glass tile inlay

[JoeC]

I am setting a 16" durango shower, butt joints (3/8" thick stone), and doing some stripes of glass mosaic tile(5/8"s) The glass tile is very thin, and on netting( I'm soooo glad it is not face mounted!!!!) So I am trying to think of a way to pre-mount the glass tile rather than float in some mud or thinset to make up the diference in thickness. I was thinking of using 1/4" hardibacker cut in strips and setting the mosiac with Full-flex thinset on the HB first. What do you guys think? I hate little glass tiles!!!, but it has to be very clean to please my customers! The accent stripes are going 4 rows of tile and then higher up 6 rows of 5/8" tiles in between the Durango. JoeC

[RexModeling]

hi joe , how i usually do it is , i try to find so scrap pieces of tile preferable thiner than 3/8 , i cut them to the size of the border and i just glue the glass to the tile with some multipurpsose thinset , for floors or walls where i have room i just use scrap pieces of 12 x 12 travertine.

[Shaughnn]

Hello Joe,
I've got a similar installation I'm currently working on and here's the solution I've chosen.
Set walls with 3/8" stone, using scraps cut down to the width of the glass band (w/ joints) to space the field tile. Then I plan to use strips of Custom's "Easymat" bed in thinset to build up the channel for the glass before the mosaic is installed. The glass is an Oceanside Glasstile product and is 1/4" thinner than the field tile. It's also a face-mounted mosaic instead of your mesh-mounted but I think the technique would still work.
By doing it this way, I figure I can set all of my walls without obstruction, using my level to bridge the channels. I can then use a beating block to compress the mosaic onto plane with the stone after the stone's secure.
Best of luck,
Shaughnn

[JoeC]

Shaun and Rex, thanks for the replies. I use the same method of cutting the scrap tiles for spacers, that is done now. But next the glass! Thanks again, Joe

[Mountain Tile]

In the past I have cut strips of 1/4" hardi and glued and screwed them in place where the glass stripe will go.

[smokingtable]

Joe,

I've used quite a bit of colored glass and mirror inlays in my mosaics. I'll usually cut the top glass (that you'll see), flip it over and epoxy small squares of regular pane glass. Usually gives about 1/16 - 1/32 under the plane of tile when installed. Keeps any sharp edges out of harms way, and wear and tear away from the glass.

Jerimiah