how to support mosaic wall tiles

[scottyb]

Hi all,

I am about to install a vertical strip of mosaic wall tiles in a bathroom reno. My question is how do I support the mosaics while the adhesive sets, so they don't slide down the wall. Is it just a matter of using a very stiff adhesive mix (I am using Davcoflex for the other tiles).

I am used to using battens to support larger tiles temporarily, but what do you do with 300 x 300 sheets of 1 inch tiles. I would appreciate any advice, thanks.

[Doughboy]

Just let them know that what ever they choose to do in life that you are behind them all the way. A little support and encouragement will let them know how important they are to you....

[Gra]

Bennylaird, were are you.... Benny does Mosaics, he should know.. drop him a PM

[ausdesign]

I'd stick with the Davco & put a temporary pin under each top mosaic & let the sheet 'hang'. Re adjust the tiles if necessary as the adhesive goes off.

[scottyb]

Thanks for the reply Peter, I was hoping there was a way to avoid too may holes through the wallboard. Maybe I could make up a wooden 'comb' with brads nailed through at spacings to support each individual tile in the top row -the whole thing fixed by one nail through the 'comb' into the wallboard at each end.

[squashedfrog1]

was just wondering why you're tiling vertically instead of horizontally where each progressive row is supported by the row underneath and of course your spacers?

You'll find though that your tile adhesive, once the tiles have been pressed firmly to remove any air between will be sufficient to hold most tiles and strips of tiles. Once the air is removed, the tiles simply dont want to move much at all. If the mosaic is on a backing sheet and is quite heavy then the previous suggestion of a pin at the top to "hang" the sheet will be more than adequate. If you're doing the individual pieces in the mosaic then gravity wont usually beat the stiff adhesive after you've pressed the fragment into place.


SF

[scottyb]

was just wondering why you're tiling vertically instead of horizontally where each progressive row is supported by the row underneath and of course your spacers?

SF

I am putting in a vertical strip of mosaics (300x300 sheets of 25mm square tiles) behind the mixer and shower rose, after the rest of the wall is done in 300x300 tiles. The vertical strip will be 300 wide.

[rat52]

Start at the top and use nails for the first sheet the for the rest use masking tape fixed to the sheet above.

This is backward to normal tiling practice but I saw a pro do this and it worked

_____________________________________________________________

Don't force it use a bigger hammer.

[scottyb]

Thanks Rat, that sounds like a good idea as long as I measure out the vertical distance carefully and start at the right height.

[Tools]

You need to use a non slump adhesive,and they will stay there on their own.

Tools