Mosaic Measurements and Material Calculations for
Glass Gem (nuggets):
Measure the dimensions of the surface you would like to mosaic and calculate the area using the formulas from elementary school:
RECTANGLE AREA = length x width
TRIANGLE AREA = 1/2 x width x height
CIRCLE AREA = 0.785 x diameter x diameter
Note: 1 square foot = 144 square inches. If your
calculation is in square inches, divide by 144 to get the answer in square feet.
Most
projects will only require 1 to 2 square feet.
1
square foot of 3/8" glass gems = 752 glass gems (nuggets)
1 square foot of
9/16" glass gems = 369 glass gems (nuggets)
1 square foot of
3/4 glass gems = 752 glass gems (nuggets)"
Step
1: Prepare the
Glass
Clean your clear glass. We found inexpensive Fish
Bowl Glass Vases at a local department store
Follow the instructions on the Armour Etch cream.
Treat all outside surfaces of your glass to create a
frosted glass surface. This will eliminate the need
for grout and make it easier to attach your glass
gems.
We also took all of the small round glass gems and
treated them with Armour Etch cream to give them a frosted
look. You could also accomplish this using a tumbler
or not etch them depending upon the look you desire.
Step
2:
Prepare the surface for Adhesive
Mix one part Weldbond glue with one part water. Coat the
the entire surface with the solution. Let dry overnight. This will provide a
surface that is easier to adhere your glass gems.
When
dry, draw with an erasable pen/pencil, your patterns out on the surface.
You may want it to be erased later so as not to show thru the glass
gems. (See above we drew a wavy line that matched up to the second
Glass Vase on the sides as we were planning on them being pushed
together and wanted a matching pattern to create the illusion of one
round vase).
Step 3:
Attach
Found Objects
Attached your larger objects or glass gems using either
Weldbond or E6000. Using your Painter tape (because it is
easy to remove with out leaving a glue residual) to hold
them in place since they are larger, heavier pieces..
Step
4:Glue the Mosaic Pieces
Glue the remaining glass gems to the glass surface.
You may find using Painter Tape in pieced applied to the
gems, particularly when on a curved surface, to hold them
in place while drying and allowing you to continue on with
gluing more glass gems. You can use Weldbond or E6000. After the design is complete allow the project to dry for 24 hours.
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