Mosaic Tiles

Mosaic tiles are suitable for use on walls and floors in just about any room of the home, including bathrooms, kitchens, conservatories and hallways. Typically comprising exotic natural materials such as slate, granite, limestone or marble, mosaic tiles are usually provided in ‘webbed’ sheets that feature rows and columns of square or rectangular tiles that sometimes interlock or overlap. Mosaic tiles are also typically quite small, which is often necessary in order to achieve the brick pattern that is so commonly associated with mosaics, although it is true that mosaic tiles may comprise other shapes and styles. Furthermore, mosaic tiles can also be made from other materials than those mentioned above, including porcelain, glass, travertine and ceramic, which are invariably cheaper than the aforementioned natural rock varieties.

Mosaic tiles are most commonly used in bathrooms and wet rooms, which are obviously areas of the home in which moisture is relatively high. There is little advantage in choosing mosaic tiles over other patterns and styles, however – in fact, larger tiles are usually easier to clean as there are less individual grooves and edges to wipe over. Indeed, mosaic tiles are often purchased for two specific reasons: first, they offer a unique look and feel that is generally regarded by most as aesthetically pleasing; second, mosaic tiles are perfect for installing in relatively small areas. For instance, using mosaic tiles around kitchen work tops and bathroom sinks is often a straightforward task that can sometimes involve less cutting and shaping than is necessary with larger tiles. Moreover, when larger tiles are cut to considerably smaller sizes, their pattern or design is often lost to a certain degree, whereas the predominantly small mosaic tiles can more easily maintain their shape and form.

One of the main problems that people face when buying mosaic tiles for their bathrooms, kitchens or hallways is that they sometimes fail to realise how much additional work is involved in fixing small mosaic tiles over a large patch of wall (or floor) in comparison to more traditional types of tile. However, this is only true of mosaic tiles that are sold individually – sheet mosaic tiles are typically sold in dimensions of 30 x 30 cm or larger. Unfortunately, these larger types of mosaic tiles also attract their own set of difficulties, as ensuring that mosaic patterns properly fit in tight areas can prove extremely frustrating. With this in mind, many people choose to hire the services of a fully professional tile fitter, who will not only be able to install the mosaic tiles effectively but should also offer long term guarantees and cheaper materials (trade discount). On this point, where buyers choose to fix mosaic tiles themselves, it is necessary to purchase 10% more tiles than required in order to accommodate the odd broken, chipped or lost tile (it happens).

Furthermore, many stores offer customers a buy back scheme that allows them to return unused and unwanted tiles to the shop for a refund. This is especially useful when dealing with expensive materials of mosaic tile, such as limestone, granite, slate or marble. However, it may be worth holding on to a number of tiles in case some of those fitted on to the wall or floor are damaged for one reason or another and need replacing. Moreover, by hiring the services of professional tradesmen, who in the UK are subject to laws affecting the standard and quality of their work, customers are better equipped to deal with problems affecting mosaic tile installations. Of course, if the tiles are fitted by the customer, any tiles that are substandard or damaged can be taken back to the hardware store for replacement – generally speaking, it is crucial that consumers are aware of their legal rights.

Another common mistake made by those who purchase mosaic tiles is that they fail to prepare for the task at hand adequately. Indeed, there is far more to installing mosaic tiles than simply slapping an adhesive on to them and fixing to the wall or floor. The first step that is routinely skipped by customers is to buy the adhesive and grout that is specifically suited to the type of tiles that are to be installed. To this end, it is often best to check with sales assistants before making a purchase, as these are among the most useful people to ask in the majority of cases. Furthermore, preparing a list of all necessary items of equipment and supplies is generally an important step, as finding out that a key component of the installation is missing half way through the job is never a good thing.

Therefore, installing mosaic tiles typically requires grouting and mixing tools, goggles, tile cutters (mechanical or electrical – harder materials such as granite will often require specialist tools), a pencil, tape measure, spirit level, wet saw, notched trowel, margin trowel, grout removal tool, hammer, chisel and square-edge level. It is also a good idea to purchase knee pads, as fixing mosaic floor tiles can be a painstakingly protracted experience. Moreover, installing mosaic tiles should never be a rushed job – underlying surfaces and substructures must be thoroughly cleaned and dusted after they have been stripped and levelled, whilst it is always necessary to dry lay the tiles before actually fixing them to the floor. Dry laying simply involves placing tiles along one corner column and row (with a margin left to the wall) in a perpendicular arrangement in order to mark out the positions with a pencil. Then, the remaining area of the floor can be properly filled with the tiles.

Finally, it is important that customers have realistic expectations about installing mosaic tiles themselves and are aware of the many different types, styles and materials available. For instance, granite, limestone or slate mosaic tiles, due to their natural properties, will never feature precisely the same design or colour (although the differences are often minuscule). Furthermore, mosaic tiles are available in matt or gloss finishes and a common mistake made by people is that the wrong tiles are very often purchased for a particular task. Glossy or glazed tiles, for instance, are entirely unsuitable for use on the floor as they pose too great a slip hazard – generally speaking, glazed mosaic tiles are for the walls and unglazed are for the floor. Again, if in doubt, it is good practise to seek the advice of a fully trained member of staff in any reputable hardware store.

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