Website design By BotEap.comHardboard is a good base for your mosaics as long as you limit the size of the overall mosaic, limit the size of the tiles, and do not display the mosaic in a humid environment. Avoid hardboard for outdoor applications due to the potential for deterioration. Assuming your tiles are a quarter or less in size and your total tile size is less than 24 “x 24”, I have found that 1/8 inch thick hardboard provides an adequate base. If your tiles are small, it’s surprising how flexible the mosaic is, even with grout, which means it can withstand some deformation before the grout cracks or the glass pieces come off. If your tiles are large or if you incorporate large pieces of stained glass into your mosaic, the thickness of your base must be greater because the mosaic cannot withstand as much deformation (that is, the thicker the wood, the more resistant to deformation). For example, suppose your mosaic measures 24 “x 24” and you use a single piece of yellow stained glass to represent the bright sun that illuminates the world. Suppose the diameter of the sun is 10 inches, which makes up a good part of the mosaic. It’s easy to see how a little warp can stress that single piece of glass and cause failure (i.e. break, pop). It is like ceramic tile on a concrete slab base. As the concrete cracks and moves, stress is applied to the ceramic tile, and if the stress is great enough, the tile breaks. Therefore, you need to consider the size of the tiles when choosing the thickness of your mosaic base.

Website design By BotEap.comOver the years making many wall tiles 24 “x 24” or less, I have found that my favorite base is 1/8-inch hardboard. It is the dark brown material that the pegboard is made of, but without the holes. It is slippery on one side and rough on the other. I use this material only for dry, interior wall tiles that will not be exposed to moisture. I use this material because it is: 1) Relatively thin, 2) Relatively light, and 3) Rough on one side so the glue will stick well.

Website design By BotEap.comThe 1/8-inch thickness allows the finished tile to fit into a standard pre-cast frame. My glass tiles are about 1/8 inch thick, so the total thickness of the finished mosaic is only about 1/4 inch. This allows me to buy a ready-to-use frame for next to nothing. I plan on my interior wall tiles to be 16 “x 24”, 18 “x 24”, or 24 “x 24″, which are common sizes for pre-cast frames. If you were to use 3/4-inch plywood or MDF as a base, then you would have to use a custom frame deep enough to cover the full thickness of the mosaic (i.e. 3/4-inch wood base plus 1 / 8-inch tiles equals almost 1-inch thickness). Custom frames cost up to five times more than standard pre-made frames. For example, by taking advantage of their 50% biweekly offer at my favorite hobby shop, I can get a pre-made 18 ” x 24 ” frame in a lovely style and color that best suits the tile, have the tile installed on the frame, Install the hanging wire and have the paper backing installed, all for under $ 25. That’s right! Less than $ 25. A custom-made frame can cost up to $ 150.

Website design By BotEap.comNot only saving on framing costs, hardboard is cheap compared to 3/4-inch plywood and MDF. I buy a pre-cut section of plywood instead of a full 4’x’8 sheet. The precut section is 24 “x 48”. Knowing that the height of my interior wall tiles is typically 24 “(which is the width of the pre-cut section), this allows me to cut the board giving me a width of 16”, 18 “or 24” for my tile base. . For example, let’s say I want my mosaic to be 18 “x 24”. The pre-cut width of the hardboard I purchase is 24 “. I measure and cut 18”, resulting in an 18 “x 24” piece of hardboard. The piece fits perfectly in a standard 18 “x 24” precast frame. I measure and cut the board with a standard circular saw and a “rip fence” that I make by attaching a 3 foot level to the board with two C-clamps. The rip fence allows me to push the saw along the straight edge of the level to ensure a straight and precise cut.

Website design By BotEap.comI prepare the pressed wood base by painting it with two coats of white primer. The main reason to paint it white is to get a white background on which the glass tiles will adhere (Note: I always adhere the glass to the rough side of the board). Although I usually use opaque glass, the white background helps to illuminate it. The dark brown color of the hardboard makes the glass pieces appear opaque and dark, although the glass is supposed to be opaque. The secondary benefit of priming the board is that it seals it. I don’t know if sealing hardboard is of any use, but it makes me feel better to believe that they are sealed. I don’t know the material or chemical properties of hardboard and how they are made, so I don’t know if they need to be sealed, but painting them gives me a nice, warm, fuzzy feel. I have a habit of sealing everything, whether I need it or not.

Website design By BotEap.comAfter applying the tiles and grout, you will be amazed at how flexible the mosaic is without causing the glass or grout to fail (assuming your tiles are relatively small). When I first used 1/8-inch hardboard as the base for a mosaic, I experimented and found that I could bend the mosaic a full two inches without affecting the glass and grout. I was too scared to bend it more than two inches! After the experiment, I assumed that if the mosaic can bend a whopping two inches, then it can survive any warping that may occur. Then after the tile was installed on the precast frame, I found that the tile was installed in such a way as to inhibit any warping. The mosaic was pressed and held in place with the small fasteners on the back of the frame to prevent it from falling off. The only way the tile can warp is if it is strong enough to make the frame warp. I have never had a problem with interior wall tile warping when using 1/8-inch hardboard installed in a precast standard frame.

Website design By BotEap.comThe 1/8-inch hardboard is also light enough that the weight of the overall tile is not so heavy that you have to remodel your home to create a supporting structure strong enough to support the weight of a mosaic. Generally, my 24 “x 24” (or smaller) tiles are light enough to hang properly using a picture hook and nail installed in drywall. I don’t have to cut the drywall to install 2 “x 4” pieces between the studs and then replace the drywall. This is extremely advantageous, especially when selling or gifting the mosaic (that is, you won’t lose customers that you might otherwise lose if you tell them they have to hang the mosaic by doing more than just hammering a nail into the wall).