http://www.addledonline.com/mosaic-tiles/
Glass Mosaic Tile Art: What Exactly is Grout?
Making wonderful glass mosaic tile art is easy! Let me show you how.
Ever wonder what grout actually is? As a mosaic artist, you should. Yes, it’s cement, but what’s cement? Even if you couldn’t care less, as a mosaic artist, you should understand the materials used in your work. So, let’s discover just exactly what cement is.
Portland cement is the most common type of cement. Did you know that Portland cement is a generic type of cement, not a trade name? Many different cement companies make Portland cement. Joseph Aspdin, a bricklayer in England, invented and patented Portland cement in 1824. He named it “Portland” cement because it resembled the limestone from the Isle of Portland (a 4.5-mile long by 1.5-mile wide limestone peninsula extending into the English Channel). He heated a coarse mixture of crushed limestone and clay in his kitchen stove. The resulting concoction hardened after he added water.
Although it may contain small amounts of various elements, cement comprises four basic components: calcium, silicon, aluminum, and iron. These elements are commonly found in limestone (source of calcium), clay, and sand (sources of silica, aluminum, and iron). Raw chunks of these ingredients are crushed and measured to get the correct mixture (limestone is by far the main ingredient). The crushed materials are then heated to more than 2500 degrees F (that’s hot!). The extreme heat causes a chemical reaction and turns the materials into calcium silicates. The resulting material is called “clinker.” The clinker is then cooled, crushed, and manufactured into a fine powder. The gray powder that we know as Portland cement is so fine that one pound of cement contains more than 100 billion grains, which is fine enough to pass through a sieve that can hold water. That’s right! Finished Portland cement can pass through an extremely fine sieve but water can’t. Isn’t that amazing? So, now that we know what cement actually is, the next question is why and how does it harden when water is applied?
Cement hardens because of “hydration,” a chemical reaction caused by water resulting in a new compound. The reaction forms chemical bonds with water molecules that are called “hydrates.” The calcium silicates react to release calcium and hydroxide ions. When the reaction process saturates the material, the calcium hydroxide crystallizes. At the same time, calcium silicate hydrate forms. As time proceeds, the calcium silicate hydrate grows (i.e., the cement hardens) and the process continues until there are no more water molecules and un hydrated compounds. The resulting substance is rock-hard cement.
Grout adds strength to your mosaic, keeps out dirt, and helps protect your mosaic, especially outdoor projects. Grout is not an adhesive, so don’t try to adhere tesserae to the mosaic’s foundation using grout.
Remember, making mosaic art is easy. You can do it. Yes, you can!
About the Author
Bill Enslen has created beautiful mosaic art for 30 years. His new eBook, Mosaic Pieces: Essentials for Beginner and Professional Mosaic Artists, gives you step-by-step details for creating your own mosaic masterpieces. Visit his website and read the free sample chapters at Glass Mosaic Tile Art. Let him show you just how easy it is. With Bill’s help, you can do it. Yes, you can!
Making Tile Mosaics : Positioning Tiles on Your Mosaic
|
|
SomerTile Penny Lite Green Porcelain Mosaic Tile Sheets (Case of 10) $63.99 Glazed porcelain tile for your kitchen, bath, fireplace, pool, foyer or backsplash This floor and wall tile comes in lite green color option Tile’s traditional design is styled for interior and exterior use |
|
|
SomerTile Samoan Brick Noce Slate Porcelain Mosaic Tiles (Case of 10) $158.49 Glazed porcelain tile for your kitchen, bath, fireplace, pool, foyer or backsplashFloor and wall tiles come in tones of cream, beige, brown, blue and greenTiles’ transitional design is styled for interior and exterior use |
|
|
SomerTile 12.25”x12.25” Metal Downtown 3/4×3/4 Beige Glazed Porcelain Floor & Wall Mosaic Tile Sheet (Case of 10) $97.99 A Glazed Porcelain Tile for your Kitchen, Bath, Fireplace, Pool, Foyer or BacksplashThis Floor & Wall Tile comes in tones of Beige & MetalThis tiles Traditional design is styled for Interior & Exterior use |
|
|
SomerTile 12”x12” Volt 1×1 Bronze White Translucent Glass Wall Mosaic Tile Sheet (Case of 13) $123.99 A Translucent Glass Tile for your Kitchen, Bath or BacksplashThis Wall Tile comes in tones of Brown, Tan & White with CopperThis tiles Modern design is styled for Interior & Exterior use |
|
|
Somertile Stainless Steel 1 X 2 Subway Porcelain Mosaic Tiles $182.99 These stainless steel subway tiles spruce up any home improvement project. The Somertile wall tiles feature uneven sides for seamless pattern interlocking. |
|
|
SomerTile Flintstone Blue Cloud Porcelain Mosaic Tiles (Case of 10) $66.99 Use these glazed porcelain tiles for your kitchen, bath, fireplace, pool, foyer or backsplash. These SomerTile floor and wall tiles come in tones of a blue cloud. |
|
|
SomerTile 12”x12” Volt 1×1 Brown Gold Translucent Glass Wall Mosaic Tile Sheet (Case of 13) $113.99 A Translucent Glass Tile for your Kitchen, Bath or BacksplashThis Wall Tile comes in tones of Brown, Tan & White with CopperThis tiles Modern design is styled for Interior & Exterior use |
|
|
SomerTile Rocks Natural Stone Mosaic Tile Sheet (Case of 11) $119.99 Add the look and feel of natural stone to your floor or walls with these tiles from SomerTile. These tiles feature earth tones and can be used indoors or outdoors. |
|
|
SomerTile Rocks Random Black Natural Stone Mosaic Tile Sheets (Case of 11) $115.99 Natural stone tile looks great in your kitchen, bath, foyer or backsplashTransitional-design tiles are styled for interior and exterior useFloor and wall tiles are frost-proof |
|
|
SomerTile Penny Marine Porcelain Mosaic Tile Sheets (Case of 10) $67.99 Glazed porcelain tile for your kitchen, bath, fireplace, pool, foyer or backsplash This floor and wall tile comes in marine color optionTile’s traditional design is styled for interior and exterior use |
|
|
Mosaic Ceramic Tiles $20.99 From geometric shapes to hearts, this assortment of differently shaped, sized, and colored tiles will add a new artistic dimension to collages and craft projects. 2 lb bag, approximately 480 tiles. Ages 4 years +. |
|
|
Large Translucent Mosaic Craft Tiles – 1 lb. $8.49 Plastic mosaic tiles in brilliant translucent colors. Assorted shapes approximately 1 each. 1 lb. |
|
|
Wild Tiles Creative Mosaic Projects for Your Home $2.48 ISBN-13: 9781581809084 ISBN-10: 1581809085 Title: Wild Tiles Creative Mosaic Projects for Your Home. |
|
|
500 Tiles $19.48 From press-molded pieces to carved works showcasing spectacular surface treatments, these magnificent tiles will inspire beginners and professionals, as well as collectors and enthusiasts. Some of the larger handcrafted displays here were made to decorate public and private spaces; others use single tiles to interpret nature, tell a story, or make a bold cultural observation. As always in this acclaimed series, all the contributors are accomplished artists, renowned in the field. Mary Lynn Buss creates the ultimate kitchen backsplash: a field of mosaic-tiled long-necked irises. Peter King and his wife and working partner Xinia Marín fashion large, expressively rendered, and sculptural installations. And Melody Ellis’s low-relief earthenware tiles pack intriguing narratives into every tile. |
|
|
Mosaic Magnetic Puzzle by Hape $36.89 The Magnetic Mosaic is an activity involving design, shapes and colors to create a decoration or picture. To create a design use all different colored mosaic bamboo tiles and place them on the magnetic metal board. Your creation knows no end and the possibilities with the bamboo mosaic tiles are never-ending. Ages 2 and up.By Educo |
[