Mosaic Adhesives, Grouts & Additives

Adhesives

Selecting the right adhesive will have a big impact on your finished mosaic piece. Using the right glue will ensure its life .

We have listed a few glues that we find beneficial to mosaic which we have used. If you have other brands always read the label to make sure it is right for your project.

PVA (Use for wood, MDF, Plywood, Fibre cement board) Note - PVA can be watered down to make an excellent and inexpensive sealer for sealing wood and terracotta surfaces prior to starting your mosaicing i.e. 3 parts water 1 part glue.

Cement Based Adhesive (Terracotta Pots, Fibre Cement Board, Pavers)

Silicone Glue (Suitable for gluing onto glass)

Weldbond is a good versatile glue which does glue to most surfaces, however i would recommend if using Weldbond on exterior projects preferable on fibre cement sheeting or exterior ply is to ensure you seal your item you are mosaicing and also i would add in a grout additive to protect your grout Weldbond is weatherproof not waterproof so i would avoid this for submerged items eg: bird baths

Grouts and Additives

Grout is a cement based mixture available in a variety of colours, this is basically the cream on the cake this will finish and complement your mosaic.

You can use a grout additive to waterproof your grout, this requires mixing even amounts of additive and water to your grout.

I find this extra great protection for outdoor projects. Davco glass additive is fantastic available at Bunnings. Also if mixed straight with grout and not water it is a fantastic glue for Pots etc.

Choosing the colours is the most daunting process which I can find myself mulling over for hours. I seem to always sway to black for more intense look however white is a starker look and grey is just safe. Do experiment, I find it is good to look through mosaic books and pick out a picture that is similar colours to the piece you are about to grout.

Then see what looks best, otherwise let your imagination run wild … pick a funky colour … Hey you always learn with each piece you do

I would only suggest this wild attitude of colour on a smaller piece until you are comfortable with putting your colours together, this comes with time. The more you mosaic, the more you become freer with your grout choices.