How to overwrite a mosaic: features, methods and recommendations

The purpose of the article is to tell the reader how to grout the mosaic. This facing material is appreciated for its practicality and beauty. Mosaic finish bathrooms, kitchens, corridors and other rooms. However, the originality and integrity of the composition depends on the grout.

Hue, technical properties and application quality are indicators that determine the type of coating. Sewing can be done on your own, because you do not need special skills to do this job. However, the slightest deviation from the technique will spoil the surface, so first you need to study the information that is given in the article in order to get a high-quality decorative coating.

Grout: features

A characteristic feature of the mosaic is a large number of spaces, so they will have to be filled with a special composition. If this is not done, the coating will quickly become unusable. As you know, overwriting a mosaic is necessary for the following reasons:

1. To protect the wall and flooring in a room with a high level of humidity (for example, in the shower) from the negative effects of moisture. If you do not fill the seams of the mosaic, over time, mold or fungus will form in them. In addition, dirt will constantly accumulate in the joints.
2. To mask irregularities, seams, glue residue, chips and other defects.
3. For decorating the surface.

The durability of the mosaic coating depends on the quality of the grouting.

Requirements

Before wiping the mosaic, you need to study the basic requirements for mixtures:

1. Grout should not crumble and crumble after application. Therefore, it is recommended to use only high-quality material and observe the proportions specified by the manufacturer when mixing the composition.
2. The finished mixture must be in such a condition that during the course of grouting on the wall does not form leaks. However, an overly thick solution should not be made, as it will be difficult to apply to the surface. Modern mixes retain elasticity even after solidification, so the seams will not be damaged when the tiles are displaced.
3. Joints of a mosaic should be protected from bacteria and pollution. Therefore, you need to buy a mixture for grouting with high water-repellent qualities. This is especially important if you need to sheathe walls or floors in the bathroom.

Choosing a placeholder, it is necessary to take into account the following parameters:

• humidity level in the room;
• aggressiveness of the environment (the presence of acids and alkalis);
• joint width;
• color and size of the mosaic.

Trowellings are of two main types: cement and epoxy. They have features that should be considered in more detail.

Cement based grout

This material lends itself to mechanical and chemical effects, and also does not tolerate moisture well. However, dried seams can be treated with special impregnation (for example, Atlas Delfin) or polymer varnish to provide additional protection. In addition, the mixture must be kneaded on a latex basis, using a plasticizer, to entrain its hydrophobic qualities.

Cement grouts are sold in the form of a dry powder. As a rule, pure cement compositions are used to fill joints, the width of which does not exceed 5 mm. The advantages of this material include the following qualities:

• low cost (minimum price for 2 kg - 112 rubles);
• ease of application;
• plastic;
• the presence in some compositions of sand, increasing the strength of the mixture.

However, before grouting the mosaic tile, it is necessary to study the disadvantages of the cement-based grout mix:

• Low moisture resistance.
• Porosity, due to which dirt will constantly accumulate in the seams.
• The presence of small grains of sand, so the mirror mosaic cannot be overwritten with this composition.

According to the advice of masters, a stabilizer should be added to the solution to increase adhesion, water absorption, abrasion resistance, etc.

Epoxy grout

Compared to a cement-based mixture, such a composition for filling joints has a high price (the average cost for 2 kg is 2000 rubles). This type of grout will not fade over time, since the role of the dye is played by colored quartz sand, which is also a filler. The epoxy mixture has the following advantages:

• durability;
• high moisture resistance;
• resistance to UV rays;
• immunity to dust, water and chemicals;
• good wear resistance;
• no additional processing and addition of a plasticizer to the solution is required;
• large selection of colors.

However, the applied solution dries after 25-30 minutes. Therefore, before wiping the mosaic with epoxy grout, you need to prepare a special cleaner with which you can quickly remove traces of the mixture. In addition, masters recommend kneading the solution in small portions. If, however, the epoxy grout dries, you will have to use a gel-remover to remove it from the surface of the mosaic. But even taking into account these difficulties, the mixture is considered a priority material for filling the seams.

If the question arises of how to wipe the mirror mosaic, the answer is: for these purposes, you need to use a special epoxy mixture - Kerapoxy Design, available on the market in 32 different colors.

Grout consumption

The following factors influence this indicator:

1. The size of the mosaic. The surface lined with tiles, the dimensions of which are 30 x 30 cm, there will be more seams per 1 m ² than the coating sheathed with a wider and longer material. The same applies to the thickness of the mosaic: the higher this parameter, the deeper the gaps between the tiles. Grout should be applied so that it fills all the voids.
2. The width of the seams is an indicator that directly depends on the parameters of the tile. A small mosaic looks better framed by narrow joints. In turn, for large tiles, you can leave seams equal to about 3 mm.
3. The density of the composition. As a rule, this parameter is 1.5–2 kg / dm ³ .

Grout consumption should be indicated on the packaging of the material. In addition, much depends on the skills of the craftsman performing the work. The more experienced the master, the less material he will need for grouting.

Color selection

If you choose a grout with a suitable shade, you can eliminate the roughness. However, one should not forget about the properties of the mosaic: facing material with a glass or mirror coating requires careful handling. In this case, the ideal choice is transparent epoxy grout. In addition, after drying, the mixture may become slightly lighter or, conversely, darker. If the reader is interested in what color to wipe the mosaic, to solve this issue, you need to focus on the following recommendations:

1. The light coating merges completely with the hardened mixture, due to which the lined surface will appear to be monolithic. This method is ideal for hiding defective areas.
2. A grout that has a dark shade is useful in the case when you need to perform zoning of the room (for example, in combined bathrooms).
3. If it is necessary to wipe the seams of the floor mosaic, for this purpose it is customary to use a brown mixture.
4. The use of bright colors is appropriate only in combination with the design of the room.

Before wiping the mosaic, you must select its color, taking into account the above recommendations. This nuance needs to be thought out in advance, because the appearance of the room will deteriorate due to an unsuccessful shade.

How to grout mosaic tile joints: essential tools

It is necessary to prepare the following devices:

• a small container for diluting the solution (for example, a plastic bucket);
• manual spray gun;
• cellulose sponge and foam sponge;
• rubber spatula (recommended width - 150 mm);
• electric drill with mixer nozzle.

The last tool will not be needed if you need to breed a small amount of the mixture. It is perfectly replaced by a trowel.

Application Process: Instruction

Work can be started after 24 hours from the time of laying the tiles. This time is enough for the glue on which the facing material was fixed to completely solidify. You should not neglect this requirement, otherwise moisture will destroy the mixture with which the joints are filled. The masters came up with the best method for overwriting the seams on the mosaic:

1. There should be no tile adhesive left on the wall, so the surface must be treated with an acid cleaner.
2. Wipe the mosaic with a sponge or terry towel.
3. Knead the solution according to the instructions on the packaging.
4. Wipe the seams with the finished mixture, moving obliquely from top to bottom. The main thing is to immediately fill all the seams.
5. Remove excess mortar with a rubber spatula.
6. After some time (as a rule, the drying time of the mixture is 30 minutes), wash the tile. To complete this stage, you need to wipe the mosaic with a cellulose sponge to remove excess solution.
7. Wait a few days. At this time, the coating must be protected from drafts, moisture, UV rays and temperature extremes.
8. Wipe the surface with a foam grater.

In order to avoid cracks, in the course of work, you need to moisten the seams with water using a spray gun.

Recommendations

To properly wipe the seams, you need to consider the following tips:

1. Rinse the mosaic several times.
2. If it is not possible to choose the right shade, white grout is a mixture that combines with almost any mosaic.
3. The area processed at a time should not exceed 2 m ² .
4. Before wiping the mosaic, you need to experiment with its application in an inconspicuous area.
5. During the work, the tile may move out. To correct it, you need to move the edge of the mosaic with a spatula. The main thing is that the mixture does not have time to harden, otherwise the material will have to be dismantled and laid again.
6. It is recommended to overwrite the seams of the glass mosaic with a colorless solution, since it will not stand out. Thus, the coating will gain integrity.
7. Epoxy grouts are easier to clean if the surface is pretreated with a protective film.

How to care for seams: tips

The surface must be periodically cleaned of dust and other contaminants. It is necessary to remember: clean seams are the guarantee that harmful bacteria will not multiply on the coating. It is necessary to clean several times a month. For this purpose, use soapy water, vinegar, citric acid or household disinfectants.

You can bleach the surface with peroxide and soda, and disinfect with bleach. Seams can be washed with a toothbrush, and dirt can be removed and microbes destroyed with a steam cleaner. If the light seams have darkened, then a fungus has formed on them. In this case, you need to clean the old layer and treat the coating with an antiseptic, and then apply a new solution.

Conclusion

The article described the best option for overwriting the mosaic. Correctly performing work, as a result of which the seams should be filled, is a difficult task. The main thing is to choose a suitable mixture and regularly clean the surface. Taking into account the information given in the article, everyone will be able to manually wipe the seams of the mosaic so that it not only decorates the interior, but also improves the performance of the surface.