Steps And Items Needed To Make Mosaic Tabletop With Broken Dishes
If you have broken dishes and you are going to throw it out, stop, because you can use them to make a mosaic tabletop. Here is the list of required items and steps to make your mosaic tabletop, follow the steps carefully to get the best result of your hard work:
Items Needed For This Process
- Waterproof Sealer (Optional) & Paintbrush
- Fine-Grit Sandpaper (Optional) & All-Purpose Cleaner
- Rag & Protective Eyewear
- Work Gloves & A Paper Bag Or Scrap Fabric
- Hammer & Kraft Paper
- A Pencil Or Crayon & Ruler
- Premixed Tile Adhesive & Hand Trowel With The Notched Side
- Rubber Gloves & Premixed Tile Grout
- Rubber trowel or plastic Spackle knife
- Large Sponge & Clear Tile And Grout
Steps For This Process
- First of all, you need to prepare your table. If your table is made up of wood then you need to brush on a waterproof sealer and allow your table to dry according to the manufacturer's guidance as this will avert any warping.
- Alternatively, if your table is made up of nonporous material like veneer or plastic, scuff it with the help of sandpaper because the glue and grout will adhere better. Clean your table with the help of an all-purpose cleaner and any damp rag. Let your table dry comprehensively.
- Now, you need to put 1-2 plate in a paper bag or you can also wrap it in fabric, then break your plate by using a hammer. Check sporadically to see if you are fully satisfied with the size of your pieces. Remove all the pieces from your bag or from the fabric and set the pieces aside and break the other plates.
- Then, lay a large piece of your kraft paper over your tabletop. Hold the paper rigidly in place and then trace around the edges to get a consequence of the exact size of your tabletop by using the side of your pencil point or you can use an unwrapped crayon. Lay the kraft paper onto your floor or another table and then use it to plan the mosaic design for your tabletop.
- Arrange the pieces of your broken plate on your kraft paper in a design which you like the most. Space them 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart. Line up the edges of your broken dish pieces constantly with the edges of your tracing so they won't be an overhang. Cover your entire tabletop tracing by fitting your dish pieces together such as jigsaw puzzle.
- Now, spread a thin, even layer of your tile adhesive onto your tabletop by using the trowel. Now drag the notched edge of your trowel along with your table by using the long strokes in order to create ridges as these will help your broken plate pieces adhere better.
- Next, transfer your plate pieces from the drawing to your tabletop and keep them in the order of your original adjustment. Press your pieces into place by twisting very marginally from side to side to set the pieces into the adhesive. When your entire tabletop is covered, now let the applied adhesive set according to the guidance on the package.
- Now you need to apply a thick coat of your grout by using your rubber or plastic trowel or you can also you the spackle knife. Simply drag your tool over the grout to push it into all the cracks of the broken dish pieces. Scrape away any extra clumps from the top & side edges of your mosaic.
- Wipe your mosaic with the help of a damp sponge to remove any extra grout from your broken plate pieces. Wipe off the grout as much as you can until your broken plate pieces are clean. Let the applied grout set & cure according to the manufacturer's guidance.
- Finally wipe your tabletop to clean it with the help of a damp rag. Check it out for any sharp edges or holes in the applied grout. Apply another coat of your grout, if indispensable. Now you need to brush on a clear tile & grout sealer to get a finishing coat and allow the applied sealer to dry according to the product instructions.