After drying, the paper must be soaked and removed with a damp sponge along with the remaining paste. Next, the picture needs to be dried properly - for several days (3-4, no less). And you can begin the final processing of the panel - creating craquelures, that is, beautiful “antique” small cracks. To do this, you need to use mascara consisting of shellac and bile.

Mascara should be dripped onto the dried image from a pipette, then wait a few minutes and remove the remains coloring composition with a damp sponge. Bile allows the carcass to scatter along cracks in the shell, and shellac polymerizes it there, giving strength to the panel. It turns out very beautiful.

In the end, all that remains is to polish the finished painting with coated paper, without pressing.

Something special

Many people would like to create something special with their own hands. And mosaic too.

* The calculations use average data for Russia

2,500,000 ₽

Minimum start-up capital

70%

Profitability

From 12 months

Payback

From 2,000,000 ₽

Cost of mosaic equipment

A mosaic is an image or pattern made of particles of homogeneous or different shades from different materials (stone, smalt, ceramic tiles). A material that usually has square shape, from which this image is laid out, is also called a mosaic. The smaller the detail, the clearer and more realistic an image can be created from it.

Where is mosaic used?

It is used for internal and external finishing works, for decorating walls and floors, as well as for landscape design. A large variety of materials are used to produce mosaics. Each type of raw material from which mosaics are made today has its own characteristic features, making it suitable for use in some conditions and not suitable for use in others.

In most cases, inexpensive mosaics are made from ceramic. Ceramic mosaic resembles in appearance and in its properties ordinary ceramic tiles. The only difference is in size. In the process of making ceramic tiles, low-porosity ceramics are necessarily used. This material is characterized by high frost resistance and low water absorption.

A special glaze can also be used, which is needed in order to prevent the formation of water-based stone on the surface of the mosaic, as well as to preserve the colors of the product even under the influence of an aggressive environment and water. In the process of producing mosaics, a wide variety of materials can also be used. a natural stone, starting from ordinary natural tuff and ending with rare breeds of jasper and marble.

Features of manufacturing different types of mosaics

Natural stone has no restrictions on texture - during the production process it is polished, ground or aged. In the latter case, the edges of the tiles have a smoother texture and muted colors. Inexpensive mosaics are made from artificial granite. This material, on the one hand, is of natural origin, and on the other hand, it is produced using modern technologies, during which granite is mixed with broken glass. This mosaic is distinguished by its high strength (like natural granite) and unusual effects (like artificial materials).

A significant part of expensive mosaics is made from smalt. This material has been known since antiquity, but, of course, modern technology The production of such mosaics has undergone significant changes these days. The glass used in production is specially treated with various metal oxides and then heated to high temperatures. As a result of such procedures, glass acquires various physical and Chemical properties– impact resistance, resistance to low temperatures, resistance to various aggressive environments. Smalt, like natural stone, does not have a uniform color.

Even in one batch, mosaic pieces can have different shades, which creates unusual effects on a large surface. An alternative to expensive smalt is special glass, which has properties such as water resistance, impact resistance, wear resistance, and can withstand temperature changes. An additional advantage of glass, unlike, for example, ceramics, is that its structure is solid, so it is not susceptible to the influence of various harmful bacteria and microorganisms. The technology for producing mosaics directly depends on the raw materials from which it is made.

For example, the process for producing ceramic mosaics is similar to the method by which ordinary ceramic tiles are made. Simply put, it can be represented as follows: at the first stage, a mixture of clay, quartz sand, kaolin, feldspar and various pigments is laid out in molds, then pressed, and then covered with glaze and fired.

To produce mosaics with a natural shade, dry, non-chamotte mixtures are used. In the production of colored mosaics, i.e. with the addition of dye, slip mixtures are used. This production process is fully automated. Porcelain stoneware mosaic tiles are made differently, more in a simple way. In this case, the finished sheet of porcelain stoneware is simply cut into small pieces using a waterjet tool. Glass mosaic is made from durable sheet glass. First, such glass is painted with special paints that can withstand high temperatures. Then it is sent to cutting, where it is cut into the required formats. At the next stage, these small fragments are collected on special substrates.

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And finally, the semi-finished products are loaded into the oven for the most critical stage production process, which represents firing. In the oven, the mosaic pieces undergo heat treatment at a temperature of 900ºC. During this firing process, the paint is baked into the glass, its surface is hardened, and the corners melt and become smooth.

Regardless of the material from which the carpet mosaic is made, one of the final processes of its production is usually the same and involves gluing the finished pieces of the future mosaic onto the base. This process is also automated. First, a template is fed onto the conveyor - a special aluminum cassette, the size of the slots corresponds to the dimensions of the workpieces, and the depth is slightly less, which makes it possible to easily remove the finished mosaic from the cells in the future. These nests are separated by special partitions, in place of which tile seams are then formed.

Mosaic tiles must be laid in a cassette so that its front side always faces up. Then the aluminum cassette enters the tunnel with powerful gas burners, where it is heated to the required temperature. At the penultimate stage, a special paper base soaked in an adhesive solution is applied to the finished mosaic, which is called a matrix or carpet (hence the name - carpet mosaic).

In most cases, matrices have standard sizes– 424x672 mm. The width of the tile joints is 4 mm. And as a basis for the matrix, one of the varieties of Kraft-type wrapping paper is used. Mosaic with paper backing is sent to drying chamber, and upon exiting it, the carpet with mosaics is removed from the conveyor belt and transferred to a forklift. The sheets are then formed into piles and sent for sorting, packaging and shipping or storage in a warehouse.

Cost of organizing mosaic production

The cost depends on the material used and the technology of its production. Even mosaics can be made from the same raw materials different ways. For example, glass mosaic can be produced by stamping from quartz glass using various plasticizers or by casting. The industrial line for the production of glass mosaics includes a tunnel firing kiln (24 m), a printing line for coloring glass (in turn, it includes printing machines with dryers), metal drying racks, machines for breaking glass, compresses, a prepress complex, dead-end oven for small-volume orders. You will also need spare parts for equipment, tools needed to work with glass, and raw materials.

The latter includes high-strength sheet glass or broken glass, high-quality glazes and paints (inorganic pigments), waterproof mounting mesh, waterproof glue. Russian market there is a fairly wide selection of equipment for glass production mosaic tiles. Its cost ranges from 2 million rubles (used low-power equipment) to 15-17 million rubles. This is how much an Italian line with a capacity of 8,000 to 12,000 sq.m. costs. meters of mosaic per month (volumes depend on the size of the tiles produced) with installation, formulation and training of personnel to work with it.

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Using such equipment, it is possible to produce glass mosaic tiles in five sizes: 10x10 mm, 15x15 mm, 20x20 mm, 25x25 mm and 36x36 mm. It is recommended to use window glass cullet as the main raw material, as well as dyes (European or Chinese production).

According to the suppliers of such equipment, the products made with its help are not inferior in quality to the mosaics of Spanish and Italian companies (although, of course, the quality largely depends not only on the equipment, but also on technology, specialists and raw materials). The profitability of this type of business is stated by them as 70% at wholesale sales and up to 250% - for retail sales. With such data, the payback period is no more than a year. In practice, the profitability of a glass mosaic production enterprise turns out to be somewhat lower and rarely exceeds 50% (although this figure can be considered high).

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“Composed of pieces” is what mosaic has been called since its invention. The variety of materials used for manufacturing, their durability, ease of maintenance, and the possibility of restoration ensure the high demand for this cladding technique. The production of mosaic tiles is no less popular.

Modern technologies and materials make it possible to push the boundaries of the use of mosaics from creating traditional panels to cladding pools, fountains, columns, arched structures and other complex surfaces geometric shape. Ceramic mosaic traditionally holds the lead, however, glass, metal, decorative and finishing stones are gradually gaining popularity, occupying their niche in the market.

Types of mosaics

Making mosaic tiles involves using various materials. So the consumer gets the opportunity to choose between types, each of which has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.

Ceramic

• Satisfies the most demanding aesthetic taste.
• Medium strength.
• Well-established production technology.
• High price.

Glass

• High aesthetics.
• Wide range of colors.
• Resistance to high and low temperatures.
• Use in aquatic environments.
• Insufficient strength.
• Heavy weight.

Plastic or plastic

• Attractive appearance.
• Light weight.
• Low cost.
• Easy production.

The service life of ceramic and glass mosaics is practically unlimited, which is confirmed by the excellent condition of archaeological finds: dishes, tiles, mosaic paintings.

As for plastic. Amount of plastic waste in modern world causes environmentalists to sound the alarm and speak out in support of all possible ways their disposal and processing. Of course, not everyone can build a processing plant plastic bottles, but to master and launch the production of mosaic tiles in at home made of plastic – a completely feasible dream.

Mosaic tile production

When choosing suitable material To make mosaic tiles, you can use glass or acrylic resins. Buying components for production today is not difficult - stores offer a good range of chemicals and fillers.

Manufacturing or purchasing equipment does not require knowledge of high technologies and large financial costs. The process itself requires compliance with manufacturing technology, is characterized by low energy costs, and in terms of complexity of mastering it is quite accessible to any literate person.

Raw materials

The choice of ingredients for the manufacture of mosaic tiles - binders, fillers, dyes - is dictated by the requirements for the strength and density of the final product. The standard bonding material is acrylic plastic. It is a liquid acrylic resin that hardens with the addition of a special catalyst.

The liquid consistency of the resin allows the use of various fillers:

• sandy;
• marble chips;
• granite chips;
• colored gravel of small fractions.

Both organic and inorganic dyes are used to color the mixture. Color finished tiles determined by the choice of the base of the corresponding pigment. The most common: iron oxide, compounds of chromium, lead, zinc, titanium.

Equipment

The technology for making mosaic tiles is so simple that it does not require a huge room, complex equipment and an oven for baking the tiles. The sizes and shapes for the production of mosaic tiles by pouring are selected in accordance with the requirements for the size of the tiles.

The process of dosing components requires special attention. Accurate scales and graduated containers are needed to accurately measure the weight and volume of ingredients.

Containers for storing raw materials are selected based on their shelf life and planned production volumes. Tools for preparing the mixture, pouring it and molding it (spoons, a set of spatulas, tubes, etc.) use glass or plastic.

Manufacturing process

The use of such simple tools for making mosaics from acrylic plastic indicates the simplicity of the production process itself.

The most difficult stage is preparing the mixture. Accurate dosage of each component is important to obtain a high-quality product. Place in a mixing container required amount filler, add the measured weight of dye and fill it with acrylic resin. After mixing, the finished mixture is distributed into molds. The tiles harden and dry naturally without exposure to high temperatures. After removing from the molds, finished products subject to finishing to give it the perfect shape and appearance.

Changes may be required if other source materials are used. technological process. The described technology is intended for the production of small volumes. With their growth, additional equipment will be required for the production of mosaic tiles, which will allow the introduction of elements of mechanization and automation into the production process.

Features of the mosaic set

Unlike ancient times, when each piece of the mosaic was laid out by hand, modern manufacturers in factories assemble the pieces into matrices ready for laying. Each matrix consists of mosaic pieces glued onto a sheet of special paper (craft) or mesh, arranged in a certain order. Intended for creating complex drawings or paintings, matrices (modules) are produced in small sizes, which simplifies the adjustment process during installation. The usual module size is 30x30 cm.

The finished modules are attached to the prepared surface using special mosaic glue. This adhesive ensures the adhesion strength of mosaic tiles to the surface of at least 30 MPa.

It should be remembered that the mesh is always located on the installation side, and the front side of the matrix is ​​usually covered with a layer of paper, which is saturated with water after installation and removed. Although the modular system greatly simplifies installation, on average, depending on the size of the mosaic, the work takes from several days to several weeks.

Unlike laying ordinary ceramic tiles, working with mosaics requires special skills and careful preparation of the surface from the master. The base for the mosaic must be strong and level, with a smooth surface. When installing on plastered surfaces, special impregnations are used to increase adhesion, and when plastering, reinforcing additives are used to increase the strength of the mosaic and subsequently prevent the formation of cracks.

If the mosaic is placed in rooms with high humidity or in direct contact with water, preliminary waterproofing of the surface is required. There is a fairly large selection of professional materials for waterproofing pools, fountains, showers and bathrooms.

Preliminary marking of the base plays an important role in preparation for laying modules, especially on curved surfaces. Considering the complexity of the mosaic coating process and its duration, you should choose adhesive mixtures with a long (at least 30-60 minutes) shelf life after preparation. The volume of the mixture for one-time preparation is selected by the master based on work experience and taking into account the complexity of the surface.

Technique for setting mosaic panels

The technique of creating artistic mosaic paintings (panels) has been known since ancient times. It came into modern design with minor adjustments and improvements. In the old days, craftsmen selected the sizes and colors of mosaic pieces directly at the site where the panels were created and immediately placed the selected piece in a layer of plaster on the base. This work required high skill and artistic talent, since it is very difficult to imagine the whole picture and select each piece correctly, and any mistake would cause the drawing to be distorted.

• Today, two main methods of creating mosaic paintings are used: direct and reverse set techniques. When using the first method (direct set), the composition or its fragments are assembled on a base (fiberglass or other materials are used), laying out the mosaic pieces face up, which makes it easy to control the results and make adjustments. Upon completion of assembly, the finished fragments, together with the base, are attached to the surface intended for installation of the panel.
• The second method (reverse set) involves laying the mosaic pieces face down. To do this, use a mirror image of the drawing, covered with tracing paper, on which a mosaic is laid out in accordance with the coloring. With the advent of self-adhesive film on sale, this technology has become even simpler. After the assembly is completed, pouring and fixing to the base is carried out. If necessary, additional processing and polishing is carried out.
• One of the most simple technologies is considered to be geometric. Using a simple selection of colors, the master, or the customer himself, creates a grid pattern - indicating the colors, according to which the tiles are laid out on a grid matrix and then fixed to the surface.

Creating more complex mosaic designs using photographs and paintings requires the use of specialized computer programs (Mosaic 2005, Mosaic Deluxe) or image editor Photoshop. They process images, calculate the number and sizes of tiles taking into account real sizes, which is especially important for correct visual perception finished panel, and select the color scheme.

Technology for making mosaic tiles at home

What you will need during the manufacturing process:

• A set of containers for storing ingredients.
• Containers of different volumes for making the mixture.
• Devices and tools for pouring mixture into molds.
• Molds for making tiles of different sizes.
• Mesh for reinforcement.
• Matrices for installing tiles.
• Acrylic plastic and catalyst.
• Various fillers.

It is necessary to remember to protect the skin of your hands and perform all work wearing protective gloves. When making mosaic tiles, you must follow the following sequence of actions:

1. Weighing and dosing components for preparing the mixture.
2. Preparing molds for making tiles for pouring the mixture.
3. Mixing components.
4. Pouring the finished working mixture into molds.
5. Removing finished tiles from the mold.
6. Final processing and polishing of tiles.
7. Forming a pattern from tiles and laying them out on matrices.

Acrylic plastic is the main component for production. Provides high environmental purity of the finished product, resistance to ultraviolet radiation, has antibacterial properties and is completely harmless to living organisms. The acrylic resin and hardener catalyst contain no styrene.

It is also possible to make mosaics from tiles. It is enough to purchase or collect a selection of tiles of different colors and bring them into accordance required sizes and fold in the required sequence.

Why choose small tiles for renovation?

The choice of mosaic tiles for interior decoration is largely determined by knowledge and understanding distinctive features and the advantages of using this type of cladding. Let's consider some positive aspects of using mosaic coverings in order to make an informed and correct choice.

• Tile sizes. Small size provides ample opportunities for forming complex patterns and applying them even to curved areas of the surface, and also simplifies the procedure for replacing individual pieces if damaged.
• Variety of colors and shades. The technological technique or techniques used for the production of mosaics make it possible to obtain a wide range of colors, which distinguishes them from ordinary ceramic tiles. Picturesque drawings with subtle shade transitions bring a pleasant revival to the interior and are the envy of guests.
• Target use. A wide variety of materials for mosaic coverings - glass, metal, ceramics, smalt, plastic - makes it possible to make a choice taking into account all the features and characteristics of the intended place of use of the mosaic. Good performance strength and wear resistance make it advisable to use it for flooring, and zero water absorption glass mosaic allows the material to be used in rooms with high humidity and in direct contact with water.
• Installation and operation. Increased requirements for cleanliness and quality of surface preparation make it possible to lay tiles on a thin layer of adhesive and use it sparingly, which, given the high cost of the latter, allows for significant savings. Using mosaics in the form of ready-made modules (matrices) facilitates the installation process, and using the above tips and recommendations will make it more effective.

You can make mosaic tiles yourself at home, for this you will need readily available and inexpensive materials that can be purchased at hardware stores, and forms - which can also be made independently. From the manufactured mosaic tiles you can create countertops, mosaic panels, etc., which will give the interior a completely unusual look.

Mosaic tiles

Decorative mosaic tiles are an excellent option for finishing bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools, saunas, as well as for exterior and interior decoration residential and public buildings, a wide variety of interiors. Strength, durability, impact resistance environment and amazing beauty, color saturation - these are the qualities that make mosaics forever young and popular. Today, mosaic is the most modern and stylish finishing material, used in decoration.

Mosaic panels

It seemed that mosaic compositions were forever a thing of the past. But this lasted only until the 18th century, when the Russian scientist Lomonosov reinvented the technique of making colored glass. And immediately a great many were created in Russia wall panels in the technique of Roman or Byzantine mosaic. Further more. In the Urals, as stone mining expands, Russian mosaics appear. The ideas of Florentine mosaics were further developed in it. Now not only marble and jasper are used, but also semi-precious gems - malachite, lapis lazuli, etc. In addition to smooth walls and vaults, mosaics began to be used to lay out all kinds of architectural details (columns, pilasters) and decorative objects with complex shapes and shaped surfaces (vases, bowls, boxes). To create more expressive works, Russian mosaics used not just the color of the stone, but also its natural pattern.

It is not known who first thought of creating mosaic panels, but such panels can also be found in the ruins of Egypt, Ancient Greece and Rome. Creating a mosaic picture required painstaking self made. That is why mosaic panels laid out from small pieces were considered the privilege of very rich people and royalty. With the help of mosaic panels you can give the interior a completely unusual look. Panels in Greek and Roman styles are in great demand. Absolutely any idea can be embodied in a panel: from paintings by great painters to photographs of your beloved dog. The selected drawing is digitized, and then using special programs they create a diagram of the future panel, select the size of the mosaic elements and their color scheme. By using relatively large pieces when laying, you can create the effect of large, confident brush strokes. Such panels are ideal for a living room, decorating walls or floors in a swimming pool, or for giving an exclusive look to the facade of a building.

To convey subtle details and smooth color transitions, very small pieces are used, with which you can achieve the effect of the integrity of the mosaic panel. Made by a master, it will be difficult to distinguish it from a real painting. Such a mosaic can become the highlight of any interior; it does not require long distance in order to fully appreciate its beauty.

A mosaic panel can be made either as a central element of the design of a room, placing it on the entire wall, ceiling or floor, or to focus attention on other decorative elements. In addition to their excellent decorative qualities, such artistic panels made using modern materials, form a surface with excellent performance characteristics. Mosaic paintings can be safely placed in bathrooms and shower rooms, baths, and swimming pools.

Just look at these amazing mosaic panels! A large number of paintings, most of them are based on nature motifs... these amazing mosaic tiles can surprise anyone who enters the bathroom for the first time. Some of the designs are three-dimensional, creating an even stronger sense of an outside presence brought into the home. To convey subtle details and smooth color transitions, very small pieces are used, with which you can achieve the effect of the integrity of the mosaic panel.

Features of the mosaic set

Modern mosaics are assembled where they are made. For precise designs, the chips are cast into small molds or chipped by hand. Finished products arrive in stores and showrooms in the form of so-called matrices (modules). They are pieces of paper or mesh on which chips are glued in a strictly defined order. Matrices are often made square (30x30 cm), less often - rectangular, with side sizes that are multiples of 30. Sometimes matrices of other shapes are found.

At the installation site, all that remains is to connect the fragments and attach them to the desired surface using special (not tile!) glue. It is important to keep in mind that the paper is glued to the front side of the chips, and the mesh is glued to the back. After installation, the mesh remains under the chips forever, and the paper is moistened and removed. It will take a specialist from 2 days to 2 weeks to lay the mosaic (depending on the size and other features of the surface).

It is important to realize that the skills of a master tiler are of little use for laying mosaics. She is very capricious and does not forgive even minor mistakes. It is extremely important to prepare a solid base with a smooth, flat surface. Cement-sand plasters can only be used with adhesive and reinforcing additives, for example Collaseal or Fiberflex (INDEX, Italy). Then the layer that disappears during leveling (up to 0.5 mm) will not chip off, and subsequently cracks will not appear in the plaster. The base should be carefully marked, taking into account the position of the typesetting elements on curved surfaces and at junctions. The goal is to reduce the number of chips being pinned (cut). Of course, you need to make sure that the matrices are glued to the base with the right side. At the same time, modules on paper are more suitable for convex surfaces, and on a grid for concave surfaces. The glue is required to ensure adhesion of at least 3 MPa and have a pot life of at least 30 minutes for laying simple panels and more than 60 minutes for complex ones. It must be closed in an amount sufficient for one hour of the master’s work. An area of ​​no more than 1 m2 (for 9 mosaic matrices) should be applied if the pattern is simple and the surface is flat. IN difficult cases glue is usually applied under 2-4 matrices.

Finally, if the mosaic is used in a damp room, do not forget about reliable waterproofing of the base. There is a whole range of system materials for swimming pools and bathrooms (from SCHOMBURG, INDEX, VANDEX, etc.). Otherwise, after 3-5 years the mosaic will begin to fall off along with pieces of the base.

Technique for setting mosaic panels

This is the most ancient type of mosaic technique. It was characteristic of Roman and Byzantine mosaics. It is the most complex and time-consuming to perform.

There are two types of installation - direct and reverse dialing. In the first case, the image is laid out directly on the surface and fixed in the plaster layer. The second one began to be used after the 18th century. It is simpler in execution. The image is laid out face down on tracing paper. After fixing the composition on the back side, its front part is finally processed and sometimes sanded. The result is not just a mosaic effect in the usual sense, but an illusion of muted shine and texture not even of stone, but of a tapestry or carpet. Exist different technologies creating mosaic panels - from the simplest, geometric, to the very complex, computer-based, allowing you to recreate a reproduction of any painting.

Geometric technology It is considered relatively easy: when creating a pattern, the mosaic does not need to be cut into smaller pieces. Compositions are obtained by simple selection of colors. Then the master manually lays out the desired pattern on the matrix grid. Therefore, when ordering such a composition, the client can draw the grid himself, indicating the colors of the picture.

Technique for working with mosaics using the reverse method

The mosaic is glued to paper base a water-soluble paste made from wheat flour, the slow hardening of which allows the mosaic artist to make substitutions or adjustments. The drawing or sketch is applied to the appropriately cut paper with the reverse side.

But more complex work is performed on a computer. The desired photograph or painting is scanned and then the program breaks the image into cells. Then a color scheme with different shades is selected, depending on the complexity of the pattern. Although there are some subtleties here - you need to take into account from what distance the panel will be viewed. How larger sizes of the future “drawing” and the larger its constituent elements, the greater the distance to it should be.

The following programs can be used Mosaic 2005, Mosaic Deluxe, and Photoshop.

Technology for making mosaic tiles at home

To make mosaic tiles you will need the following tools and equipment:

1. Forms
2. Gloves
3. Container for mixing components
4. Fill tool
5. Matrix
6. Reinforcing mesh
7. Filler

This technology uses readily available and inexpensive materials that can be purchased at hardware stores.

The process of making mosaic tiles consists of seven main stages:

Stage 1. Preparing molds for pouring

Stage 2. Preparing filler for pouring

Stage 3. Preparation of the working mixture

Stage 4. Filling forms

Stage 5. Extracting fills from shapes

Stage 6. Workpiece processing

Stage 7. Matrix set

We offer mosaic manufacturing technology and the main material for the manufacture of mosaic tiles (mosaics) and casting stone - acrylic resin.

The acrylic resin (plastic) we offer has high biological indifference to biological objects, in other words, it is absolutely harmless to humans! Does not contain styrene! This plastic is also successfully used for medical purposes.

The production of tile mosaics can be carried out using various materials. IN industrial production Most often I use glass and ceramics for these purposes. IN last years The technology for producing plastic mosaics has emerged and is actively developing. The production of mosaic tiles from plastic bottles is one of the new trends that have emerged these days. The main advantage of this type of tile is environmental friendliness.

Types of mosaics

Glass and ceramics, as well as products made from them, are characterized by significant durability

Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages:

• Glass is beautiful and quite simple (on an industrial scale). Disadvantages include heavy weight and low strength;
• Ceramics are also aesthetically pleasing. The disadvantages are the same as those of glass, only the strength is higher, but still low. In addition, many buyers are not satisfied with the cost, sometimes simply exorbitant;
• Plastic is beautiful and environmentally friendly. The material is light and cheap. It is possible to set up the production of mosaic tiles at home.

Glass and ceramics, as well as products made from them, are characterized by significant durability. The joke of archaeology students: “Ancient people only did breaking dishes” is based on the fact that the main archaeological artifacts are fragments of ceramic dishes. Glass and, especially, ceramics cannot be completely recycled.

Modern ecologists are constantly fighting against plastic, despite the fact that, unlike other materials, it has the advantage that some types of its processing are available to anyone and do not require special costs. But if the process of recycling plastic bottles, although beneficial for nature, is not always accessible to the average small entrepreneur, then the production of some types of plastics at home is quite within the capabilities of everyone.

Making tiles

Mosaics can be made from glass or acrylic resin

With the advent of certain components on the market that make it possible to produce plastics in artisanal conditions, hobbyists have appeared who can make simple plastic products right in their kitchen. IN last days The production of mosaic tiles from affordable materials, sold in any store, is gaining popularity household chemicals. Equipment for the production of mosaic tiles is not high-tech and knowledge-intensive. The process does not require special skills, special education and energy consumption. The main thing is that the technology for making mosaic tiles is not violated.

Raw materials

For production plastic tiles Based on, for example, acrylic resins, the following ingredients are used:

• Acrylic resin is one of the main elements of future tiles. Consists of two components: component A (resin) and B (hardener);
• Filler main element. Depending on the desired strength and density, you can use sand, stone chips (marble or granite processing waste) or fine gravel as a filler;
• Dyes use inorganic pigments based on iron oxide, chemical compounds titanium, lead, zinc and chromium. Selected depending on the desired color of the finished product.

Equipment

Glass mosaic making machine

There is no actual equipment, in the usual sense of the word. No machines or equipment are used in production blast furnaces. You won't see any conveyors or cranes. Production room more like a laboratory. All that is needed for such production is:

• Molds for making mosaic tiles depending on the requirements for future products, glass containers of appropriate shapes and sizes are used;
• Scales to obtain high-quality products requires strict adherence to the proportions of the components;
• Containers for dosing and storing components. Glass containers with a volume scale printed on their walls are suitable for this;
• Hand tools preferably plastic or glass spatulas, spoons, tubes for moving and mixing components.

Process

Acrylic resin mosaic kiln

The production itself does not require lengthy preparation and the use of additional equipment. The whole process consists of preparatory operations consisting of dosing components - filler, resin, dyes, as well as mixing them in the required proportions. In this case, the prepared resin is poured into a container with filler. The resulting mixture is filled into molds. This procedure is performed when room temperature, this also causes the finished tile to dry out. After this, the tiles are removed from the molds and processed to obtain a finished look.

Technological techniques for producing mosaic tiles may differ from those described when using other materials. For the production of large volumes of products, there is more complex equipment that allows mechanization and automation of the process.

Mosaic

Mosaic - great way show your artistic features

Making a mosaic from tiles involves gluing the finished tiles onto wooden board according to a pre-designed drawing. For this, cleaned and dried wooden surface PVA-based adhesive is applied. If mosaics are installed in a room with high humidity or outdoors, more moisture-resistant adhesives can be used.

Mosaic is a great way to show your artistic features. IN Lately For some people, a hobby is increasingly developing into a profession that brings in a good income. Some remembered that they could draw, others took up modeling or embroidery. The production of mosaics in our time of universal instability can also become the main source of wealth, especially if you have talent and hard work.