Mark Mondloch on sun 8 feb 98
Hi,
I've been making some small tile tables and garden benches using cement
backer board over 3/4 inch plywood for backing. The tiles are glued on
with thin-set mortar and grouted. I want to try making solid mortar
slabs for the backing instead of the plywood and backer board. I was
wondering if anyone has tried this and if so what mortar mix would be
appropriate. I thought perhaps whatever is used for those small mosaic
outdoor table-tops in the gardening catalogs? Any comments appreciated.
Sylvia Mondloch, Wi.
mondfam@execpc.com
Jim Horvitz on mon 9 feb 98
If you want to make a solid concrete slab as a base for tile do not use
mortar. Mortar is a weak mix of sand and masonry cement that is designed to be
a weak bedding joint between brick or block. If you want a packaged material
use a blend of sand and Portland cement called Sand Mix or Topping. If your
base is to be over about 1 inch then Concrete mix should be used. The
materials are mixed with water. Use the least amount of water that will allow
you to work the mix (keeping it on the dry side gives maximum strength).Cure
the hardened material by keping it wet as long as possible (minimum one week).
Concrete gains strength only when wet and stops hardening as soon as it
dries. Using low water content and long cure reduces shrinkage and increases
strength. Jim Horvitz Rancho Mirage Ca.
Janet Price on mon 9 feb 98
Mark Mondloch said
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi,
> I've been making some small tile tables and garden benches using cement
> backer board over 3/4 inch plywood for backing. The tiles are glued on
> with thin-set mortar and grouted. I want to try making solid mortar
> slabs for the backing instead of the plywood and backer board. I was
> wondering if anyone has tried this and if so what mortar mix would be
> appropriate. I thought perhaps whatever is used for those small mosaic
> outdoor table-tops in the gardening catalogs? Any comments appreciated.
>
> Sylvia Mondloch, Wi.
> mondfam@execpc.com
>
>
Sylvia,
I can't help you with your problem. But, I have seen something that was
called "hypertuffa" I think that was a mix of cement and peat, looked
like cement, but was lighter weight. Always meant to try it. I have a
planter made of it. It's porous. I'm assuming you want to get away
from the wood because it weathers or something.
I make small thin porcelain tiles and have tried backing and framing
them without much success. The grout looks pasty and cracks. I think
that since the tiles are a bit uneven and I've allowed too much space
between that is part of the problem, but I'm not sure. I'd be
interested in the kind of grout you use.
Are you in the Milwauke area? I ask because your email address is
execpc.
--
Janet Price, Chief Information Officer
Carroll College, Waukesha WI 53186
jprice@carroll1.cc.edu or jprice@ccadmin.cc.edu
414-524-7120
Mark Mondloch on tue 10 feb 98
Hi Janet,
Thanks for the answer to my inquiry. I use sanded floor grout. You can get it
at building stores that sell tile and supplies for tiling. It comes in little
tubs (about a gallon?) and you mix it with water. My tile is made with a
coarse stoneware, are about 1/3 inch thick with grout lines about the same.
Wall grout might be more appropriate for thin porcelain. What did you use? I
had a small container of pre-mixed grout once- icky stuff, more like caulk.
Are you gluing the tile down first with either thin-set or mastic? on a solid
backing?
Do you remember where you saw 'hypertuffa' and what it's intended use was?
Sylvia Mondloch,
Random Lake, Wi(40m north of Milwaukee)
mondfam@execpc.com
Janet Price wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Mark Mondloch said
> >
> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > Hi,
> > I've been making some small tile tables and garden benches using cement
> > backer board over 3/4 inch plywood for backing. The tiles are glued on
> > with thin-set mortar and grouted. I want to try making solid mortar
> > slabs for the backing instead of the plywood and backer board. I was
> > wondering if anyone has tried this and if so what mortar mix would be
> > appropriate. I thought perhaps whatever is used for those small mosaic
> > outdoor table-tops in the gardening catalogs? Any comments appreciated.
> >
> > Sylvia Mondloch, Wi.
> > mondfam@execpc.com
> >
> >
> Sylvia,
>
> I can't help you with your problem. But, I have seen something that was
> called "hypertuffa" I think that was a mix of cement and peat, looked
> like cement, but was lighter weight. Always meant to try it. I have a
> planter made of it. It's porous. I'm assuming you want to get away
> from the wood because it weathers or something.
>
> I make small thin porcelain tiles and have tried backing and framing
> them without much success. The grout looks pasty and cracks. I think
> that since the tiles are a bit uneven and I've allowed too much space
> between that is part of the problem, but I'm not sure. I'd be
> interested in the kind of grout you use.
>
> Are you in the Milwauke area? I ask because your email address is
> execpc.
>
> --
> Janet Price, Chief Information Officer
> Carroll College, Waukesha WI 53186
> jprice@carroll1.cc.edu or jprice@ccadmin.cc.edu
> 414-524-7120
Carol Ratliff on tue 10 feb 98
In a message dated 98-02-09 09:28:55 EST, you write:
<< I make small thin porcelain tiles and have tried backing and framing
them without much success. The grout looks pasty and cracks. I think
that since the tiles are a bit uneven and I've allowed too much space
between that is part of the problem, but I'm not sure. I'd be
interested in the kind of grout you use.
>>
Janet,
Don't use grout - try using caulking, especially next to wood. It is
available in colors to match most grout colors.
carol ratliff
Robert Katz on thu 12 feb 98
I do mosaic work on terra cotta pots ( the grout is awful on my hands so
while I like the finished pieces, I don't do the work very often ) that is
another story . . . my point is : I use mastic to secure the pottery pieces
or tiles & fill in the spaces with grout & have not had problems. The
mastic is simply 'buttered' onto the back of the tile pieces & left to dry
24 hours prior to filling in between with the grout. FYI - the pieces all
all different sizes & thicknesses.
Vicki Katz
Katz Creek Pottery
Sugar Land, TX
At 12:58 PM 2/10/98 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>In a message dated 98-02-09 09:28:55 EST, you write:
>
><< I make small thin porcelain tiles and have tried backing and framing
> them without much success. The grout looks pasty and cracks. I think
> that since the tiles are a bit uneven and I've allowed too much space
> between that is part of the problem, but I'm not sure. I'd be
> interested in the kind of grout you use.
> >>
>Janet,
>Don't use grout - try using caulking, especially next to wood. It is
>available in colors to match most grout colors.
>carol ratliff
>
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