CEMENT ADHESIVE - A good brand is Latticrete which can be difficult to source. According to Peter Twining ( Treasury Road Mosaics ) Oz Mosaics sells smaller quantities of the product.
VIDEO: Latticrete products to use in Mosaics
CERAMIC FILE - used to round off rough edges.
CERAMIC COMBO CUTTER-scores and snaps glazed ceramic tiles producing much cleaner cuts than a regular tile nipper. Score a line and then place the tile in the breaker arm and press down and the tile will snap along the line. Good for tiles greater than 2.5 cm thick
COMPOUND NIPPER - recommended for cutting extremely hard tiles, crockery porcelain and some stoneware. They have a lever mechanism which multiplies the force of a hand by 3 times.
DENTAL PICK - double ended tool cleans grout from cracks and removes glue residue from the interstices between the tiles. Residual glue up the sides of the tile may affect longevity.
GLASS (WHEELED) CUTTER - the recommended tool for cutting glass mosaic tiles. Will also cut mosaic glass, mirror and smalti. They should not be used to cut hard porcelain as the blades may shatter.
GROUT - a type of chemically setting cement that fills the interstices between the tesserae.
GROUT - Premixed
GROUT SEALER - If grout is not sealed it may absorb water bacteria or stains. Grout sealer renders the project water resistant and it will repel moisture and germs
MARMOX - a lightweight substrate made of waterproof polystyrene faced with fibreglass mesh embedded into cement polymer on each side. Suitable for outdoor as long as edges are protected. Marmox is strong and long lasting
MORTAR -a type of cement mixed with fine sand o form a paste which can be used as an adhesive or grout.
MOSAIC MESH -made of fibreglass and sold in squares, it is suitable for indoor and outdoor applications.
VIDEO: How To Mosaic On Mesh
PISTOL GRIP CUTTER - makes straight or curved long cuts in sheets of stained glass by scoring and then snapping. Freehand is used for curves while a rule is necessary for straight cuts.
PREP ALL PURPOSE ADHESIVE - originally designed as an alternative to PVA . Adheres to porous materials e.g timber, concrete, ceramic, glass etc. Great for most projects with high water resistance, drying quickly and clear
SILICONE SEALANT - a waterproof flexible adhesive used for glass on glass projects (both materials non porous) It is very sticky so often used on vertical surfaces and can be clear or opaque
STICKY MESH - suitable for indoor and dry area installations. The mesh is placed on top of the pattern sticky side up and the tesserae are pressed on firmly. Mesh is then trimmed. The substrate is coated with a thick ceramic tile adhesive, the mesh placed on top and pressed down until the adhesive rises up through the mesh gaps onto the back of the tiles.
VIDEO: How to use sticky mesh
THINSET - a mortar based adhesive mixed with water. Recommended for exterior projects or areas exposed to water.
TILE NIPPERS ( SIDE BITERS) - plier type tool which cuts mosaic tile up to 3/8" thick and most varieties of stone porcelain and dinnerware. These can crush or splinter glass, so always do a trial first.
TILE NIPPERS (CURVED JAW) - Ideal for cutting small curved sections
TILE NIPPERS( STRAIGHT JAW) - multiple jaw combinations for different types of tile shaping and cutting.
TWEEZERS - large 7 " tool which keeps adhesive off fingers when used to apply to tesserae. They also allow easy manouevering of the tesserae on the substrate particularly in cramped spaces.
WELDBOND - PVA glue suitable for indoor use on glass and some other materials. It is water resistant but not waterproof. Weldbond is white but dries clear and has no fumes. I prefer the tubes as it makes it easy to apply just by squeezing the tube and it doesnt dry out.
