Tiling Mosaics - excess adhesive

[marc_ely]

I'm in the process of using some mosaic tiles in a bathroom on a bath surround. These are the small mosaics on net backing that you snip into the sizes you want etc.

At first I tried the usual method of creating waves in the adhesive before fixing them, but as soon as you press them in it oozes out everywhere and makes a right mess. Duh.

So I realised that a smooth adhesive layer is better. They fixed down nicely and all set in the right place, but I still have some adhesive that has "risen" up between some tiles. It is not proud of the top surface but I am concerned that there's not enough depth for the grout to key into nicely. Is it worth me running the corner of a sharp knife (or similar) into the gaps to rake out a gap for the grout to go into?

Cheers Marc

[sm_jamieson]

I let the adhesive ooze a bit, since it grips the mosaics better, which is useful if they are those glassy ones that are harder to stick. I made a stick the size of the gap and ran it up and down the rows to scrape out excess adhesive. It took quite a long time ! In other words, the answer to your question is: YES. Simon.

[davemo]

be ok if adhesive is water proof (as it should be) dont forget to us water resistant grout. You can buy plastic floats with a smalle serrated edge which are ideal for adhesive spreading, they leav smaller peaks and troughs in the adhesive, perfect for mosaic tile

-- davemo

[The Natural Philosopher]

I've done a lot of this recently. After a while you get good at gauging the right amount of adhesive, but even so some always squidges up. My technique is simple and is the same for any tile job.

After laying run a screwdriver or whatever down any suspect slots, and then take a bucket of clean water, and a sponge, and using a squeezed out sponge wipe ONCE across the tiles, rinse and repeat till all surplus muckite is gone. Replace water frequently.

Perfectly clean rtiles resady for grouting will be the result. You need to do the same again when grouting ESPECIALLY if its a natural stone or a heavily texture tile, as grout once dry is a bugger to get off. Brick acid will do it, but it the tiles are marble, they dissolve as well..DAMHIKT ;-)