Mosaic Tile Tips and Tricks 👊 

your first method wasnt that bad but wedi sells boards that are 1/8 thick and if you just buy that, and cut it to size you can make any mozaic fit perfectly 👌🏼... when i was learning tile the contractor taught me to put vinyl floor tiles behind the mozaic to build it up but i learned quickly that that is not the right way to do that

Was installing mosaic strip tile in my shower for an accent. After one beer I quickly determined it sucked, removed the tiles and scrapped out the thinset and washed the tiles in a bucket. Luckily I only had one more beer when I decided to do that so the thinset had not setup. After my third beer I got on my laptop and came upon your video and used method 1. I'm 66 years old and I have been doing it wrong for decades. Also used the lasko levelers. What a wonderful time we live in. Thanks!

You guys totally saved the asthetic appeal to my tile job in my basement. I wanted to put in a striped horizontal mesh mosaic and attempted yesterday (I mow grass and make billets but I’m savvy) and upon my attempt it was sagging slightly and I learned I was using a square notch too large instead of a V notch but more importantly, placing a backing on this will help immensely. It’s very similar to the first description you gave in the video. Although my mosaic is raised above my surface tile as is so that doesn’t matter so much. But this will make things much easier. Thanks again.

Thank you! I have been scratching my head on how I was going to install a band of mosaic around the surround, without a mess. Perfect solution for my case. Thank you.

great tips, excellent demonstration. Probably too difficult for the DYI but great for occasional installers and pros. Thanks

Great video, just what I was looking for! Thank you and God bless

This helping me so much! Thank from Kosago Vietnam with love!

Thank you so very much😭😭😭!!! You just brought this diy-er back to life!🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️

Very nice n clean! Just how I like it. Thx for the idea. I’ve always made a screed

Oh! Look its work! Great, this video help me somuch! Thank from Kosago Vietnam with love

Best tips and tricks video iv ever watched thank you for taking the time to make this 🙏🏼

Much gratitude....knowledge I will need in the coming weeks, but hadn’t yet given any thought.

Should watch this video before lol 😆 t installed in my shower 🚿 😌 Thanks for the video

Thanks for this tutorial. Excellent!.

I was just face with this problem with my first ever tiling attempt. Thanks for offering me away to possibly get out of this pickle. Tomorrow will be an interesting day.

This was so very helpful, thanks a lot.

OMG your mosaic tile application is ingenious!!!

Great idea, just what I needed. I had all my 12x24 tiles underneath the accent line like this and the tile was thicker than the mosaic like this, I added a layer of thin set and flattened it out behind where I’m putting the mosaic tiles to keep it out farther and flush to the main tile, but this is a better idea for sure, I used the kurdy strips and niches over the red wonderbaord because you can’t find the kurdy foam board at HD or Lowes. If they had 8’x5’ sheets at homeD or lowes id get that and just use 3 pieces, cut out the niches and you’d only have the corners to tape with the membrane and bottom of shower pan. I think you can order it but it would be so much better to have the sheets in the big box store. Going to use this method now, but the only this it having to wait for it to dry and then set it. It takes time, but it’s better then sagging mosaic tiles. Just do it on the floor over the kurdy tape and set them perfect then thinset them to the wall. Thank you

Wow good technique ! The installation is flawless great idea!

i like both options, but would probably go with number 2. thanks for the tips nice video

Great job ... thanks for sharing... Usually I use 1/8 inch jet board ... sturdi and inexpensive.

I use saved Ditra leftovers for shimming out. At 1/8" thick it's usually right on!

Awesome idea. I will be cutting 6” strips of the kerdi membrane to glue onto 1” glass accent pieces.

Good video dude thanks good tips

Method 1 worked for me. 🙏🏿 Thank you! I tried the 3/8 kerdi membrane and found the kerdi band method better for me (1st time tiler). I was able to control the amount of thinset behind the mosaic w/o all of the thinset coming through. With the kerdi membrane the wall was a little wavy, I worried when I would put on thinset to compensate it would come through so I ended up using method 1 and it worked. Make sure to clean the prep surface after so extra thinset doesn't stick band to drywall Thanks again!

Very good idea man, i used this methods 3 years and salve a lot hours job.

Wow I never thought of putting kerdi on the back of the tile sheets. I wish I'd known that before I installed the last shower kit I did. Thanks a million!

I used this trick today....also you don't have to clean all the thinset out of joints....I have 2 40" panels drying ready to install tomorrow....worked like a charm

Great work fellas, thanks for the tips and tricks!

Love this job

Landberg ,Best!

Oh look. Finally a product that Kerdi is good for.

Thanks for the tip, I always learn something from your videos. Great job guys.

Beautiful 👍🏻👌

What a great idea!

The way I usually do it, I cut about a 4 foot piece of kurti and glue them to that and then cut it how I need it the next day in individual pieces. But I like this idea as well

great video. what type of thin set that you recommend to use on the tile?

Great tips 👍

Awesome thank you!

I know I know...man, when you're a one man crew, its extremely hard to get any sort of content...ESPECIALLY when you're a perfectionist. I KNOW you know what I'm talking about. If it's not "groundbreaking" it's not worth it. Content IS content though. I still have cameras rolling ever day. Timelapse everything. Someday we just need to collaborate and make an all time epic tile video.

Love the videos. You have definitely inspired me to experiment more through the “Tips and Tricks” series. One last quick question: Are you religious in using the Schluter thin-sets with the rest of the Schluter products? If so, which one? If not which one?

If it's eye level, just use a strong vct. Skim with thinset. You can cut it with a straight cutter and in certain applications, can stack tile above that immediately. You're welcome! 😃

This tip was killer

Cool video. Tnx.

Good job! Ty

Man, you’re good

A variation on screeding thinset is to skim the wall area with thinset and then put wall mud (fat mud) into the area and screed the excess off. Once the wall mud is stiff enough, go ahead and install the mosaic inlay.

Another method you can add to the list is using schluter ditra. I used this method recently and it worked well. I have used the qt inch backer board before but this time it was causing the mosaic to come out further than the large format tile. If I remember correctly the ditra is only about an 1/8th of an inch (or so) thick and it was quick and easy. Btw, love your channel. Its been helpful.

hi there! what do you mean when you say were just gonna screw and thin set to the wall? do you use screws also? dumb question lol?? im sorry ,great job guys! im gonna go with trick number 2 backerboard first trick scares me lol you have a real talent thank you!

Loved the video, for option 2. Does it make sense to waterproof the second board? Will the integrity remain strong without waterproofing it? Or does it not matter because it was not the wall being hit primarily with water? :) loving the series!

Plastic or metal lath, can be used to buildup some thickness, it is similar to Kerdi method so it also adds structural rigidity.

What size V notch did you use for the kerdi band and Glass tile. Plus did you use whatever white thinset you had close by OR? I seem to have issues where I have the 1/4 inch plus space for the glass but once I apply the thinset on the wall I start getting too far out

The kerdiband technique works well, I tend to be faster if I just build a jig the fits the depth of the mosaic. Also need to waterproof the mosaic again after penetrated with the screws.

Kerdi mat! Of course! Hope this comment finds you well. You guys saved me!

Thanks for the tip Love your videos Can I use any mortar with the kerdi band? Thanks

Nice work ...myself and and a friend of mine just did this technic thought we were the first tho ..guess not ..

Will that work with Oceanside paper face mosaic glass ? I just wonder if the kerdi band orange will bleed through ?

Thank you

Looks good.

I installed my aluminum and glass waterfall tile without anything behind it. I guess I can live with the 1/4 inch difference in depth between it and the surrounding tiles. I will just grout all around the edges. In the future though, I would like to try this technique. It would greatly help by not having to spend time cleaning the mortar our between the tiles.

Привет,коллега!Отличная работа!

nice work

Thx!

Thank you for sharing your tip. Learned a lot !!

Hi, Great video. If my tile and mosaic glass tile are same thickness 1/4" can I just use the same 1/2 trowel and both will essentially be the same level right? My tile is 12x24 so I'm using a 1/2" trowel.

very nice ! thank you .........

I am going to look up the suggestion you made but did not demonstrate of letting a shallow coat go first My mosaic is 6 bands of glass rectangles so it it shorter than my rubber backed float, I will use it upright from the top to bottom and try to not push the mosaic as deeply at the flat tile above and below when I set it. fingers crossed.

What do you use to get that perfect spacing for the mosaic?

That lippage looked like a lot more than 4mil of the kerdi strip . Does the strip just give you ability to cake on thinset on its back to make up for the thickness ? I'm using this trick for my project now just so I can align my floor to ceiling mosaic up before putting it on wall. Woo. This seems like it'll help great. The thickness does not vary from surrounding tile , aside from different trowels sizes for mosaic and 12x24. With the kerdi band attached does that mean I can stick to 1/2 trowel for mosaic too ?

I always used a very thin 6 inch wall tile 6mm thick put it on first and then the mosaic on top and that made nice and flush with the thicker wall tile

Do a video on using metal/cast stone tile trims (Nichetile) with the mosaic borders.

Good video, great tip with the mosaic backing. Not sure if we have anything like that in UK as I've not come across it !

When answering a couple people who asked about what thinset you used (and some not sticking) you answered non mod, then in another you answered modified...So which is it?

You got Jack Black to narrate!? That's Awesome!!

Question... How do you process the corners when you are using ditra membrane? And this membrane is on every surface in shower or? Make video about membranes, especially of corners. Great canal and work also! 👍

I started using this methos about 5 years ago but I like I use Ditra install on the wall backwards and then comb my motar onto that and set my tile to that. I used the Kerdi method but Ive found some of my tiles fell off when carrying so now Imainly use the ditra on the wall.

Did flopping the membrane crack the thinset at all? Thx

How did you keep the tiles above from sliding down?

I have an aqua defense waterproofing layer on durock and would like to use this method for a vertical waterfall band. Aqua defense calls for modified mortar but kerdi band calls for unmodified. Which would you recommend (A) between the aqua defense and kerdi band and (B) between tile and kerdi? Thanks. Great video.

Silicone mosaics to a strip of 3mm marine ply. The silicone acts as an added waterproof protection, Did mine years ago and no problems!

I tried the first method, followed it exactly. It doesn’t seem to have bonded well. I’m afraid to install it. The good news is the mosaic now has a thin layer of mortar on the back, enough to stop it from squeezing through. I think I’m gonna pull off the kerdi.

😉 yeap! Tricks of the game.

How do you start that row above your mosaic without puncturing your kerdi membrane? Also do you ever have any trouble with your sheets peeling apart after going through the wet saw? Awesome tip though with the Kerdi membrane, it's is a pain cleaning thinset out of mosaic tile

What size trowel do you use to put that mosaic up on the wall

Fucking sweet trick bro I wish I would have seen this vid at the beginning of the day I literally just got done installing mosaics on a job ,, this is why I spend allot of time on utube

Excelent.

What if I just installed a mosaic and haven't grouted...any way to remove it to try this trick? Thinset has dried already...

Good video

Two questions: what if the “not in plane” situation is reversed? Say you are using thin subway tile (1/4 inch thick) and mosaic (at 3/8 inch or 7/16). What would your preferred method be (thicker mortar or differing backer board areas)? New scenario. Using sheets of schluter membrane, couldn’t you pre make large sections of subway tile (in the same way as you did your mosaic) for predictable tub surrounds (30-32 inch sidewalls) even if you had to hand cut back wall sides with straight edge and handheld circular dry/wet saw? That way you could do quicker installs. Just a thought (never tried it) Cary in and out on sheet of ply or foam.

I do something like that I also grout it also so its stiffer

Dang it, all your videos pop up after I made all the mistakes! Lol

What kind of adhesive did you use for A) Adhering the Kerdi together, and B) Attaching the mosaic to the Kerdi? Thanks. Looks like a technique I will use.

Thanks for the smart tips. Is the backboard waterresistant?

myself i cut a piece scrap wall tile to slightly wider than the area to be tiled notch both ends to appropriate depth load wall thinset then screed with tool i just made, i have cage fan to stiffen wall thinset check again make sure is consistent reapply fresh coat cement install mosaic why all this work, one i want nice two there is no undulation in the assembly three get to beat tile evenly so there is 100 percent coverage and finally no cleanup as cement is so consistent in depth similar to drypack also first layer helps hold vertical tile assembly by providing moisture migration then i remove special twined cord i use to space the tile this take away any residual thinset from bottom where meets wall tile this is oldschool. if i have handy i install on weidi 1/8 then float them on wall faster but not as near as satisfying because now i am just a robot. just sayin what i do because i do what is known as paper face fellas carry on, you and i know everyone is a tiler cheers

The trick I use float with cement using a t piece of wood I cut the same thickness of mosaic and install

Left over shluter detri for flooring would be good as a filler for those thin tiles. I would think. Havent tried it.

I'm from Brazil

Trouble is if you build out some corners due to poor/out of square walls the need thickness will change throughout the deco strip. I cut a jig out of scrap tile and use a non sag thinset to float the area. Perfect no matter how far the wall is built out. Imo! Tile on!

I put thinset where the design goes. Then use a piece of wood. Like a wooden ruler. Then cut it an inch longer than the design.. then use that ruler and cut it to the thickness you need and then next day you can install with a little bit of thinset and it works too

Hello, if you can please answer my question. What is the purpose of leaving the space in between tiles for the mosaic to go afterwards. Thank you for great vids