For all of you glass hobbyists who would love to work with mosaics but havent gotten up enough courage, this article is for you. This project will give you the chance to create three tiles that are meant to be used as a wall hanging. We used the same process as the one for making stepping-stones. But the main difference in making a wall hanging is the thicknesswe will use only half of the recommended amount of DiamondCrete for the 12 square mold.
Our design is an elegant Victorian motif that can be built as shown in three 12 square tiles and hung about 1 apart, or the project can be simplified by using just the center design. Leave out the two pieces to the far right and left of the center design and this would look fine by itself as a wall hanging or a stepping-stone. Just remember to adjust the amount of DiamondCrete for the intended use of the square.
You can let your imagination run wild when it comes to cement and glass color combinations for a project like this one. The Diamond-Crete comes in a wide variety of vivid colors that can be mixed or lightened, and appropriate glass colors are unlimited as well.
One or two glass colors could be used for this design. We chose a dark amber and a brown-green-white opalescent mix. If you choose a mix for your own project, remember that you are cutting for a mosaic. there will be no backlighting. A glass color mix such as this one can have areas of everything from solid white to all shades of green to the darkest brown.
On a mirror image design like this one, I like to cut the glass pieces from the center out, cutting the left and right piece of the design at the same time. That way, if a piece on one side is cut from a dark piece of the mix, the same piece on the other side of the design can be cut from a dark piece also. This will add to the symmetry of the design and the finished piece and give you a mosaic that you can really be proud of.
One last thing to rememberchoose glass that is uniformly flat; avoid wavy or textured glass. Click here for the PATTERN.
Materials:
#145SP, Wissmach Dark Amber Swirled with Opal for Design, 1 Sq. Ft. (or color of your choice)
#71-D, Wissmach Dark Brown/Green/Opal/Crystal for Design, 3 Sq. Ft. (or color of your choice)
Other Materials Required:
Diamond Tech International 12 Square Stepping-Stone Form
27 Cups of Golden Wheat DiamondCrete
Venture Tape Mosaic Mount
Petroleum Jelly Concrete Sealer
1. Use lead pattern shears to cut apart pattern pieces. This will help to give a little more space between the pieces of glass. Cut the glass pieces according to the pattern and grind edges smooth.
2. Cut Mosaic Mount to fit bottom of 12 square mold. Three 11-5/8 square pieces will be needed. Remove the protective cover to expose the adhesive surface and position it over the pattern, sticky side up.
3. Transfer cut glass pieces onto Mosaic Mount according to pattern. Remember that the side of the glass that you intend to show will be face down on the sticky side of the Mosaic Mount at this time.
4. Coat inside bottom and sides of form evenly with petroleum jelly. Place the Mosaic Mount andattached glass pieces inside the mold.
5. Mix DiamondCrete according to directions. Use 2 ounces of water to each cup of DiamondCrete that the mold uses. We used 9 cups of DiamondCrete and 18 ounces of water for each 12 square tile.
Pour the water into the mixing container holding the DiamondCrete and mix until smooth.
6. Pour mixed DiamondCrete slowly into the mold. Tap the work surface around and under the mold to help release any air bubbles. DiamondCrete sets up in about 45 minutes, but it should remain in the mold for 1 hour before removing the project from the mold.
7. Insert copper wire hanger into back of tile. About 10 to 15 minutes after pouring the DiamondCrete, insert a wire hanger into the back of the tile. This is prepared by taking a 6 length of copper wire and making a loop on each end. The loops are then both inserted into the concrete, leaving a loop outside the concrete for hanging the tile.
8. Remove tile from mold after one hour. Remove Mosaic Mount from the front of the tile and check for air bubbles that may have left some pinholes in the front of the tile. Mix a small amount of remaining DiamondCrete with water to make a paste to fill any holes. Wipe off excess with a damp paper towel.
Place the tile on pencils or a vented shelf to allow air to flow around the entire tile, which needs to cure for 28 days. Use a concrete or grout sealer to seal sides, top, and bottom with 2 coats of sealer. Enjoy!
This article was used with permission and originally published in Glass Patterns Quarterly Magazine.
