Every year the range of finishing materials is steadily expanding, and it becomes increasingly difficult for the buyer to make a choice in favor of one of them. Many of our readers are interested in mosaics - its types, installation technique, scope, etc. Today we will try to answer all these questions.
Mosaic in antiquity
If someone believes that this design element is a modern invention, then he is deeply mistaken. Mosaic art is very ancient and widely used by our ancestors. This in Ancient Russia (X century) was a way of decorating walls and floors in temples, cathedrals, churches.
Mosaic is an artwork made from small pieces of various materials - glass, stone, etc. How the term “mosaic” appeared has remained a mystery. There are many versions about this. One of them - the name is associated with the method of masonry, the other seems more believable. It is believed that this word was translated from Latin, and it means "dedicated to muses."
The earliest examples of the use of mosaics are panels related to the IV century BC. e., discovered in Mesopotamia.
Modern technologies
Any mosaic is drawing up a pattern from a large number of small parts from different materials. The old and often lost secrets of this art are now successfully replacing new industrial technologies and styling.
Today there are a great many companies specializing in creating mosaic compositions. Each of them offers its own plots and sketches. But if not one of them satisfied the desire of the customer, then he can place an order according to his sketch. It is important to know that the artistic expressiveness of mosaic panels is achieved not only by the complexity of the drawing, but also by the variety of materials that make it up.
Glass mosaic
Today it is probably the most common material. To be precise, we are talking about Venetian glass, from which heat-resistant, frost-resistant, impact-resistant and durable mosaic is made. This is a very popular material also due to its wide color gamut. To obtain this effect in the manufacture of glass, various elements are added to it - cadmium, selenium, boron and even semiprecious minerals (aventurine, mother of pearl).
Most often, the typesetting elements of glass mosaics (modules or chips) are made square. The finer these details, the more detailed will be the detail of the image and the more accurate the rendering.
Glass mosaic is a material that is successfully used for cladding floors and walls in any enclosed space - from bathrooms and pools to kitchens. In addition, it looks great in the design of fireplaces and furniture.
Smalt mosaic is also very popular. This is a type of glass material, but with the addition of potassium salts, rather than sodium, as in the first case. This allows you to get a very rich and lasting color, completely devoid of any white blotches.
This mosaic looks very worthy. Its chips are very smooth and pleasant to the touch. It has higher technical characteristics than inexpensive samples of glass mosaics. For example, abrasion resistance allows you to use it not only inside the building, but also outside.
Ceramic mosaic
In appearance, ceramic chips practically do not differ from tiles, except in size. They can be in the form of a square or rectangle. Colors and shades are quite diverse.
This type of mosaic can be traditionally glazed, or contain “special effects” - small cracks on the surface (craquelure), blotches of other colors, imitation of irregularities. Unglazed mosaic has a porous structure, which entails corresponding troubles.
Ceramic mosaic is ideal for decorating a wide variety of surfaces, both indoors and outdoors.
Stone mosaic
In the production of this type of mosaic, various types of stone are used, starting with inexpensive tuff and including rare breeds of jasper, onyx, and marble. The color of this material is unique, so each image from this material is unique.
When purchasing a mosaic made of natural stone, it must be borne in mind that this is a relatively soft material. It eliminates the use of abrasive cleaners, hard brushes. The exception is only agglomerates based on quartz.
Unconventional materials
These, first of all, include porcelain stoneware. It is very often used when creating interiors. This material is stronger than traditional ceramics, moreover, it is much cheaper.
Metron is a mosaic of pieces of colored glass and aventurine. It is used for the manufacture of countertops, window sills, baseboards.
Metal ceramics appeared recently. These are stamped caps having a height of not more than 4 mm from stainless steel sheet, 0.5 mm thick. They are fixed on a special rubber substrate, which creates the necessary rigidity.
Sheet mosaic
This is a mosaic of various materials, mounted on a substrate. Sheet mosaic has all the advantages of tile, but outwardly it looks different. It is fixed on a mesh basis, so it is easy to cut, which, in turn, makes it very easy to process the most inaccessible areas.
Diamond mosaic
This type of needlework comes from the East. Gradually, he began to win admirers around the world. And this is no accident, because the works created in this technique are a stylish and original decoration of the interior, a great gift for friends and relatives. So diamond mosaic - what is it?
In fact, this is an interesting material from which you can create truly original and beautiful decor elements. The diamond mosaic kit includes:
- circuit sheet, with symbols and an adhesive layer;
- acrylic rhinestones packed with various sachets;
- tweezers.
The work of creating a picture or a panel from a diamond mosaic is not difficult, but it requires perseverance and accuracy. It is enough to carefully spread the rhinestones on the adhesive base in rows or in a checkerboard pattern. In addition to the sparkling picture will be a wonderful decoration of the interior of your home, it will also please lovers of needlework creative process.