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All About Glue

Wondering what glue to use on your mosaic, it depends what you are working with! Different bases and techniques will require different adhesives. If you are working in the direct method (i.e. sticking directly to your base) you have a few choices:

When working on a wooden base, we suggest you use a PVA wood glue or Universal glue. Both are strong and simple to apply and work well with many of the tiles we stock.

If you are using Smalti and have decided not to grout, we suggest you use a cement based adhesive such as Keraquick (sometimes referred to as ‘thin-set’). This is also a superb adhesive to use for outdoor projects, especially heavy-duty mosaics such as pathways or water features.

Silicone glue is an excellent choice if working against gravity, holding the tiles in place and minimising slippage. It is also the adhesive of choice when fixing glass onto glass or other transparent bases due to its strength and clear appearance.

If you are using the indirect method to create your mosaic (i.e. gluing tiles upside down onto brown paper to install it later) we suggest using our water-soluble glue. This adhesive is strong enough to stick to the paper but easily diluted with warm water when your mosaics is installed, and the paper then needs to be removed.

 When using any of our adhesive products, remember to work in a well-ventilated space and use sparingly. Each tile needs enough adhesive to remain in place with adequate gaps for the application of grout if using, in your mosaic.

For our full range of adhesives please click here.