The craft project I just finished is a tile mosaic table top. It was something I’d wanted to do for a long time and finally had the opportunity when this particular table was given to me by a cousin. The green color scheme on the table didn’t work with anything else we had so I decided to try my hand at doing the tile work.
I browsed through the idea books that I could find at the library and got the basic tips I needed to make my ideas workable. Here is the list of equipment that you will need for this project.
MATERIALS NEEDED
Table or other flat surface
Sharpie marker
Design idea
Wall tiles in your choice of colors
Hammer
Newspapers
Mastic (tile adhesive)
Grout mix kit in your choice of color
Rubber grouting trowel
Tile nippers
First give the surface you will be covering a good cleaning and allow to dry completely. Take your marker and draw the design you want to make. Since this was my first project, I chose to go with only two colors and a bold/large design. For this design, I took a small salad plate upside down on the table and drew around it in four places. I then took the marker and drew wavy lines going from edge to edge to make it look like loops of ribbon.
The tile will need to be broken and that is why you must choose the thinner wall tiles versus the thicker floor tiles. I was surprised by the lack of color choices available at my local Lowe’s and Home Depot stores, just the white, black and cream/natural colors were carried. I already had the blue tiles as we removed them from the counter backsplash in the kitchen during a recent remodel project in there. The amount of tiles you will need will be determined by the size of the surface you plan to cover. Since most tiles measure 4” x 4”, you can take a measurement of your table and see about how many would cover it if you left them intact. You may end up with a few more than you need, but that’s better than not enough. Begin by laying the tile in-between several layers of newspapers then smack with a hammer a few times to get it broken then dump them into a box that is large enough to easily sort through the pieces. Use one box for each color tile.
Start with the main design by merely laying the tiles on the table until you like the way they fit together. Leave small gaps between the tiles for the grout, then adhere these pieces first using the mastic and some sort of spatula; I used a large popsicle/craft stick. After you get the main part done, start with the remaining ones. I started with the tiles in the middle of the circles then worked around them like I was outlining them. After you are happy with so many, adhere them with mastic and keep working with the rest. After doing the outline then I started around the edge of the table. Once all the tile was used that had been broken with the hammer you’ll need to use the tile nippers to get the pieces in just the right size and shape to fill in all the little gaps.
Let all this dry for about 24 hours or whatever it says on the mastic container. Look over the tile and make sure no mastic is sticking up over the tiles and not mastic is smeared on the tops of any. It’s easy to clean up and easier when it is totally dry. Mix up the grout according to the manufactures directions, the kit should come with everything you need except for the rubber trowel. I actually forgot to buy that trowel and used the fake credit cards that come in the junk mail and they worked wonderfully and just tossed when finished. Do this in a well ventilated place, and wear the gloves that come in the kit. Also, since the tile is now in smaller pieces, plan on using about 3 times the amount of grout the container says you will need for a wall the same size. After you’ve applied the grout, let set for 20 to 30 minutes then using the kit’s sponge, and a bucket of water mixed with a splash of vinegar, use some elbow grease and get the grout off the top of the tiles before it dries hard as cement.
That’s it, you now have a finished mosaic tile table top that you did yourself! | 
Thursday, May 15, 2008 - Beautiful