Installation of Glass Mosaic Tiles

For thin-bed Glass Mosaic Tile installation where a cementitious bonding material will be used, the maximum allowable variation in the tile substrate shall be 5mm in 3m from the required plane with no more than 1.5mm variation in 300mm when measured for the high points in the surface. Where used in combination with large format tile with one edge greater than 375mm in length, or where greater surface tolerance is required, the maximum allowable variation shall be 3mm in 3m from the required plane with no more than 1.5mm variation in 600mm when measured form the high points in the surface.
Blue Bird strongly recommends the use of installers who have demonstrated their commitment to their craft and taken the time to stay current with the latest materials and methods. Requiring references and a portfolio along with a tender or estimate is a good way to ensure the installer has successfully completed work of similar size, scope, and complexity.

Preparation of uneven vertical or horizontal surfaces

If the substrate to receive the Glass Mosaic installation is uneven then it will be necessary to level the surface with fortified mortar bed. Or use the thick bed mortar gauged with mortar admix. The wetter, plasters consistency levelling mortar is applied to the clean, damp substrate using a flat trowel to level the surface to tolerances as stated above. Levelling Mortars can be applied from a feather-edge to 12 mm thick in a single application (for walls). For vertical installations requiring levelling of more than 12 mm then “scratch” the surface of the wet initial coat and allow the mortar to harden. The next levelling coat can be directly applied to the hardened scratch coat.
Semi-dry tilers screed mortars with thickness from feather edge to 50mm, shall be applied over slurry bond coats, be well compacted and struck to the levels required. Apply mortar beds greater than 50mm in layers.
Follow Glass tile manufacturer’s specific installation requirements for minimum cure time of skim coat, levelling mortars or self-levelling underlayment’s.
Use only enough mortar to fill in the low areas of the surface and to make the entire surface level, plumb and smooth. Allow levelling coat to cure for 24 – 72 hours at 21°C.