Mosaic making process. Technology for making mosaic tiles (mosaics) at home. The use of tiles in contemporary art

Manufacturing tiled mosaic can be carried out using various materials. In industrial production, glass and ceramics are most often used for these purposes. IN last years the technology for the production of plastic mosaics has arisen and is actively developing. Production of mosaic tiles plastic bottles one of the new directions that have appeared in our days. The main advantage of this type of tile is environmental friendliness.

Mosaic types

Glass and ceramics, as well as products made from them, are distinguished by significant durability.

Each of the materials has its own advantages and disadvantages:

• Glass is beautiful and quite simple (on an industrial scale). The disadvantages include high weight and low strength;
• Ceramics is also aesthetically pleasing. The disadvantages are the same as those of glass, only the strength is higher, but still low. In addition, many buyers are not satisfied with the cost, sometimes simply sky-high;
• Plastic is beautiful, environmentally friendly. The material is light and cheap. It is possible to establish the manufacture of mosaic tiles at home.

Glass and ceramics, as well as products made from them, are distinguished by considerable durability. The joke of archeology students: “Ancient people were only engaged in breaking dishes” is based on the fact that the main archaeological artifacts are fragments of ceramic dishes. Glass and especially ceramics cannot be completely recycled and recycled.

Modern environmentalists are constantly fighting plastic, despite the fact that, unlike other materials, it has the advantage that some types of its processing are available to anyone and do not require special costs. But if the process of recycling plastic bottles, although useful for nature, is not always accessible to an ordinary small entrepreneur, then the production of certain types of plastics at home is quite within the reach of everyone.

Tile making

Mosaic can be made of glass or acrylic resin

With the appearance on the wide market of some components that make it possible to produce plastics in artisanal conditions, amateurs appeared who could make simple plastic products right in your kitchen. IN last days the production of mosaic tiles from available materials sold in any store household chemicals. Equipment for the production of mosaic tiles is not high-tech and science-intensive. The process does not require special skills, special education and energy consumption. The main thing is that the manufacturing technology of mosaic tiles is not violated.

Raw material

For the production of plastic tiles based on, for example, acrylic resins, the following ingredients are used:

• Acrylic resin is one of the main elements of future tiles. Consists of two components component A (resin) and B (hardener);
• Filler main element. Depending on the desired strength and density, it is possible to use sand, stone chips (for this, marble or granite processing waste is used) or fine gravel as a filler;
• Dyes are used inorganic pigments based on iron oxide, chemical compounds of titanium, lead, zinc and chromium. It is selected depending on the desired color of the finished product.

Equipment

Glass Mosaic Making Machine

Actually, there is no equipment, in the usual sense of the word. Machine tools and blast furnaces are not used in production. Here you will not see conveyors and cranes. Production room more like a laboratory. All that is needed for such production is:

• Mosaic tile molds depending on the requirements for future products, use glass containers of appropriate shapes and sizes;
• Scales to obtain high-quality products requires strict observance of the proportions of the components;
• Capacities for a dosage of storage of components. For this, glass containers with a volume scale printed on their walls are suitable;
• Hand tools preferably plastic or glass spatulas, spoons, tubes for moving and mixing the components.

Process

Acrylic resin mosaic kiln

The production itself does not require long-term preparation and the use of additional equipment. The whole process consists in preparatory operations, consisting in the dosage of components - filler, resin, dyes, as well as their mixing in the right proportions. In this case, the prepared resin is poured into a container with a filler. Forms are filled with the resulting mixture. This procedure is performed at room temperature, with which the finished tile also dries. After that, the tile is removed from the molds, processed to obtain a finished look.

Technological methods for the manufacture of mosaic tiles may differ from those described in the case of the use of other materials. For the production of large volumes of products, there is more sophisticated equipment that allows you to mechanize and automate the process.

Mosaic

Mosaic is a great way to show your artistic features.

Making a mosaic of tiles consists in gluing the finished tile onto wooden board according to a predetermined pattern. For this, cleaned and dried wooden surface apply an adhesive composition based on PVA. In the case of installation of mosaics indoors with high humidity or outdoors, more moisture resistant adhesives can be used.

Mosaic is a great way to show your artistic features. Recently, for some people, a hobby is increasingly developing into a profession that brings a good income. Some remembered that they can draw, others took up modeling or embroidery. The production of mosaics in our time of global instability can also become a major source of wealth, especially if you have talent and hard work.

The editor of the site received a letter from a reader in which he talks about the deception of people looking for work.

Maria Kurtukova

“Creating and assembling mosaics at home. Income up to 25 thousand rubles per month. Phone: 62−26−85.

Called this number. The answering machine replied - when and where the meeting with those wishing to engage in this business will take place. I attended this meeting with a representative of the company "Mosaic Studio", called himself Dmitry. About 30 people came to the meeting. Dmitry spoke about the mosaic manufacturing technology, about future income, showed product samples. At the end of the meeting, he said that those who are interested in the proposal should bring 3,000 rubles each (for training, a package of documents and materials for one mosaic) and conclude an agreement.

Within two hours, those who conclude a contract will be trained in making mosaics. Arriving home, I climbed into the Internet and found one in one scam "Epoxy mosaic - prepare money, gullible people!", Only the amount is slightly less.

The journalists of the site decided to go to a meeting with businessman Dmitry.

The phone number listed in the ad is registered with a recruitment agency. According to the Landmark search engine, number 62−26−85 belongs to the Razvitie recruitment agency, which is located at Builders, 22, office 315, 316. By the way, it is in this building, in office 316, that the Mosaic Studio is located. .

In the corridor of the building at 22 Stroiteley, near office 316, 25 people were waiting for a meeting with a potential employer.

A man who introduced himself as Dmitry began to tell how we can earn from 13 to 25 thousand rubles a month. It was proposed to organize the production of mosaic tiles for interior decoration (bathrooms, for example) at home.

Dmitry introduced himself as "a representative of an entrepreneur from Perm, who has been working on the market since 1997 and one of his business lines is the production of mosaic tiles." Mosaic samples could be found right there: they hung on the walls of the office.

Dmitry assured that by creating a "small production at home", it is possible to make tiles better than Chinese ones, and cheaper than Italian ones. According to him, people who have taken up this work will have to do arts and crafts at home.

When the introductory lecture ended, the correspondents of the site asked him questions, but Dmitry did not answer any of them. For example, we asked him about what is indicated in the contract, what to do if the tile came out defective, where and to whom it is sold? Dmitry said that he would answer at the second meeting, which will take place only after payment for this very meeting. Actually, the second meeting is a two-hour course on the production of courses worth 3,000 rubles. Then we asked where to pay this money, how they will be issued. Dmitry said that the money should be brought to the next lesson and given to him personally.

Before deciding whether or not it is possible to make and lay a mosaic on your own, you should understand: what is it all about - mosaic surface finishing, where does the technology come from and what does it consist of?

Table of contents:

What is known about the mosaic?

Mosaic, as a kind of decoration art, has been known to man since antiquity. From the time of Ancient Sumer to the present day, mosaicists - masters and amateurs - create highly artistic compositions, and from a variety of materials.

In general, creating a mosaic and laying it are two different things. The first involves several operations at once:

• creating a foundation;
• soil overlay;
• selection of components and mixing of the binder;
• template development;
• as well as the manufacture of mosaic elements from the selected material.

As for styling, we are only talking about creating a composition from a complete set purchased from a store. This is done by amateurs and professional finishers, not even endowed with artistic talent. A finished plot is cheaper than a custom-made work of a master. But if you want something really original in the interior, you can create a mosaic work with your own hands. If you do everything strictly according to the instructions and carefully, as well as show imagination, it will turn out really beautiful and original.

What is a mosaic?

Mosaic is a durable type-setting pattern, which is made up of solid small elements and fixed to the surface with the help of a hardening binder. Due to the lack of hardness, works in patchwork, quilling and kanzashi techniques, made of paper, thread, film, ribbons, etc., cannot be considered mosaics. All these are only applications, but which can also be used in interior design.

Mosaic, unlike stained glass, inlays and intarsia, does not carry a semantic load in each of its elements. This, to express modern language, "pixel art". Each of its fragments is just a piece of a certain shape and color. Looking at it separately, it is impossible to say which part of which pattern or pattern it is.

Mosaic also differs from metal "prefabricated" technologies - filigree, granulation and filigree. Its parts are made exclusively from non-metallic materials.

A bit of history

Indeed, the ancient Sumerians were the first to show their mosaic patterns to the world. They laid out ornaments from fired clay pyramids on an unfired clay base.

Their initiative was intercepted by the ancient Greeks: they invented smalt - a dense and viscous glass that could be chipped in a frozen form without cracking. From its fragments, the Greeks laid out their mosaics, sintering multi-colored fragments around the perimeter and in layers along the thickness.

As for the name, the Romans gave it to the mosaic, having adopted the art of folding fragments from their Greek neighbors. It was they who gave the glass masterpieces the name “opus musivum”, which means “a work dedicated to all the muses at once”.

Further, Byzantium took over the baton for the development of mosaic art. Its craftsmen made a significant addition to the layout technique: the background and large images began to be decorated with intersecting arcs. At the same time, the drawing lost its “pixelation”, if viewed from a certain distance, and became similar to an ordinary, only more voluminous and “live” picture.

In the Renaissance, mosaics were again actively engaged in Italy. And the masters of this country have achieved the highest results in its manufacture. In Florence, a new laying technique was invented, thanks to which the mosaic images gained perspective. And here a unique binder was developed that holds the details of the mosaic incredibly tightly.

During the Rococo period, the mosaic was "Frenchized". And it was the French who began to lay out panels of shells, beads (porcelain, faience), beads, using the “reverse laying” technique, in which the elements were first placed on waxed paper and only then transferred to the prepared base. The works "a la france" turned out to be soft, precise, with tints of halftones. In this technique, it was possible to mosaic curvilinear and / or small surfaces.

In Islamic countries, the masters laying the mosaic could not depict something alive in their works (as well as artists working in other techniques), but they brought the mosaic ornament to perfection and began to use new materials to create it: ceramics (tile), egg shells, etc.

As for the “Russian mosaic”, it is inextricably linked with the name of the great scientist M.V. Lomonosov (although many experts are sure of the existence of an ancient Russian mosaic destroyed during the Mongol-Tatar yoke). Mikhail Vasilyevich was not only a brilliant scientist, but also an outstanding artist. He was seriously interested in mosaics: he developed new technologies for smelting smalt, founded a mosaic manufactory.

Modernity

Currently, mosaicists are actively using the developments of antiquity. However, they bring a lot of new things to the technique of creating "pixel" canvases. This applies to new materials (ceramic granite, for example), their processing, the creation of adhesives (silicone and PVA, as well as original adhesives are increasingly replacing the traditional base on chicken egg) and fixing. Mosaics today are becoming repairable. Moreover, they can be disassembled and reassembled in a new place.

As for the artistic side of the issue, the most popular are:

• cubism (as if created for a mosaic);
• pointillism;
• impressionism, etc.

Mosaic laying

You still have to lay the mosaic - whether it is a store or created by yourself. And there are several technologies (some more labor-intensive, others less) that allow you to transfer a drawing or pattern from small parts on the prepared surface:

1. Straight. Here the elements are laid out in virtually the same way as ceramic tiles - face up. On the floor in this way, the mosaic is placed directly without preparation - just on the base applied to the cleaned surface. And for placement on the wall, the mosaic image is first laid out horizontally on a grid of fiberglass (only with glue), and then transferred to a prepared place. Grouting in both cases occurs only after the entire panel is where it should be.
   If you perform a direct mosaic of glass and ceramics, then as Supplies only mortar or glue, as well as grout, are required. If the mosaic is laid out in the bathroom or in the kitchen, in conditions of high humidity and vaporization, the adhesive composition must be taken on a silicone basis. The surface prepared for laying must be absolutely even, degreased, free from rubber residues, rust, cement laitance, and slightly rough. To do this, it is additionally processed by sandblasting. As finishing before laying the mosaic, a deep penetration primer is used, choosing compositions for stone or concrete.
   As for the grout, with direct laying it is taken without sand in the composition, so as not to scratch the mosaic fragments, especially if they are made of mirror, glass or pieces of porcelain. After use, grout marks are removed without pressure with a soft, damp cloth - flannel, calico or felt.
2. Reverse. On curved surfaces small size mosaic art panels are most often laid in the reverse way. And this requires a template that is a future mosaic pattern, but in a mirror image.
   Beginning mosaicists who undertake backwork should first scan the selected pattern or take a photograph of it. Then output to the desired size and break into pieces (A4), and then print the result in color. All this will greatly facilitate the work.
   Fragment sheets are laid out on a dry surface to reduce contours and glued with ordinary clerical glue. Further, the reverse side of the resulting image is finished with a self-adhesive film - up with the adhesive side. When laying mosaic elements (face down, strictly according to the pattern, with pressure), the protection from the film should be removed gradually, since the base quickly loses its sticky properties in air.
   You can also lay out the design in reverse order on plastic film, followed by coating it with egg white. It will be cheaper, but the method will require a steady hand and an accurate eye. Therefore, only experienced craftsmen work in this way.
   When the composition is completely dry (silicone dries for 3 days, an old egg solution - up to 20), the self-adhesive is carefully removed, and sticky residues are removed with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or a nitro-lacquer solvent. If the mosaic was assembled on a paste or egg white, the paper is soaked, and then its remnants are washed off with a sponge.

Self-made mosaic

The process of making a mosaic begins with the selection of elements for it. Most often, they take squares from 1 x 1 cm to 5 x 5 cm. They prepare pieces for the future, in a set, laying them out according to colors or fragments of a drawing, a pattern, so as not to be distracted while working on the image.

“Pixels” for the future mosaic are pricked (like smalt), and not “bitten” with side cutters, pincers, etc. Or you can even buy a multi-colored fight tiles in a construction company or a store - they will give it there very cheaply, or even just like that. And on the zakolnik of these pieces, you can quickly and easily make the necessary details.

For those who have chosen source material porcelain stoneware, easier. This one is just great! Therefore, it is better for novice masters to choose it for their work. For those who work with the stalk, you can give some practical advice:

1. First you need to chip off a particle with a straight edge from the wrong piece. Next, you need to set the mobile stop to the selected size in order to chop the strips of the same width. And already these strips "crumble" into pieces.
2. Never strike against the point of the wedge. Only with a shift to the stop (approximately half the thickness of the material).
3. If a glass mosaic is divided on the stave, the refraction in this material should be taken into account. Otherwise, the glass will crack and crumble, but not break.
4. The point of the wedge should be really sharp, without promin. Otherwise, the pieces will not work.
5. To make a wedge, you can use a file or fragments of a guillotine shears blade with a victorious solder.

Mosaic binder

Antique mosaic panels were laid out on a very strong binder. Many masters use it to this day, since the original recipe has come down to modern times:

1 part lime dough + 1/3 parts of greasy clay + 3 parts of quarry or clean mountain (white) sand, washed and calcined + 6 pcs (per bucket of solution) beaten eggs with shells.

The sand is sown through a sieve, and after adding the eggs, the solution is kneaded until homogeneous (shell fragments should not be visible at all - it is it that serves as an indicator of the homogeneity of the composition).

Eggs in such a mixture did not rot in antiquity, and do not rot now. They, interacting with clay silicates, only form a strong waterproof impregnation, and lime does not allow putrefactive bacteria to develop.

Lime-clay mortar, mixed with an egg, gains full strength a few years after its use in mosaics. And its reliability has been tested for centuries. However, in order not to transfer the eggs, cement-based tile adhesive can be used. It, of course, has not yet been tested for centuries, but the outdoor mosaics collected on it have been kept for decades.

Glass mosaic should be laid out on a cement-free adhesive. If the panel is assembled inside the building, PVA is perfect for glass and stone. Ethylene vinyl acetate adhesive (EVA) has been successfully used for exterior work. And when you need to put a mosaic in high humidity conditions (kitchen, bathroom, bathroom, etc.), there is nothing better than building silicone adhesive (glue for aquariums is also suitable, but it is very expensive).

Mosaic panels made of beads or small plastic fragments are laid out on PVA or nitro glue - "Moment", mounting, 88th.

Mosaic of shells

If you want to feel like a real mosaicist, you should not immediately take on complex materials. It is better to show imagination on something simple, affordable. For example, use shells, and if the result inspires you, move on.

Shell panels are experiencing a real fashion boom today. Moreover, a drawing or a pattern of them is easily assembled on almost any adhesive base, whether it is PVA or silicone.

The shells of venerupis and venus, as well as balls, scallops, peas, freshwater zebra mussels, are perfect as a material. As for the technique, in the case of mollusk shells, bulk and typesetting methods are actively used. Both there and there it is possible to include fragments made of purified sea or river sand, as well as shells crushed into small crumbs.

Mosaic tool

You will need a special tool, most of which, unfortunately, you cannot buy in the store - you will have to do it yourself, since the Internet is full of instructions on how to make it. So, you will need:

• "Amber" jigsaw (miniature, the handle of which is held with two fingers), easily bent from an ordinary bicycle knitting needle;
• emphasis with a neat notch;
• "claw";
• "fungus" etc.

Material

As for the preparation of the material, the shells for the typesetting mosaic should be sorted by size and color. Somewhere to tint, if necessary.

The sand must be boiled several times (a glass or two at a time, no more) until the water under it becomes almost transparent. Then it will need to be calcined in the oven and sieved several times through sieves with different meshes in order to be divided into fractions.

Sinks are cleaned in different ways. Large and dark - periostracum with hydrochloric acid, using a soft brush and a mother-of-pearl scraper. Once the cleaning process is completed, the treated shells are placed in a solution baking soda(2 tsp per 1 liter). And then soak them for several hours, periodically changing the water.

Small shells are cleaned by soaking in a solution of vinegar (an acid diluted by half with water), and then, if no tinting is required, the acid is neutralized with alkali and the material is washed running water a lot.

Toning is carried out using aniline dyes.

It is much easier to prepare material for bulk shell mosaics. Here you don’t have to sort anything, it will be enough to sort the shells by shades (and even then approximately). And crush more or less finely. And then just sprinkle the crumbs with a layer of fresh glue, evenly distributing and correcting the resulting pattern with your fingers. The final version of individual fragments of the panel is pressed down with special planks.

As for the adhesive composition, it is better to use silicone, quick-drying, under the crumb.

eggshell mosaic

Mosaic from eggshell It is called very beautifully - "crackle". It looks dignified, giving any interior subtlety, sophistication. And the material for it is prepared as follows:

1. First, you need to soak the collected shells in a solution of baking soda (2-3 days) to soften the organics.
2. After that, the remains of the protein are carefully removed with a brush (but the inner film does not need to be touched).
3. The shell is then dyed with food coloring. Easter eggs in the right colors.
4. At the very end, multi-colored fragments of the shell are thoroughly dried.

The technique of "egg" mosaic is not too complicated, but it will require painstaking execution.

First you need to prepare the base - grease a sheet of paper or plastic tracing paper thickly and evenly with PVA, and then hold for 3 to 15 minutes until gelatinization (viscous tack).

Ready-made shells are laid out on the base with bulges up, at intervals - it is necessary to achieve the appearance of a certain pattern, pattern. After the finished picture is pressed down with a special board, so that the shell is flattened, crushed into smaller fragments. Then the board is removed, and the image is smoothed out with a special wooden stick. Then tissue paper soaked in flour paste is applied to the panel and left to dry completely.

After drying, the paper must be soaked and removed with a damp sponge along with the remnants of the paste. Next, the picture must be properly dried - for several days (3-4, no less). And you can proceed to the final processing of the panel - the creation of craquelure, that is, beautiful "old" small cracks. To do this, use ink, consisting of shellac and bile.

Ink will have to be dripped onto the dried image from a pipette, then wait a few minutes and remove the remnants of the coloring composition with a damp sponge. Bile allows the carcass to scatter along cracks in the shell, and shellac polymerizes it there, giving strength to the panel. It turns out very beautiful.

At the end, it remains only to polish the finished picture with coated paper, without pressure.

Something special

Many would like to create something special with their own hands. And mosaic too.

The materials for making mosaics are very diverse; mosaics are made of glass, smalt, stone, porcelain stoneware, ceramic tiles and even metal.

1. Glass mosaic.
One of the oldest finishing materials is glass mosaic. In ancient times, only the wealthiest representatives of society could afford this material; they decorated their palaces, temples, and fountains with picturesque panels from pieces of colored glass.

Glass mosaic is an alloy of siliceous sand and other components with the addition of coloring oxides. As a result of the remelting of quartz sand, feldspar, soda with metal oxides at a temperature of 1400°C - 1600°C, a homogeneous mass is obtained, which is molded by injection molding at a temperature of 1000°C.

The manufacturing technology of glass mosaic is such that it becomes much stronger than glass, although chemical composition absolutely the same. This happens for two reasons: the first is that after pouring the glass mass into molds, it is subjected to high-temperature firing up to 800ºС, the second reason is the minimum module size is 2 * 2 cm. To avoid cracks caused by thermal stresses, the molded mosaic is annealed in the so-called tunnel kilns, where it is cooled to room temperature, moving at a constant speed along the conveyor.

Glass mosaics have a wide range of applications: they are walls and floors in any enclosed space: from kitchens to swimming pools and bathrooms, as well as furniture surfaces, fireplaces, building facades. Wealth color palette offers great opportunities for creating decorative panels, patterns and ornaments.

Now, due to cheaper production, glass is the most affordable facing material from all types of mosaics.

It is glass that has the largest number of advantages over other materials:

• high strength;
• chemical resistance - unaffected by chemicals and many of the inorganic and organic acids found in most detergents;
• zero water absorption, so this mosaic can be used in rooms with any humidity and pool bowls;
• water resistance;
• resistance to temperature extremes (from +15ºС to +145 ºС), which allows the use of mosaics for facing the fireplace from the outside (but not from the inside, where the temperature can be much higher);
• excellent heat resistance;
• frost resistance (the ability to withstand at least 100 cycles of transition from sub-zero temperatures (-30 ºС) to positive temperatures without loss of quality), therefore, the mosaic is suitable for facing outdoor freezing pools in which water is left for the winter, and external walls, this property is most associated with the absence of pores in the material, therefore the glass mosaic is more frost-resistant;
• resistance to ultraviolet radiation - the colors of the product do not fade under prolonged exposure to sunlight. If a mosaic fragment has become unusable, you can quietly repair it with new modules.

Due to the fact that the mosaic, as a rule, is used in wet rooms, the coefficient of friction, which is characterized by slip resistance, plays an important role among its characteristics. This means that a person will be able to stay on a plane inclined less than 10° to the horizontal. Which is quite enough to keep your feet barefoot in the locker room in front of the pool or in the bathroom. In addition, tile joints create additional friction. The length of the foot of an adult (about 25 cm) has a minimum of 10 stitches in the case of using a two-centimeter mosaic. Thus, if it is necessary to lay out the shower tray with ordinary glass mosaic, it will turn out to be non-slip.

The main advantages of glass mosaics include a wide selection of colors and an unlimited number of combinations.

Glass mosaic can be divided into:

• homogeneous glass;
• smalted;
• with additives (aventurine, iridium).

1.1. Homogeneous glass mosaic.

Homogeneous glass mosaic refers to uniform colored glass without streaks. Mosaic from such material can be glossy - shiny and perfectly reflecting light, with a natural luster and matte, similar to bottle glass ennobled by the sea.

1.2. Mosaic from smalt.

Smalt is a colored artificial glass made using special smelting technologies with the addition of metal oxides.

Smalt is formed as a result of pressing small particles of densely colored glass with the addition of oxides and sintering at a temperature of 700-800°C during the day. The ratio of quartz and dyes - not less than 30% -70%. Smalt mosaic differs from ordinary glass mosaic in its special strength.

The composition of smalt includes potassium salts and other natural compounds that give the material color. The smalted mosaic is distinguished by the effect of internal glow and heterogeneity, the so-called man-made, it is difficult to find two identical fragments on one sheet. Each smalt cube is slightly different from the other in shade - because of this, a large surface lined with smalt of the same color does not look dull. Modern technologies allow you to get up to 10 thousand shades of smalt. Smalt mosaic is easy to recognize by rich color, even the lightest tones do not have white inclusions.

The production of smalted mosaic is quite laborious (long production cycle), and therefore it costs an order of magnitude more expensive than glass.

In addition to appearance, smalt differs from glass in technical specifications. It has inherent abrasion resistance, making it suitable for installation in high stress areas. It is excellent for flooring in areas with heavy traffic: stairs and landings, halls and corridors. Smalt is waterproof, frost and heat resistant, resistant to many aggressive environments and scratches. Therefore, smalt is equally good for walls and floors, for bathrooms, pools and living rooms.

Smalt is an attribute of expensive interiors, royal palaces and famous cathedrals. Mosaic panels, reproductions of paintings and even “carpets” are made from it. Such works are typed by hand, which explains the rather high price of smalt mosaics.

1.3. Mosaic with additives (aventurine, iridium).

Aventurine is a semi-precious stone with shimmering point inclusions, which got its modern name from the Italian word aventurine - a lucky break.

Aventurine is added to a homogeneous glass mass, which is then molded. The resulting mosaic differs from the matte color depth and colorful streaks with a mysterious shimmer. In fact, ornamental aventurine is a mineral, fine-grained quartz SiO2, which differs due to the presence of copper in a reddish, even red-brown color with a shimmering sheen. The process of producing a mosaic with aventurine is very complicated and even with the strictest observance of all conditions sometimes does not bring the desired result, it is in the manufacture of this mosaic that the percentage of rejection is very high - 30%, this explains its rather high price.

The ingredients for creating aventurine are placed in large tanks, which are kept in furnaces for five days until the raw materials are completely melted. At the right time, copper oxide is added to the mass and fired for another 12 hours, then the furnaces are turned off, and the raw material remains there for 10 days until it cools completely and hardens. If everything went well, ready-made aventurine in the form of a hardened resin is ground into powder, manually mixed into the glass mass and melted. The finished composition is poured into molds.

Iridium is a silvery-white metal, is extremely rare in nature and belongs to the noble metals in the same way as gold and platinum.

Iridium, which in Greek means "rainbow", got its name due to the various colors of its salts. This color can still be compared with the “mother-of-pearl effect”, the difference lies in the fact that mother-of-pearl gives a glow of a certain range, for example, blue-green or rose-gold, and iridium plays with all the colors of the rainbow at the same time and at different angles it seems different shades.

Mosaic with iridium has a standard glass mosaic thickness of 4 mm, so it can be easily combined with ordinary glass mosaic, but it is not recommended to use two or more colors in the same color scheme for cladding one room.

Some manufacturers produce collections with a "mother-of-pearl effect" - color overflows on a smooth surface. Mother-of-pearl is also added to a homogeneous glass mass.

In the production of such an iridescent mosaic, cadmium and selenium are used, which are also valuable minerals and have good performance characteristics. For example, cadmium is resistant to alkali, so the mosaic can be washed with detergents without compromising its gloss.

In the manufacture of mosaics, glass, cadmium and selenium are melted at high temperature, resulting in the most durable mosaic with unusual decorative properties. But, it is worth noting that it is not recommended to use such a mosaic for finishing outdoor stairs or commercial premises with high traffic.

Separately, it is worth saying a few words about the mirror mosaic. In terms of its qualities, it is very close to glass, but is most often used to decorate walls. On the floor, mostly small areas are faced with mirror mosaic, it is used as a decorative element.

2. Ceramic mosaic.

Ceramic mosaic is made from pieces of ceramic tiles. different shade huge colors, which allows you to create almost any drawings.

Ceramic material for mosaic tiles is obtained from a mixture containing kaolin or clay.

Also, various additives in the form of chamotte, quartz flour and flux are added to this mixture, which accelerate the sintering of water-insoluble materials.

Thus, ceramic mosaic is an environmentally friendly and safe material. The surface of the mosaic is coated with glaze, which can result in both a smooth (polished) surface and a matte (rough) surface, which may contain all kinds of “special effects” - craquelures (small cracks on the surface), stains, blotches of a different color, imitation of an uneven surface.

The surface laid out with such mosaics will be more embossed than those finished with glass mosaics.

Mosaic can have many shapes: square, rectangle, circle, pebble. Such a variety of forms allows designers to embody any, even the most unusual and bold, idea in the interior.

Ceramic mosaic is stronger than glass, which is combined with resistance to abrasive wear and an original appearance. Ceramic mosaic is suitable for facing the most different surfaces, including swimming pools, building facades, walls and floors of bathrooms and kitchens.

Ceramic mosaic has a number of advantages:-

• This is a high strength material. Properly laid mosaic panel, has a tensile strength at a concentrated load, exceeding the capabilities of reinforced concrete or cement by 20 times.
• High fire resistance and fire resistance. Ceramic mosaic does not burn and protects the lined surface from fire. In addition, when heated, it does not emit harmful substances. All this makes her suitable material for lining stoves and fireplaces.
• Water resistance. This property of ceramic mosaic allows it to be used in rooms with high humidity or with constant contact with water.
• Wear resistance. Therefore, ceramic mosaic is used for facing floors and stairs.
• Ceramic mosaic does not fade in the sun.
• Resistant to aggressive environments, chemicals.
• It is known that microbes cannot exist on a ceramic mosaic for a long time.

Ceramic mosaic goes well with many other decoration materials. Looks especially great with porcelain stoneware and ceramic tiles. A panel of ceramic mosaics will give great view any room.

3. Stone mosaic.

Stone mosaics are made from a wide variety of stone types, ranging from onyx, jasper, tuff, amethyst, lapis lazuli to slate, travertine, serpentine, malachite, etc.

The color of natural material is unique, the play of structures is unusual, therefore each mosaic image of a stone mosaic is unique. The stone can be left polished, polished, or “aged” - then the color will be more muted and the edges smoother. Elements are produced different shapes- from round to irregular.

This is an almost ideal material for finishing the facades of houses, interiors of offices, shops, bars, restaurants. The natural origin of the stone, durability, beauty, variety of forms, also allow it to be extremely widely used in landscaping (they make paths, platforms, retaining walls, curbs, garden benches). Often used sea, river, lake pebbles, as well as various boulders.

Natural stone is always exclusive, as it has the energy of nature. Natural stone used in the decoration of walls and floors, the manufacture of fireplaces, columns, countertops, frames for mirrors, vases, candlesticks, ornaments and sculptures, window sills, cornices, skirting boards, railings, coffee tables, bar counters. An excellent addition to the interior can serve as a picturesque mosaic of natural stone, embodying plot paintings, landscapes or still lifes.

4. Mosaic of marble.

Marble (lat. marmor, from the Greek. marmaros - a shiny stone, stone block) - a crystalline rock formed as a result of recrystallization of limestone or dolomite.

Marble almost always contains impurities of other minerals, as well as organic compounds. Impurities affect the quality of marble in different ways, reducing or increasing its decorative effect. The color of marble also depends on impurities. Most colored marbles are variegated. The pattern is determined not only by the structure of the marble, but also by the direction in which the stone is sawn. The color and pattern of marble appear after it is polished.

Marble mosaic can serve as a interior decoration rooms - floors, walls - creating a unique cosiness with smooth play of warm tones of polished stone and emphasizing the refined taste of the owner better than any other interior details, as well as for finishing external walls, creating unique facade structures and brightly highlighting a house or office from a series of gray everyday life. The use of marble mosaic always gives the interior a touch of stability, constancy, solidity. A wide range of color shades of marble allows you to create a variety of compositions based on the selection of materials similar in color and tone.

5. Mosaic made of artificial stone.

Artificial stone is a unique material based on acrylic resins, made from environmentally friendly materials.

Its coloring imitates the original structure of natural minerals. Artificial stone is a reliable material that is protected from temperature extremes, moisture and ultraviolet radiation. Mosaic made of acrylic stone is a rhythmic pattern, which at the same time resembles the surface of a stone box, and a colored stained-glass window, and a complex woven pattern, as if woven from many patches. During production, particles of natural minerals are added to the artificial stone, due to which such materials have a truly unique structure, which is original for each element of the mosaic. Products made of such acrylic stone, in the depths of which solar modulations play, retain excellent appearance for many years.

6. Metal mosaic.

Metal mosaic can be steel or golden, depending on the metal used in the production.

The manufacturing technology of such a mosaic varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Most often, not clay tiles are used as a substrate, but rubber plates up to 4 mm thick. A metal steel layer is attached to them from above. Due to the elastic rubber backing, metal mosaic elements are more flexible than those made of ceramic or glass, which significantly expands the range of applications for such a mosaic for facing surfaces of complex shapes.

In addition to standard, square, elements of a different shape with different textured surfaces are offered. Oval, hexagonal, rectangular, diamond-shaped and square elements allow you to lay out an intricate carpet on the wall or on the floor.

The surface is made polished, matte, with notches of various types and, finally, covered with a thin layer of brass or bronze. For decorating bathrooms, showers and pools, a special series of metal mosaics is produced, which uses stainless steel. To give the surface of the elements of a metal mosaic of various shades, bronze or brass is applied to it, however, such a mosaic is not recommended to be placed on the floor, as it is highly susceptible to abrasion.

7. Mosaic of precious metals.

Golden mosaic is an indisputable sign of luxury.

It consists of 585 gold foil enclosed between thin plates of special glass. There are collections with yellow, white gold or platinum. Production is completely manual. The golden mosaic is made in a handicraft way using the most ancient technology. Production begins with the traditional blowing of very thin transparent glass vessels (0.2-1 mm thick). The large "bubble" thus obtained is called soffione. This glass is cut into squares about 10*10 cm in size. Such golden mosaic plates are called "cartelline". A metal sheet of yellow or white gold is placed on a thin plate of the cartelline gold mosaic. A sheet is a thin foil obtained by beating metal by hand. A hot mass of thicker glass is poured onto a thin plate with foil. Thus, both glass layers are tightly connected and form a golden "pancake". After that, the golden "pancakes" are sent to the kiln for hardening.

A thin piece of glass can be colored, a thick plate of gold mosaic can be green, blue or transparent (crystal base). The surface of the gold mosaic can be smooth or corrugated.

Cutting into cubes of gold mosaic is carried out manually. Obviously, the price of such material is considerable. Therefore, most often the golden mosaic is used individually, making inserts.

Gold mosaic can be used for both walls and floors.

It is an alloy of siliceous sand and other components with additives of coloring oxides. As a result of the remelting of quartz sand, feldspar, soda with metal oxides at a temperature of 1400°C - 1600°C, a homogeneous mass is obtained, which is molded by injection molding at a temperature of 1000°C. The manufacturing technology of glass mosaic is such that it becomes much stronger than glass, although the chemical composition is exactly the same. This happens for two reasons:

1. after pouring the glass mass into molds, it is subjected to high-temperature firing up to 800ºС,
2. the minimum module size is 2x2 cm.

To avoid cracks caused by thermal stresses, the molded mosaic is fired in the so-called tunnel kilns, where it is cooled to room temperature, moving along the conveyor at a constant speed.

Glass mosaic has a wide range of applications: walls and floors in kitchens, swimming pools, bathrooms, as well as furniture surfaces, fireplaces, building facades. The richness of the color palette provides ample opportunities for creating decorative panels, patterns and ornaments.

Now glass is the most affordable facing material of all types of mosaics. It is glass that has the largest number of advantages over other materials:

• high strength;
• chemical resistance - resistant to chemicals and many inorganic and organic acids found in most detergents;
• zero water absorption, so this mosaic can be used in rooms with any humidity and pool bowls;
• excellent heat resistance, resistance to temperature extremes (from +15ºС to +145 ºС), which allows the use of mosaics for facing the fireplace from the outside (but not from the inside, where the temperature can be much higher);
• frost resistance (the ability to withstand at least 100 cycles of transition from sub-zero temperatures (-30 ºС) to positive temperatures without loss of quality), therefore, the mosaic is suitable for facing outdoor freezing pools in which water is left for the winter, and external walls;
• resistance to ultraviolet radiation - the colors of the product do not fade under prolonged exposure to light.
• low slip. This means that a person will be able to hold on even on a wet inclined plane lined with mosaics.
• a choice of 3000 colors and an unlimited number of their combinations.

ceramic mosaic

Ceramic mosaic is made from pieces of ceramic tiles of different shades of a huge range of colors, which allows you to create almost any pattern. Ceramic material for mosaic tiles is obtained from a mixture containing kaolin or clay. Also, various additives in the form of chamotte, quartz flour and flux are added to this mixture, which accelerate the sintering of water-insoluble materials. Thus, ceramic mosaic is an environmentally friendly and safe material. The surface of the mosaic is coated with glaze, which can result in both a smooth (polished) surface and a matte (rough) surface, which may contain all kinds of “special effects” - craquelures (small cracks on the surface), stains, blotches of a different color, imitation of an uneven surface.

The surface lined with ceramic mosaics will be more embossed than those finished with glass. Mosaic elements can have many shapes: square, rectangle, circle, pebble shape. Such a variety of forms allows designers to embody any, even the most unusual and bold idea in the interior.

Ceramic mosaic is stronger than glass, which is combined with resistance to abrasive wear and an original appearance. It is suitable for cladding various surfaces, including swimming pools, building facades, walls and floors of bathrooms, kitchens.

Ceramic mosaic has a number of advantages:

• This is a high strength material. A properly laid mosaic panel can withstand a weight that will be 20 times more than concrete or cement can withstand.
• High fire resistance and fire resistance. Ceramic mosaic does not burn and protects the lined surface from fire. In addition, when heated, it does not emit harmful substances. All this makes it a suitable material for lining stoves and fireplaces.
• Water resistance. This property of ceramic mosaic allows it to be used in rooms with high humidity or constant contact with water.
• Wear resistance. Therefore, ceramic mosaic is used for facing floors and stairs.
• Ceramic mosaic does not fade in the sun.
• Resistant to aggressive environments, chemicals.
• It is known that microbes cannot exist on a ceramic mosaic for a long time.

Ceramic mosaic goes well with many other decoration materials. Looks especially good with porcelain stoneware and ceramic tiles. A ceramic mosaic panel will give a magnificent look to any room.

stone mosaic

Stone mosaics are made from a wide variety of stone types, ranging from onyx, jasper, tuff, amethyst, lapis lazuli to slate, travertine, serpentine, malachite, etc. The color of natural material is unique, the play of structures is unusual, so each mosaic image is unique. The stone can be left polished, polished, or it can be “aged” - then the color will be more muted and the edges smoother.

Elements of very different shapes are produced - from round to irregular. This is an almost ideal material for finishing the facades of houses, interiors of offices, shops, bars, restaurants. The natural origin of stone, durability, beauty, variety of forms - allow it to be extremely widely used in landscape design (paths, platforms, retaining walls, curbs, garden benches are made). Often used sea, river, lake pebbles, as well as various boulders.

Natural stone is always exclusive, as it has the energy of nature. Natural stone is used in the decoration of walls and floors, the manufacture of fireplaces, columns, countertops, mirror frames, vases, candlesticks, ornaments and sculptures, window sills, cornices, skirting boards, railings, coffee tables, bar counters. An excellent addition to the interior can be a picturesque mosaic made of natural stone, embodying story paintings, landscapes or still lifes.

marble mosaic

Marble is a crystalline rock formed as a result of recrystallization of limestone or dolomite. The color and pattern of marble depend on the combination of rocks and the direction of sawing the stone.

Marble mosaic can be used for interior decoration of the floor and walls in the room. It will help to create a unique coziness with smooth overflows of warm tones of polished stone and, better than any other interior details, it will emphasize the refined taste of the owner. Or it can be used to decorate exterior walls, creating unique façade designs that will help make your home or office stand out from a series of gray buildings. The use of marble mosaic always gives the interior a touch of stability, constancy, solidity. A wide range of color shades of marble allows you to create a variety of compositions based on the selection of materials similar in color and tone.

Mosaic made of artificial stone

Artificial stone is a unique material based on acrylic resins, made from environmentally friendly materials. Its coloring imitates the original structure of natural minerals. Artificial stone is a reliable material that is protected from temperature extremes, moisture and ultraviolet radiation. Mosaic made of acrylic stone is a rhythmic pattern, which at the same time resembles the surface of a stone box, and a colored stained-glass window, and a complex woven pattern, as if woven from many patches. During production, particles of natural minerals are added to the artificial stone, due to which such materials have a truly unique structure, which is original for each element of the mosaic. Products made of such acrylic stone, in the depths of which solar modulations play, retain an excellent appearance for many years.

metal mosaic

Metal mosaic can be steel or golden color, depending on the metal used in the production. The manufacturing technology of such a mosaic varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Most often, not clay tiles are used as a substrate, but rubber plates up to 4 mm thick. A metal steel layer is attached to them from above. Due to the elastic rubber backing, metal mosaic elements are more flexible than those made of ceramic or glass, which significantly expands the range of applications for such a mosaic for facing surfaces of complex shapes. In addition to standard, square, elements of a different shape with different textured surfaces are offered. Oval, hexagonal, rectangular, diamond-shaped and square elements allow you to lay out an intricate carpet on the wall or on the floor.

The surface is made polished, matte, with notches of various types and, finally, covered with a thin layer of brass or bronze. For decorating bathrooms, showers and pools, a special series of metal mosaics is produced, which uses stainless steel. To give the surface of the elements of a metal mosaic of various shades, bronze or brass is applied to it, however, such a mosaic is not recommended to be placed on the floor, as it is highly susceptible to abrasion.

Mosaic of precious metals

Golden mosaic is an indisputable sign of luxury. It consists of 585 gold foil, enclosed between thin plates of special glass. There are collections with yellow, white gold or platinum.

Production is completely manual. The golden mosaic is made in a handicraft way using the most ancient technology. Production begins with the traditional blowing of very thin transparent glass vessels (0.2-1 mm thick). The large "bubble" thus obtained is called soffione. This glass is cut into squares about 10x10 cm in size. Such golden mosaic plates are called "cartelline". A metal sheet of yellow or white gold is placed on a thin plate of the cartelline gold mosaic. A sheet is a thin foil obtained by beating metal by hand. A hot mass of thicker glass is poured onto a thin plate with foil. Thus, both glass layers are tightly connected and form a golden "pancake". After that, the golden "pancakes" are sent to the kiln for hardening.

A thin piece of glass can be colored, a thick plate of gold mosaic can be green, blue or transparent (crystal base). Cutting into cubes of gold mosaic is carried out manually. Obviously, the price of such material is considerable. Therefore, most often the golden mosaic is used individually, making inserts. Gold mosaic can be used for both walls and floors.