【 Knowledge Sharing】Mosaic Laying Process Flow & Precautions

一、Mosaic Laying Process Flow

1. Preparation

Prepare materials: Choose special adhesive (e.g., alkali-resistant adhesive for glass mosaics) and matching grout based on mosaic material (glass, ceramic, stone, etc.); tools include a small notched trowel (tooth depth 3-5mm), level, small rubber mallet, masking tape, small grout trowel, and sponge. Check mosaics in advance: For mesh-backed mosaics, ensure the mesh is intact; layout according to the laying area size, avoiding overly small pieces at corners (minimum piece size ≥ 1/3 of a full piece is recommended). 

2.Base Layer Treatment： 

Clean the base layer: Remove dust, oil stains, and hollow areas from walls/floors; fill cracks in the base layer with repair mortar if any; the flatness error of the base layer must be ≤ 2mm (mosaics have small pieces, requiring higher flatness), and level uneven areas with cement mortar; spray water to moisten walls before laying (for stone mosaics, an interface agent must be brushed on the base layer to improve adhesion). 

3.Snap Line Positioning

Use a chalk line to snap horizontal and vertical lines, marking the laying reference lines (one control line every 1m is recommended); mark the mosaic laying direction (e.g., horizontal/vertical) on the base layer according to the layout drawing, and lay full-mesh mosaics first at door/window openings to ensure visual symmetry. 

4.Adhesive Application

Mix the adhesive: Add water and mix according to the instruction manual until it is smooth paste without particles, let it stand for 5-10 minutes, then mix again (to improve viscosity); use a small notched trowel to evenly apply the adhesive on the base layer along the reference line (thickness 3-5mm, trowel direction perpendicular to the mosaic laying direction to ensure uniform adhesive teeth), and apply no more than 1㎡ each time (to prevent the adhesive from solidifying too quickly). 

5. Mosaic Laying

Mesh-backed mosaics: Gently press the full-mesh mosaic on the adhesive, tap lightly along the mesh with a small rubber mallet (even force to avoid piece displacement), ensuring each mosaic piece adheres to the adhesive; check flatness with a level, error ≤ 1mm. Loose mosaics: Lay piece by piece according to the layout drawing, adjust small pieces with tweezers, and press lightly to fix after laying. 15-20 minutes after laying (when the adhesive is semi-dry), peel off the mesh (gently to avoid lifting mosaics); if any piece falls off, reattach it with adhesive immediately.

6. Gap Treatment

24 hours after laying (when the adhesive is fully cured), clean dust on the mosaic surface; use a small grout trowel to fill gaps with grout (mosaic gaps are narrow, so press repeatedly to ensure full filling and avoid hollowing); 10-15 minutes after grouting, wipe the surface with a damp sponge along the gap direction to remove residual grout (to prevent difficulty in cleaning after drying), taking care not to scrape the grout in the gaps. 

7. Curing & Protection

 Cure naturally for 5-7 days after grouting, avoiding stepping, getting wet, or collision during this period (mosaic pieces are easy to loosen due to external force); cover with a transparent protective film during curing to prevent dust pollution or direct sunlight from cracking the grout; avoid acidic detergents touching glass mosaics during curing (to prevent surface corrosion). 

二、Mosaic Laying Precautions

1.Before Laying

Material adaptation: Do not use ordinary cement mortar for glass mosaics (prone to alkali efflorescence and surface pollution); choose alkali-resistant special adhesive; stone mosaics need waterproof treatment in advance (to prevent discoloration from water absorption). - Uniform batches: Use mosaics from the same batch in the same area to avoid color difference caused by production batch differences; for mesh-backed mosaics, check the mesh material (non-woven mesh is easier to peel off than paper mesh).

2.During Laying

Adhesive validity: The mixed adhesive must be used within 1.5 hours (mosaic laying is slow, to avoid premature solidification of the adhesive); if the adhesive dries and clumps, do not add water to remix (discard and remix). - Mesh peeling timing: Peeling the mesh too early may cause mosaic displacement, while peeling too late may make the mesh stick to the adhesive (the best time is 15-20 minutes after laying, when the adhesive is not sticky to the touch). 

3.After Laying

Curing duration: Longer than ordinary tiles (at least 5 days), especially for glass and stone mosaics; early use may cause piece falling or grout cracking. - Cleaning method: Use neutral detergent + soft cloth for daily cleaning; do not scratch with steel wool or sharp tools (glass mosaic surfaces are easy to scratch, and stone mosaics are easy to be damaged); if the grout falls off locally, refill with the same color grout and cure for 2-3 days.