Garden Mosaics E-Book

Emma Biggs

• Herausgeber: Fox Chapel Publishing
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Seitenzahl: 146

Beschreibung

Create a colorful garden with tiles galore! A beginner-friendly guide, Garden Mosaics opens with insightful chapters on understanding the materials, tools, and techniques necessary to prepare and get started. Using ceramic, vitreous glass, marble, mirrors, or granite tiles, you'll move on to create 19 stunning mosaic garden projects that range from simple to elaborate, from one-of-a-kind pots, garden ornaments, and bird baths to stepping stones, garden tables, wall panels, and more! Each design contains step-by-step instructions and coordinating photography, as well as pattern templates. Authors and talented mosaicists Emma Biggs and Tessa Hunkin have written more than 5 books on mosaic art, design, and techniques.

Leseprobe

© 2009, 2020 by Emma Biggs, Tessa Hunkin, and Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552.

Garden Mosaics was first published in 2009 by New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. This version published in 2020 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. The patterns contained herein are copyrighted by the author. Readers may make copies of these patterns for personal use. The patterns themselves, however, are not to be duplicated for resale or distribution under any circumstances. Any such copying is a violation of copyright law.

For a printable PDF of the patterns used in this book, please contact Fox Chapel Publishing at [email protected], quoting the ISBN and title of this book, as well as the pattern or patterns required.

ISBN 978-1-4971-0074-9

Library of Congress Control Number:2019950523

To learn more about the other great books from Fox Chapel Publishing, or to find a retailer near you, call toll-free 800-457-9112 or visit us at www.FoxChapelPublishing.com.

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to [email protected].

Printed in Singapore

First printing

Because working with the materials mentioned herein for creating mosaics inherently includes the risk of injury and damage, this book cannot guarantee that creating the projects in this book is safe for everyone. For this reason, this book is sold without warranties or guarantees of any kind, expressed or implied, and the publisher and the author disclaim any liability for any injuries, losses, or damages caused in any way by the content of this book or the reader’s use of the tools needed to complete the projects presented here. The publisher and the author urge all readers to thoroughly review each project and to understand the use of all tools before beginning any project.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Materials

Tools

Techniques

PROJECTS

House Number

Tabletop

Simple Flowerpot

Terrazzo Table

Bird Bath

Circle Panel

Smalti Marble Wall Strip

Night and Day Roundel

Cast Slab

Flying Jay Wall Plaque

Seat

Runner Bean

Wall Panel

Horse and Ox under a Tree

China Plant Pot

Sphere

Cast Fossil Paver

Blue Cat

Slate Paver

Templates

INTRODUCTION

Mosaic is a fascinating and distinctive form of art and decoration. It has a long and glorious history that is still visible in the great mosaics of the Classical and Byzantine worlds, and their remarkable preservation is evidence of the durability and permanence of mosaic art. These same qualities make it an ideal technique for use in outdoor situations where other art forms, such as painting or ceramics, would quickly fade and crumble. This book aims to provide all the information necessary to make outdoor mosaics that will survive the challenges of the weather and add interest and delight to the garden. Mosaics can be used to decorate areas of paving and paths, or to add color to walls throughout the year, complementing the surrounding plants in summer and providing a visual focus during the dull, bare days of winter. Mosaic can also be used to great effect on three-dimensional objects, such as seats, pots, and sculptures.

The book is arranged around a series of step-by-step projects that offer a wide variety of applications and techniques. There are simple projects suitable for complete beginners, as well as more complex ones to inspire and stretch those with previous experience. The projects also illustrate a diverse range of design approaches, demonstrating how different mosaic materials can be arranged and combined to create both abstract effects and representational images. The initial design of a piece is very important and should aim to make the most of all the interesting and unique possibilities of mosaic – color, texture, laying, and grouting. The information and advice given in the projects on these subjects is also intended to help readers create successful designs for their own mosaic pieces. The different techniques described in the projects are clearly demonstrated with detailed advice about how to make a mosaic weatherproof and long lasting, and this technical information can also be applied to readers’ own designs. There is also a comprehensive chapter at the front of the book that brings together all the vital information on materials, tools, and techniques, providing an indispensable source of reference for all the practical aspects of making mosaics for the garden.

MATERIALS

Mosaic can be made of any material that comes in small pieces or that can be easily broken or cut, but garden mosaics must be able to withstand both the effects of water and extreme temperatures. Outdoor mosaics must therefore be made of hard materials such as stone, glass, and ceramic, which are impervious, frost proof, and do not expand greatly when hot. These materials are all available in small sizes, which makes them easy to cut, and if properly fixed will produce durable and hard-wearing surfaces.

Glass

Vitreous glass

This is one of the most readily available mosaic materials, and it offers a wide range of both subtle and bright colors. The tiles are of a uniform size of ¾ in. (2 cm) square by ¼ in. (4 mm) thick and are manufactured in molds that give a flat face and a ridged back to provide a key for the adhesive. They are generally opaque and colored uniformly throughout and are also supplied on square paper-faced sheets of 15 tiles. There is a range of colors called “gemme” that are shot through with a gold vein. Both ordinary and double-wheel tile nippers can be used for cutting, and care should always be taken when sweeping up the splinters, as they can be sharp.

Stained glass

Sheets of colored glass can be cut up to form mosaic pieces by cutting strips with a glass cutter and then nipping across with tile nippers. They will be thinner than vitreous glass, at 1/16 to 1/12 in. (1 to 2 mm) thick, and the appearance of translucent glass will be altered by the adhesive and backing material. It is therefore a particularly suitable material for translucent panels on glass backings and for sticking to mirrors using translucent adhesive.

Gold, silver, and mirror

Traditionally, gold and silver mosaics are made by laying metallic leaf over glass and then protecting the surface with a further layer of very thin glass. The backing glass is green and blue, and these reverse faces have a depth and shine that can also be used very effectively. Slightly cheaper metallic tiles are also available with a clear glass face and a protective coat of varnish on the back, but these are not so stable in outdoor conditions and may tarnish over time. Mirror tiles with plain and sandblasted finishes can also be used, although the silvering will not last forever in exterior locations and may be affected by chemical reaction with cement-based adhesives. All these tiles can be cut with nippers, although more accurate cuts may be achieved by scoring with a glass cutter first.

Smalti

This is enamelled glass made in a vast range of colors following a process developed in Roman times. A mixture of silica and potash or soda is heated with particular elements such as copper and lead according to special recipes that produce different colors. The mixture is poured out to form flat plates, like pizza bases, and cooled gradually. The plates are then usually cut up into ½ x ⅜ in. (1.5 x 1 cm) rectangles that have uneven surfaces on the front and back faces. The material is remarkable for the intensity of the colors, making it highly suitable for architectural work over large areas seen from a great distance. The irregularity of the surface, however, makes it impractical in areas that must be kept clean, and the laborintensive process of manufacture also makes it an expensive material to buy. Smalti can be cut with tile nippers, and the double-wheel nippers are particularly effective and reduce wastage.

Ceramic

Square unglazed ceramic &

These tiles are manufactured in two sizes: ¾ in. (2 cm) square (1) and 1 in. (2.5 cm) square (2) and are available in a range of muted, earthy tones. They are identical on back and front faces, making them ideal for working in the indirect method, and they also have crisp, square edges that lend themselves to cut-piece work. Tile nippers cut them easily, although paler colors may be more likely to shatter. They are available in random mixes of loose colors (3) or on paper-faced sheets. They can easily be soaked off the paper for cut-piece work or laid sheet by sheet for large plain areas. They are also available on mesh backing, but this is not recommended for external locations.

Circular unglazed ceramic

Made of the same material as the square tiles, these little circles of ¾ in. (2 cm) diameter add variety to the ceramic range. They are also the same thickness as both the square ceramics and the vitreous glass, so they can all be used together. Unfortunately the color range has dwindled recently and only two are currently available.

Broken china

This is an increasingly popular source of mosaic material and readily available from flea markets and charity shops. Newer china will be harder to cut, but it will be very durable and frost proof. Objects that cut easily are fired at a low temperature and vulnerable to frosts, which may cause their glazed surface to spall away. If you are uncertain about the durability of your materials, bring the finished piece indoors over winter or protect it from frost with horticultural fleece. China can be smashed with a hammer, and you should wear protective goggles and wrap the piece first in an old cloth so that fragments do not fly everywhere. More careful shaping can then be done with tile nippers.

Marble, stone, and pebbles

Marble rods

This is a convenient form in which to buy marble. The rods are saw cut from polished tiles and are available in a variety of widths. They can be cut down into cubes with tile nippers or using the hammer and hardie.

Sheeted stone

Some stone cubes are available in sheet form fixed to a mesh backing. They can be used for covering large areas or peeled individually off the mesh. Marble supplied on sheets will be as easy to cut with tile nippers as the loose cubes, but some colors will be much harder stones that are very difficult to cut by hand.

Pebbles

Pebbles can be easily collected from beaches and rivers or bought in selected colors such as white, black, and green. They are also available in a wide range of sizes, from ½ in. (1.5 cm) upward. The white pebbles are soft and can be cut but are not suitable for areas of heavy wear.

Slate

Slate can be found in garden centers in a range of beautiful colors, but it is difficult to cut.

Marble cubes

Marble tesserae can be cut to any size, although ⅝ in. (1.5 cm) cubes are easy to work with and therefore most often used. They are cut down from ⅜ in. (1 cm) thick polished marble tiles using a wet saw and have a polished face and a saw-cut face, either of which can be used. The polished face will have a high shine and a strong color with clear veins and markings. When used on floors, the grout joints between the small mosaic pieces will help to provide grip and prevent the surface from being too slippery. The unpolished face will be much less intense in color and may have slight diagonal markings from the saw blade. Tumbled cubes are also available, which have been passed through a tumbling machine to soften the edges and dull the polished face to create a muted effect, halfway between polished and unpolished. A similar effect is achieved by honing polished marble after it has been fixed. On large floors this is done with a machine, but small pieces can be rubbed down with wet and dry abrasive paper.

It is also possible to split the cubes, revealing a rough inner face with a crystalline surface. This is called riven marble and can be used on wall mosaics. The textured effect is very lively and can be combined with the sympathetically uneven surfaces of smalti.

Marble can be cut with tile nippers, and long-handled nippers give greater leverage. The hammer and hardie can also be used to cut saw-cut rods down into cubes and to split and shape them.

Backing materials and fixing surfaces

Timber

For exterior locations you must use an exterior-grade board that can be either MDF or plywood (1). Because timber is a material that expands and contracts according to temperature and humidity, a highly flexible adhesive such as BAL Flex, or similar, is required. To reduce the amount of movement large boards should be braced at the back with battens of timber treated with preservative and screwed across the diagonals. The back of all timber boards should be protected from moisture with several coats of exterior paint or varnish.

Sand and cement, screed, renders, and slabs &

These are ideal surfaces to fix outdoor mosaic to, either in the form of cast paving slabs (2) or as in-situ coverings for walls or floors. The surface should be as flat as possible, as any irregularities will be visible in the surface of the mosaic. The sand and cement mixes should be completely dry before fixing the mosaic to prevent salts coming up through the joints, and exterior-grade cement-based adhesives should be used. Paving slabs can be purchased either from garden centers or made in casting frames (3) that can be reused to create a series of slabs.

Tile-backer board

This product has a foam core with a thin cement-based facing on either side. It is designed for lining domestic showers and bathrooms but makes a useful lightweight backing for mosaics. It can be glued directly to a wall surface with cement-based adhesive, or a timber batten treated with preservative can be glued to the back to allow screw fixing D-rings and wire hangers. On the ground it must be fully supported on a cement or sand bed, as it has little strength and the applied loads must be transferred through to the ground below. The foam edge should be covered either with adhesive or a frame of either timber or metal angle, as it deteriorates when exposed to light.

Timber and aluminum framing angle &

As well as creating a neat finish, some kind of framing to a mosaic panel will help to protect the vulnerable edge pieces. Suitable materials for exterior use are hardwood and aluminum, and a range of angles in a wide variety of sizes can be bought at hardware stores or timber merchants. You can cut them to fit your panel with a hacksaw, using a miter block or following a 45 degree angle drawn on the surface. Frames to timber boards can be screwed in place from the back, using galvanized steel or brass screws that will not rust, but tile-backer board can only be framed by sticking the angle to the back with silicone glue.

Ceramic floor tiles

Floor tiles are fired at very high temperatures and can withstand outdoor conditions. They therefore make useful, relatively light backings for small mosaic panels. They can be used on the ground, set into other paving, or used as individual stepping stones, and can also be stuck to walls with tile adhesive if they are given some temporary support as the adhesive dries.

Terracotta and polystyrene

Terracotta can be used as a base for mosaics, but in very cold areas these pieces, along with ordinary flowerpots, should be protected from frost in winter. The surface should be primed with dilute PVA glue before using cementbased adhesive for sticking. Polystyrene provides a stable base for outdoor mosaic, but it is not very strong and would collapse if placed under any pressure or dropped. Again, it should be primed with dilute PVA before sticking down with cement-based adhesive.

Other surfaces

Any rigid surface designed for outdoor use can be covered in mosaic, but objects that bend, such as plastic furniture, are not suitable. The adhesive manufacturers should be consulted for specific requirements.

Adhesives and grouts

Cement-based adhesives

These are proprietary tiling adhesives based on traditional sand and cement but containing additives to improve adhesion and workability. Not all tiling adhesives are suitable for outdoor use, so check the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Ready-mixed products are available, but powder-based products that are mixed with water give greater flexibility in consistency for different applications and will last indefinitely.

Latex/cement adhesives

These are two-part proprietary products, such as BAL Flex, designed to give maximum flexibility and which combine a cement-based powder with a pure latex liquid. They are particularly suitable for bonding to timber bases that may suffer from expansion and warping due to changes in temperature and moisture content, especially in outdoor situations.

Epoxy

This is a two-part product that forms a genuinely waterproof setting bed. It is quite difficult to clean off the surface, particularly in mosaic where there are so many joints, and should be considered only when essential for reasons of hygiene or impermeability. It also creates a uniquely strong but flexible bond between a wide range of materials and may therefore be useful for exceptional repairs and restorations.

Cement-based grout

These are products that are a weak, sandy mix designed to fill the joints between the tiles while allowing some movement without cracking. Most are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, but always check individual manufacturer’s instructions. They are generally available in a limited range of colors, including white, gray, ivory, and black, but some manufacturers produce a full range of colors. Sometimes fine powder grouts are recommended for narrow joints, but they can be difficult to clean off and the coarser, wide joint grouts are easier to use.

Wood glue