Backsplash Ideas

The kitchen backsplash is the most popular place to put glass tile. In a smaller kitchen, the small mosaic tiles will make the space look larger. In a larger kitchen, the small mosaic tiles look more like a solid field tile. Either way it will look great!

With all the mosaic glass tiles available on the market, how do you choose what to use? Here are some installation ideas that might get your started.

• Cover your entire backsplash in one solid color. This is good when you have a very busy granite countertop.
• Use a solid color for most of the splash but pop in another color or colors sporadically. This breaks up the solid field a little.
• Put up a glass tile blend. This beautiful assortment of color can pull together your counters, cabinets, and fixtures.
• Install sheets of tile that mix stone, glass, and/or metal. The effect is gorgeous.
• Find something decorative for the space behind the stove. Then use a solid on the rest of the backsplash. Just make sure that the solid is one of the colors from your stove area.
• Use a solid on the splash but run a border of color or blended colors through the middle or along the counter top.
• Use two different sized tiles. Install square glass on the majority of the splash then run a border of matching subway tile throughout. Or try putting the subway tile on the splash but squares behind the stove.
• Set the glass tiles on an angle so that the squares look like diamonds instead. Do this on the entire splash or just behind the stove.
• Incorporate glass tile into a ceramic tile backsplash. Install the glass behind the stove and then as inserts throughout the ceramic field tile. This can be done as a border too.

There are tons of ideas and ways that you can personalize your kitchen backsplash. You only have to step back and get creative.

Sealing Your Grout

One of the main concerns clients have is their grout. With our tiles you will have lots of grout joints and you want to keep them looking good. The main question I get is if you have to seal the grout. The answer is a big YES! You need to seal your grout about a week after the original grouting. Then continue to seal it twice a year.

I don't recommend the lowest or highest priced sealer but rather the middle of the line. Just take a clean white rag to wipe it on. Allow it to sit for the recommended time and then use another clean white rag to wipe it off. I tend to use old socks or tshirts for this.

Sealing your grout is very important. Make sure to follow the products instructions for times. Your grout will stay beautiful for years.

Sunshine Mosaic

Mosaic art can be extremely thereaputic. I created this latest piece while going through some really rough times. Knowing that something beautiful would come out of something horrible made it a healing mosaic.

Although I see every flaw in this work I am still very happy to have completed it. I used various shades of vitreous glass and one metallic red (Camelot). The tiles were applied using Weldbond on Wediboard. I then cut out the finished design and grouted in black.

Thanksgiving Day Trivet

Nothing would warm your hostess more than to receive this wonderful gift on Thanksgiving. A handmade Thanksgiving Day Trivet, will look great on the table while serving dinner.These are easy to make.

All you need are: 8" ceramic tile
carbon paper
Thanksgiving themed coloring sheet
pencil or pen
Art Tile Collection glass tiles
Weldbond
wheeled cutters
grouting kit (grout, gloves, paper towels, newspaper, plastic spoon, plastic bowl)

The coloring sheets can be printed off of many websites. Just make sure it is a large simple design. Some examples would be of a pumpkin, Indian corn, turkey, etc. Lay the carbon paper (carbon side down) on the top of the ceramic tile, then lay your coloring sheet on top of that. Trace the pattern onto the ceramic tile with your pen or pencil. When you finish, the carbon paper should have left the design on the top of your ceramic tile.

Now you just need to take your mosaic tiles and glue them onto the design in whatever fashion you want. Use your wheeled cutters to nip the tiles into smaller pieces to fit the design better. Use a dab of Weldbond on the back of each tile to adhere the glass to the ceramic.

Once you finish this, allow it to dry overnight. The next day, you can grout as usual. Be sure to seal the grout with a good grout sealant to protect against any spills that happen at the dinner table!

***NOTE: This is also a fun project to keep the kids busy after eating your Thanksgiving dinner. Gather them around the table and let everyone create!

Tell Us About You, The Mosaic Artist

Although most of our clientele are builders, contractors, and people redoing their own homes, we have a huge group of mosaic artists that come to us for supplies, suggestions, and hints. I love any opportunity to work with this amazing group. I had an artist in our warehouse yesterday and got the chance to discuss lots of techniques, what would work, what wouldn't, etc. It is so energizing to see the mosaic mind toiling through the creative path.



So we want our mosaic friends to sound off here. Share with everyone how long you have been creating, what you like/hate to use, if you have a website, etc. Just reply to this post and sound off about yourself as a mosaic artist.



***For those that want to share, we will share too. Contact us at okglasstile@gmail.com to let us know you posted on this blog and we will send you a free 1/2 pound bag of Art Tile Minis.

School Mosaic Project Idea

I often go into the local schools and teach kids how to create a mosaic. I have learned a few tricks that make it easier and less expensive.

Materials needed:

4" Ceramic Tile
100 Tiny Tiles (3/8") per student
Jug of Weldbond
Plastic Bowls
Cotton Swabs
Grouting Materials

First of all cover the tables with newspaper or something similar. The kids will get glue on the tables. Pour out a little glue into several bowls. I usually provide one bowl for every 4 kids. Lay out 4 cotton swabs per child.

The 4" ceramic tile will hold 10 tiny tiles going across and down with a 1/16" grout joint. I tell the kids to use their swab to create a heavy line of glue going across the top and down the side of the 4" tile. You have to tell them to sort of make a bed of glue. They are taught in school to not use much glue but here they need to or you will have tiles popping off during grouting. They should then place the 10 tiny tiles going across the top and 9 more going down the side. Check to make sure they have them lined up to the edge and have enough glue. The kids will then just fill in the rest of the area using the first two lines as guides.

You will have to check constantly to make sure they are keeping grout joints and keeping the tiles lined up and pushed to the edge. Some kids will finish in 10 minutes while others will take and hour.

Note: They can plan ahead and have a 10x10 grid paper colored in with their design. This works especially well with kids in 4th grade and older.

Free Shipping on Orders Over $200

It is that time of year again for you to save huge on shipping charges. Just order $200 worth of mosaic goodies and get your UPS Ground shipping for free. This cool offer is only valid for shipping within the Continental US though.

Don't forget our Clearance Section while shopping!