From broken glass with your own hands. How to make a mosaic of broken tiles with your own hands. glass mosaic

If the house has unnecessary glass (whole or broken) that clutters up the space, do not rush to throw it away.

You can make a beautiful product out of it, or decorate existing items.

It's a good way release this material because handmade crafts and gifts are much more appreciated by people.

In this article we will tell you what can be done with whole or broken glass, how to make a herbarium in it or bake a flower, how to turn its surface into a matte or mirror, and other subtleties of craftsmanship.

Glass is a versatile material used in the creation of various interior items.

It is used to produce not only dishes and furniture, but also paintings and panels.

You can even give a second life to a broken object, using fragments and fragments.

There are different types of glass depending on application:

building;
porous;
liquid;
artistic, finishing, etc.

Such a variety of materials allows a skilled person to create unique kaleidoscopes, to make products of bizarre shapes and colors.

many crafts even a beginner can create, the main thing is to have the necessary tools, patience and desire.

First you need to determine what exactly you want to make from glass. There are many depends on the imagination of the author and resources available.

All products can be divided into categories:

household;
aesthetic.

Here are just a few examples:

candlestick decoration;
glass ornaments, flower arrangements;
small souvenirs made of broken glass;
thematic installations;
decoration of household items - dishes, chandeliers, mirrors.

Let's figure out in order what items can be made from old unnecessary glass.

Shelf

Glass shelves are popular because able to easily fit into any interior. In addition, they can withstand significant loads, although they seem fragile.

Glass furniture looks good in small rooms - because of the transparency, it seems less noticeable, so it does not visually take up space in the room.

The location must be accessible to adults, but out of reach of children(so that the child could not hang on it).

To make a shelf, you will need:

glass cutter (more convenient to use oil);
a belt-type grinder with an abrasive skin (the grit value should be 120 units);
respirator, gloves and other protective equipment;
rulers (you will need to periodically check whether the layers are even).

It is created in the following order:

Aquarium

To make it yourself, you will need:

silicate glass premium.
Glue containing silicone. Look carefully at the information on the packaging: it should indicate that it is suitable for aquariums (it does not contain antibacterial substances that harm fish and plants).
About 8 pieces of small corners suitable for predetermined dimensions.

When gluing parts, you need to remember certain requirements:

the seams should be thick, at least 2-3 mm;
the outer edges must be sanded, and those under the glue should not be touched.

The build process itself looks like this:

Do not rush to immediately "transport" fish and other marine life here. Spend 3-5 hour hydrotest– fill it with water and check if the structure is leaking liquid, if the seams are leaking, etc.

Now you have an idea of how to make your own aquarium at home.

Greenhouse

Glass is often used in the construction of wooden or metal greenhouses. This is a classic version of greenhouse structures, which allows you to maintain the necessary microclimate inside.

If you have accumulated a lot of leftover window glass, they can be successfully used to create a greenhouse.

In such a structure, the walls and roof are made of glass, which gives a number of advantages:

The greenhouse can be used all year round. The material retains transparency, structure, appearance and thermal insulation properties.
By connecting heating to it, plants can be grown in winter. In summer, transparent glass allows light to pass through, which allows plants to grow.
Glass is resistant to abrasion and easy to clean.
The walls of the building can be easily replaced in case of damage. The change will be inexpensive, and used glass is suitable for this.
Glass does not emit harmful substances and odors even during thermal exposure. This is an environmentally friendly material, which is still easy to care for. The glass is resistant to chemicals used for cleaning.
Reinforced or toughened type (thermal glass) can withstand large hail and other adverse weather conditions.

In addition to all these properties and an attractive appearance that lasts for years, this design has disadvantages:

It is necessary to choose a reliable frame and prepare a solid foundation (a strip foundation can withstand such loads), since glass has a high weight. You can’t say so in appearance, but the material weighs a lot: for example, a 4 mm thick square glass weighs about 10 kg, and the mass of a 6 mm layer is 1.5 times more.
Building a glass greenhouse will not be cheap.
Glass holds shock and mechanical influences weakly.
Glass has a high thermal conductivity, so it heats up and cools down quickly. This is especially harmful to plants during daily temperature fluctuations. Therefore, you need to take care of the system to maintain the desired temperature inside the room.
A room made of glass can only be built in the form of a house.

It all starts with preparation:

Creation of a drawing of a future greenhouse, determination of its dimensions.
Choosing a suitable location. It is necessary to take into account the level of lighting, orient the room in such a way that the heat is distributed evenly.
Accounting for the direction of the wind in a given area. It is best to protect the structure on the leeward side with some kind of object (bush or other small obstacle).
Determination of soil and relief features. You need to choose a dry and level place.
Calculation of the distance of the greenhouse to the nearest source of electricity and water supply. The closer, the easier it will be to build a system for heating and watering plants.

Below is shown, where not to be placed greenhouse. If you make the wrong choice, the greenhouse may collapse, or the grown plants will grow more slowly.

A reasonable solution would be to create a wall greenhouse. it will save area, reduce the distance to water and electricity, and spend less money on construction.

Below is a typical drawing. You can change it to your desired size if you wish.

Based on drawing selected building materials. The foundation must be at least 0.5 meters in height and have a solid frame - metal or wood (bars or profiles measuring 5 by 5 cm, the distance between the posts - up to 0.8 m, based on the size of the glass and the frame itself).

You can use different types of glass. The main thing, so that they match the dimensions of the frame. For example:

single (2.5 mm thick) is suitable for side walls installed in a small wooden frame;
double (up to 3.5 mm) cannot be used as a top window;
display case (6 mm) will become a strong wall, but will need reliable fastening and supports;
multi-layer will fit in almost any part.

Pick up glasses according to the purpose of the building.

If there are tropical plants in the greenhouse, it is better to use laminated glazing, which will reduce the cost of internal heating.

Ordinary glasses are also suitable for greens and vegetables.

The best growth is provided by double-glazed windows. There are several types of them:

single-chamber;
two-chamber;
heat-saving;
energy saving.

Double-glazed windows from old plastic windows are perfect.

Need to prepare the following building materials:

supporting corners;
wooden bars or metal bases for each side of the frame;
beams;
mounting foam and hardware;
glass or double-glazed windows;
sealant (for fixing and insulating glazing);
details for the door (handle, lock, hinges);
corners on which wooden parts will be attached.

Cords, pegs, containers, buckets and shovels are needed for marking and preparing the foundation. A hacksaw, chisels, a glass cutter, an electric planer and a construction level will be needed when assembling the greenhouse.

Now that everything is ready, we will tell you in detail how to make a greenhouse.

Assembly is carried out in the following order:

At the selected site, you need to plan the soil and remove vegetation. Make a marking under the trenches by installing pegs and cords.
We dig trenches according to the planned markings (depth 0.4 m, width - 0.2 m). We will plan the bottom of the pit, fill it with a 10-centimeter layer of a mixture of crushed stone and sand.
We assemble the formwork, check the height of the edges. We lay the welded mesh or steel reinforcement, fasten the anchors to the frame.
We prepare concrete (a mixture of cement and sand 1: 3 with the addition of crushed stone and water). Pour the resulting solution and give it time to harden.

We lay two layers of roofing material directly on the surface of the foundation. They will protect the wooden frame from moisture. We process wooden blanks with an antiseptic.

Screw the frame support bars to the anchors, then make selections in the bars on which the glass will be attached.

We fix the racks and bars.

Make sure the structure is upright. Install braces and fix all elements with metal corners.

Connect all the remaining elements together. Check everything first for cracks and gaps, then make sure the structure is stable. When it is clear that the greenhouse stores heat, bring all the plants into it.

colored mosaic

For decorating surfaces, a special mosaic is suitable - smalt. But in its absence, you can use colored broken glass. By the way, smalt is also made from broken glass, you can read about it in detail.

To do this kind of work, you need to prepare:

drawing, glass base for mosaic (or plexiglass);
glass cutter, wire cutters and a special glass breaker for working with glass;
colored glass from which the mosaic will be made;
medical syringe, which is useful for applying the material;
transparent silicone;
tile grout (black).

Consider the manufacture of a mosaic in the form of a butterfly.

So, the finished drawing needs to be transferred from paper to a glass base. With the help of tools, we cut out wings from colored glass. Then cut with a glass cutter.

After they are separated from the base, you need lay them out on a prepared drawing.

Pieces of glass need to be coated with silicone, then glued to the glass base. For this, you will need a medical syringe.

When you glue the fragments, leave gaps between them. Later they will need to be filled with grout for joints.

It is necessary to overwrite the seams only after the silicone has grown.

Be sure to wear rubber gloves. The grout itself diluted according to instructions located on the package with the substance. The result is a mixture as thick as sour cream.

We apply it to the mosaic.

As you can see, it covered the entire surface of the product, and the seams were securely sealed. It remains only to remove the excess mixture from the glass. To do this you can use a wet sponge.

The procedure for creating any other mosaic is similar, the specifics of the work will vary slightly depending on the pattern.

Here is an example of another product made using the same technology:

As you can see, the mosaic is a versatile technique, with which you can decorate completely different interior items using broken glass.

The main thing is to apply contours in advance so that the resulting drawing looks organic.

Herbarium and flower in glass

This is a very unusual, rare and beautiful fake. This technique allows you to "perpetuate" any flower (or other object) in glass, making it an ornament (for example, a pendant).

Naturally, in order for the sheets to be visible, you need to use only transparent glass (designed for fusing or ordinary).

Of the tools, you may only need a special oven, a glass cutter and a machine for turning the edges of glass.

Needs to be cut and trimmed two circles of equal diameter, in the dimensions of which the flower will fit. Plus, you need to leave some space if you want to make a pendant (there will be a hole for the string in a small area).

By the way, this is a difficult operation, the end result is predictable. Difficult to control the process: the grass can burn out completely, or a clear silhouette remains.

To minimize possible damage, it is better to paint the flower in advance: even if the leaves burn out, the paint will retain the original shape of the flower and remain inside the glass.

You can approach the matter artistically by coloring the flower with transitions of shades.

You need to use only paints for fusing - they do not fade at high temperatures. After applying it, you need to let it dry.

We put the painted plant between the glasses and put it in the oven.

Need to pick up correct baking mode. It is selected depending on the glass used. The approximate range is 740-800 degrees.

Please note that between the glasses air bubbles may form. If after baking there will be few of them, and the sizes will be small, they can additionally decorate the product.

If the plant burns out only partially, it may turn out to be a little openwork, fibrous.

Photo frame

A more difficult operation will be decorating frames, panels and paintings.

Before you make a frame with glass, you will need to prepare:

fiberboard sheet of a suitable size (dimensions are selected based on the intended pattern);
broken glass (transparent and colored);
acrylic paints, gouache or ink;
glue.

A dense layer of acrylic paint is applied to the fiberboard sheet. Optional, can be covered with one or more shades. This is necessary to prepare the background. When everything is dry, the sheet must be inserted into the frame of the future product.

Then, on the future panel or picture, you need to apply the outlines of the planned drawing using a stencil or by hand.

For this, ink or gouache was needed - to circle the outlined lines twice and glue the fragments along them.

Having pasted them in the background area, you need to let the product dry.

Mirror

The easiest way is to decorate mirrors with fragments (colored or transparent). You can do this with vases, candlesticks, trays.

Since the essence of the decoration is gluing pieces of glass, be sure to wear rubber gloves before starting work, they will protect your hands from cuts and allergies to the substances contained in the glue.

On the surface of the object pre-mark the pattern, along which fragments will be laid out. Only ceramic glue is suitable, the layers of which must be applied using a special tool - scrapers.

If transparent glasses were used, they can be painted with acrylic paint intended for glass work.

After the layer with the fragments dries a little, holes between them can be closed putty for tiles, or cement for mosaics. You need to act carefully, but the surplus will still remain. You can remove them using a damp cloth.

Here is how mirror frames made in this style look like.

Similarly, you can decorate:

frames for photographs, mirrors, paintings;
flower pots;
caskets;
drawers;
countertops and other items.

accurately calculate the number of glass pieces (prepare paint to finish painting transparent fragments);
apply clear markings and indicate where and which layer will need to be laid.

Other items and decorations

The list of crafts is not limited to this. Here's how you can decorate the interior.

Painting from multi-colored cullet

All work can be done at home, having prepared in advance:

plywood;
finished drawing;
a bunch of multi-colored pieces of broken glass.

Plywood is needed as a base-frame on which the drawing with glued glass will be held. The picture itself can be drawn in advance, or you can take a suitable template.

Glue the pieces so that they fit snugly together. Better to use stronger adhesive. Try to keep them along the lines, observing the pre-planned color scheme of the picture.

In no case do not touch the glass until the glue dries, otherwise there is a risk of moving the pieces from their original place.

In addition to pieces of glass, you can use other elements for decoration:

beads;
seashells;
sequins;
buttons, etc.

Fusing drawing

You can make a multi-colored picture both with the help of mosaic and fusing technique. It consists in baking pieces of glass, pre-folded into a specific pattern. Whole operation carried out in a muffle furnace at high temperature (at least 800 °C).

This technique first appeared in the 1990s. in Germany, and it was based on another, more ancient method of glass processing - the “hot enamel” technique.

The main task is to correctly position the glass elements in advance so that as a result of heat treatment, they are combined into one whole. Consequently, the material becomes homogeneous, there are no metal compounds in such a product.

The image completely depends on the performer: you can make it more voluminous, convex, leave some areas flat, increase the thickness and relief of the stained glass.

All disparate parts are laid out on a glass base - the most even and flat surface. This creates the illusion of perspective, volume, depth of the product.

The use of colored pieces allows you to expand the color gamut. This is exactly what a glass base is needed for, since when working on a metal plate, this effect cannot be achieved.

This product is also quite durable. It practically does not age, the color remains unchanged.

The only negative in the heat treatment itself is this technique will not allow you to get clear contours of the image. Colored pieces inevitably float on each other and an effect similar to watercolor is obtained.

The use of liquid glass

Advanced craftsmen can create a craft using.

You can buy this material at a hardware or hardware store. Or use other types of liquid glass, for example, clerical silicate glue, which is often used to simulate the expanses of the sea.

But such a substitute will be less durable and hard than liquid glass.

Almost any object can be decorated with this material.

After applying a layer of liquid glass, apply decoration on it - pebbles, shells, beads, sparkles, etc.

If you want to make decorative elements more voluminous, apply two layers of liquid glass.

With liquid glass pretty easy to work. They can both decorate the surfaces of various objects, and make their own decorations:

hairpins;
earrings;
brooches;
figurines;
vases, etc.

You can decorate the interior with liquid glass in a simple way - apply small objects on a layer of glass according to a pre-designed pattern, then let the product cool.

Decor elements

What can be done if only small broken glass is at hand? It can be turn into powder and use as decoration.

To grind it into powder safety precautions must be followed:

use gloves, goggles;
find a deep enough and strong container.

The resulting broken glass powder is applied to the selected object in the areas where the glue was previously applied. Once the glue dries, you can cover it with another layer. By analogy, powder can be used to paint pictures, decorate interior items.

In addition to glass, you can additionally decorate objects with the following materials:

shells (sea or river) and shells;
beads or beads of a suitable size;
walnut shells and other improvised materials.

The task is to choose the right combination of all decorative materials, then the product will look beautiful and organic.

Making black, white and colored paint for house glass

How to make glass colored, white or apply a pattern to it at home?

Glass surfaces must be treated with special paints that have good grip on smooth surfaces. Conventional paints and varnishes are not capable of this, so the coating is quickly erased.

The composition of the paint should not be too liquid, but it should be applied in thin and translucent layers.

Acrylic paints are best suited for liquid glass. They have good adhesion, and on the planes they look like a matte film. Even when mixed, they retain color purity and are resistant to ultraviolet rays.

You can paint the surface with polyurethane mixtures. This is an elastic substance that instantly hardens on glass. Layers are perfectly transparent.

Compositions can be made independently.

Here are a couple of recipes:

White paint is prepared by mixing four parts of silicate glue and one part of kaolin (it must be thoroughly rubbed).
Black shades are created by mixing one part charcoal with three parts silicate glue and one part printing ink. The resulting mixture must be filtered.

Various colored dyes can be made using special fabric dyes.

The order is as follows: dissolve 5 g of gelatin in 200 ml of water, after which we dilute the necessary coloring matter in a separate bowl. The required shade is obtained by gradually mixing the contents of the two prepared solutions.

Prepare the following tools in advance to paint the glass with paint:

spray;
end brushes with bristles;
paint roller or foam swab.

Pre-treat glass:

Wipe the glass with soapy water, then rinse first with warm and then with cold water.
Apply acetone to degrease the glass. Solvent traces can be removed with a simple dry cloth.
Those places that do not need to be painted should be protected. Apply one or two coats of masking tape to these areas.

Instructions for staining glass at home:

Prepare the mixture and pour it into a small bowl (this will make it easier to apply paint to the surface).
Paint glass using a brush, spray gun, foam swab or roller. Watch out so that the layers are evenly distributed over the entire surface.
Once the paint is dry, remove the pieces of masking tape. If some areas are weakly colored, apply an additional layer.

How to make it opaque?

To achieve a frosted glass texture, you can:

chemical and mechanistic methods;
using a sandblaster.

Follow the instructions below and you will learn how to make glass opaque.

It is easier and safer to use a mechanical method based on the use of abrasive paste or sand.

You need to take polished glass with a thickness of 4 to 6 mm, put it on a flat surface, placing a thick cloth under it.

On the sides of the glass, you need to nail thin spatulas so that it does not slide on the table.

Prepare sand (river or corundum is best: it scratches glass more smoothly), then sift it through a sieve until smooth.

After that, apply sand to a board measuring 20 by 30 cm and moisten it with water. Put glass on top of the board, and any weight on top of the glass so that it firmly presses it to the surface.

Move the board parallel to the side edges of the glass. Never make circular motions.

Moisten the sand as it dries.

Periodically check if the frosting process is successful by scraping sand from the surface and pulling the glass out to the light. Continue the process until you get the expected result.

Create a mirror surface

How to make a mirror? First you need to grind our glass, wetting its surface with water.

Required in advance prepare the following items:

glass;
containers in which the solution will be prepared and mixed with silver;
rubber gloves;
silver (nitrate) and tin (dichloride);
distilled water, caustic potash or soda;
honey, ammonia and formalin;
alcohol, cotton wool;
colorless varnish;
glass rod and nitric acid;
a spray bottle with which the mixture will be applied to the glass, plus a brush with soft bristles;
frame or wooden sheet with clips;
dye.

We put on rubber gloves and carry out all work exclusively in them.

Further, when manipulations with glass are carried out, hold it carefully by the ribs, otherwise you risk stain a smooth surface. This is important because the material will often need to be dragged from place to place, washed and applied to various substances.

The procedure is as follows:

We wash the glass with distilled water and crushed chalk. All sides must be clean, incl. ends.
We treat the surface with an alkali degreasing solution (sodium or potassium, with a content of about 10%).
Rinse the glass again with distilled water.
Wipe clean glass with a cotton swab dipped in 1% stannous chloride solution. Then immediately place the mirror in a container filled with distilled water. Let him get wet.
While the glass is filled, clean and degrease (with the same alkaline solution) the container in which you plan to silver the glass. Please note that the surface temperature of the future mirror in water should be 10 degrees higher than that of the solution induced for silvering.

Would need prepare two solutions with the content that will cover the glass. Use only distilled water for this:

The first solution consists of silver nitrate (1.6 g) and water (30 ml). After mixing them, watch what kind of sediment you get. Drip 25% ammonia into it until it disappears, then add another half glass of water.
Pour 40% formalin solution (5 g) into the second graduated container.

Lay the glass in a horizontal position on the surface prepared for silvering.
Now start covering the glass: pour the resulting solution into the middle, roll it out in an even layer using a glass rod. Alternatively, dip the glass into the chemical mixture so that the silver does not get on the opposite side.
The solution needs to freeze. It takes 3-10 minutes to "mirror" it, depending on the initial temperature of the mixture.
When everything is dry, you need to put the mirror upright. Until the silver layer is fixed, it may be damaged, so lean the product against the support with the unfinished side.
The mirror needs 2 hours to dry at a temperature of up to 100 degrees.
Examine the received product. Silver drips can be wiped off with cotton wool with a solution of nitric acid.
Rinse the mirror first in water and then in alcohol.
The silver layer should have cooled down by this time. Spray it with clear varnish from a spray bottle.
When the varnish dries, paint the darkened surface. Then paint the silvered part with red lead, spreading it in turpentine. The glass part must be wiped with a solution of nitric acid.
Let everything dry and look at the result. If everything suits you, it remains only to put the mirror in a frame with clips.

How to make a hole?

A hole in glass can be drilled with:

flexible shaft drills;
dental burs.

The structure itself amenable to mechanical processing, but the fragility of glass must be taken into account. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the force and points of impact, as well as the order of work.

Processing should not lead to cracks, breaks and chips on the main surface, otherwise the entire product may break.

Before making a hole, you need to prepare the glass for processing. The work surface must be cleaned and leveled. Watch for the presence of defective areas - under mechanical stress, they can chip and ruin the workpiece.

First, make a markup: mark the lines of future holes in such a way that the surface flaws are located inside the circle and do not go beyond it. Additionally can be treated with chemicals, ridding it of oil traces.

Determine where the work will be done. It is necessary to prepare the fixing equipment.

The very method of fixing the glass is determined based on the chosen technology for creating the hole.

Usually, the workpiece is placed in a vise, and under the areas that will be affected, they put damping soft materials.

What if you need to make a small hole?

Miniature holes can be drilled with a drill and drill. The drill is pre-needed:

glow;
immerse in sealing wax and hold until the substance begins to melt;
moisten the tip in turpentine.

After that, you can start working.

The second option is:

Grind camphor and particles of coarse sandpaper.
Pour the resulting elements into a small container, and then dilute them with turpentine. Place this paste on a clean glass surface of the workpiece.
Prepare a small piece of copper wire. It will need to be clamped in the drill chuck. Such equipment needs to be sent, so prepare a guide jig (plywood).
Preparation completed. You can start drilling.

Large holes in glass are made in a different way. If needed diameter exceeds 10cm, household equipment will not help here.

You can still drill, but you must first make a small through point in the center of the future hole.

Any small-format glass of small diameter (up to 1 cm) will cope with this. Third-party chips will occur, but this is not a problem: they form in areas that will later be removed.

Having received a small through opening, you need to stick a piece of wire into it and fix it.

One end is fastened with a glass cutter. After checking whether the elements are securely fixed and whether the tool moves smoothly in a circle, you can cut the circle.

If you can't drill a hole, you can melt it. You will need to prepare a tooling in which liquid tin or lead will be prepared. The glass blank is processed with gasoline, acetone or alcohol.

Having made the markup and formed the zone of the future hole, the resulting area is sprinkled with moistened sand.

It should be enough to create a funnel, the bottom of which will be comparable in size to the edges of the hole, then metal is poured into it.

After 1-2 minutes, it will cool down, and the sand equipment can be removed along with the mold.

As a result, in a glass blank a hole with smooth edges is formed. The risk is only in the melting process itself: it is impossible to control the diameter that is formed after the interaction of glass and metal.

The last option is to cut a hole with a soldering iron. You need to start by creating risks with a needle file.

Carefully mark the zones in which the soldering iron will melt in depth.

Then you need to warm up the sting and start cutting. Act slowly and carefully.

Better melt small pieces, periodically cooling the glass (so the risk of formation of deformation of nearby areas will decrease).

The result will be exactly the opposite of the above method:

the boundaries of the intended diameter of the hole will be maintained;
the edges will be uneven.

conclusions

As you can see, unnecessary or broken glass is suitable for decorating the decoration of the room with handmade items. The main thing is desire and imagination.

You can also decorate other glass containers.

If you don’t want to work on crafts, don’t throw away glass anyway. Take it to or to a special container for collecting glass.

In contact with

The technique of creating a mosaic of colored glass is experiencing a rebirth. Modern materials make it possible to create glass sheets that are colorful, waterproof and durable. Mosaic glass panels are used for interior and exterior decoration. Glass mosaic is a fashion trend with a rich history.

The first mention of it appeared in the ancient East. In the technique of mosaics, they decorated mainly caskets and other small objects. During Roman times, mosaics became very popular and were used to decorate palaces. Masters created complex drawings on the walls, on the floor and ceiling. Very beautiful paintings were created in the Byzantine Empire. Usually the background was golden hues, perfect shapes and perfect lines made drawings and patterns clear.

In the early stages of the Middle Ages (VI-VIII centuries), beautiful patterns were created in Italy, in the city of Ravenna. Palaces, churches and cathedrals were decorated here.

In Islamic states, mosaics were also very popular. It can be seen in mosques, minarets and houses of ordinary people. In Russia, it appeared only in the 10th century, but there was no production, and art did not develop. Later in Kyiv they began to make smalt.

Mosaic canvases decorate the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. M.V. Lomonosov was fond of creating glass mosaic panels, the most famous creation is the “Battle of Poltava”. Currently, the mosaic is again at the peak of popularity, it is decorated with metro stations in Moscow. Many people use this technique in decorating apartments and country houses.

Mosaic glass is an alloy of siliceous sand with various components for decoration (gold powder, aventurine). It is of two types:

Smalt. It is made in the form of a disc with a matte structure. It is formed from pressing small pieces of glass with oxides (potassium salts and other natural compounds). Smalt mosaic is rich in color and has an inner glow effect. Used by professional tilers to create high quality mosaics.
Glass modules. Colored fragments (glass shards) pasted on a paper base. Sold packed in plastic containers. Modules can be of different geometric shapes and sizes. These fragments are more convenient and safer to work with. Therefore, it is recommended for those who are just starting to join this type of creativity.

Working with broken glass is not safe, so gloves and goggles must be worn throughout the process.

Mosaic can be laid out not only the walls in the bathroom. This technique is successfully used to decorate many other voluminous objects. From broken glass, you can do the following:

Pools, fountains, jacuzzis are lined with mosaics, arches and columns are decorated. Furniture is decorated with colored products, they are used to decorate balconies and loggias. Glass modules can be purchased as a gift for people involved in creativity.

It is not difficult to make a glass mosaic with your own hands. You can create a decorative panel, lay out a kitchen apron, decorate a mirror frame, make spectacular flowerpots. To make a mosaic, you will need multi-colored fragments. To make multi-colored glass, you will need to purchase some tools: a glass cutter (simple - for cutting glass in a straight line or oil - it will cut glass into pieces of any shape). It is also necessary to take disc cutters and breakers (nippers, tongs).

First you need to create a sketch, according to which the glass will be laid out. Then prepare pieces of glass (broken, broken or cut), you can use additional decorations (beads, shells, beads).

The process of collecting glass tiles with your own hands is as follows:

It is necessary to carefully transfer the pattern to the surface (wall, countertop).
Then the pieces of glass are smeared with liquid glue and applied to the chosen place.
Gaps are left between the elements, so the mosaic will look voluminous and more spectacular.
When the surface dries, all gaps are carefully filled with grout, the composition is leveled with a silicone spatula.
After the craft has dried, excess grout is removed with a sponge.
The finished product can be varnished to get a stained glass effect.

You can create original, decorative products with your children, make useful gifts for friends for any holiday. The technique of creating mosaic decorations has been improved over the course of several centuries; it will serve more than one generation for a long time to come.

Attention, only TODAY!

08-06-2015

Recently, the use of decorative elements and glass mosaic panels has become increasingly popular in interior and landscape design.

Glass mosaics are pieces of colored or transparent glass laid out in a pattern and glued to a surface.

The gaps between the parts of the mosaic are filled with tile grout, and in some cases the surface is varnished.

It is especially pleasant that glass mosaic makes it possible to create real masterpieces and you can make elements for patterns with your own hands. However, if you are afraid of working with glass, cutting or breaking it yourself, you can buy ready-made mosaic pieces in art stores. Such pieces of glass are usually geometrically regular shapes: triangles, squares of different sizes, less often circles.

Making your own glass mosaic

Herringbone mosaic laying scheme.

If you don't want to buy pieces of glass for mosaic drawings, then it is quite possible to make them yourself. To do this, you will need 3 mm thick glass in different colors that you plan to use in the glass mosaic. If you did not find colored glass, then you can take the usual transparent and paint of the desired shades. The paint can be any: alcohol or oil based.

With the help of a glass cutter, the material is cut into figured parts or squares of the desired size. If your glass is transparent, then you need to stick it on adhesive tape and cover it with paint of the desired colors. You need to stick the pieces so that there are no traces of paint on their front. Otherwise, the finished product will look messy. It is very convenient to use paint in an aerosol for coloring. After the paint dries, you can peel off the pieces, arrange them by color and use.

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How to install glass mosaic

It doesn't matter if you bought the material for the mosaic or made it yourself, the process of creating a product is still the same. Of paramount importance is the fact that you want to do: a decorative panel, a flower pot, a vase, a garden art object or decorate a wall. Based on the object on which the glass mosaic will be placed, you need to select a pattern and glue.

Patterns for cross-stitch or beadwork, as well as any other images can serve as a pattern.. To get a non-schematic drawing, the pieces of the mosaic will need to be processed with a glass cutter according to a given shape or bite the squares with special wire cutters so that they have approximately the desired edge outlines.

Glass mosaic is laid in two ways. If you want the mosaic to decorate freshly plastered walls, then you can press each piece directly into the plaster, having previously marked the contours of the patterns. However, this method is not always suitable, for example, you put the plaster a long time ago, and after some time you wanted to decorate the wall. Then the second method comes to the rescue, suitable for laying glass mosaics on any surface - gluing.

It is best to choose an adhesive that is transparent and capable of bonding dissimilar surfaces, such as liquid nails. Since glass mosaic pieces are translucent, opaque glue can ruin the entire future composition. If you take glue to hold different surfaces together, you can decorate a plastic or clay pot, wooden countertop, glass or mirror without worrying about the strength of the lined pattern.

When you have chosen a drawing and prepared all the materials, you can safely proceed to making a mosaic with your own hands. Transfer the drawing to the surface where the mosaic will be located, take a piece of glass of the desired color, grease it with glue and stick it in the right place, thus filling the entire space of the prepared drawing. Be sure to leave small gaps between the pieces of glass, later they will be filled with grout. When all the pieces are glued and dry, you need to start grouting. It is diluted to the consistency of sour cream, applied with a spatula to the entire product, allowed to dry. Remove excess first with a damp sponge, and then with a dry rag.

It is necessary to allow the grout to completely harden, and then, if desired, you can coat the product with varnish or a means that protects against moisture. Treatment with varnish or special protective agents is done so that the glass mosaic looks finished and has a deeper stained glass effect, as well as to ensure the durability of the product.

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How can glass be cut to make glass mosaic

In order for the glass mosaic to be beautiful, it is necessary to have special tools that allow you to fit the pieces of glass to the desired shape or size. There are not so many tools that you cannot do without - this is a glass cutter and several types of mosaic nippers. Cutting and breaking glass is not easy, especially if you are making a mosaic for the first time, but without the right tool, the process will be even more difficult. Therefore, before you create, take care of the purchase:

Glass cutter. They come in two types, the most common is designed for cutting glass in a straight line. They make an incision, and then break off the glass along this incision. Another type of glass cutter is called oil, it differs in that it has a swivel head, which means it is able to make curved cuts. If you want to professionally deal with mosaics, then you should buy an oil glass cutter.
Disc cutters. This is a very important tool, thanks to discs made of durable alloy, it is able to split a piece of glass into the smallest details, while the chip is obtained at an angle of 90 ° to the surface.
Breakers of various types. Thanks to these wire cutters, you can break pieces that were previously cut with a glass cutter. Some of their types serve specifically for curvilinear splits. In order to assemble your first mosaic and, if necessary, “bite off” the extra edge of the part, it will be enough to buy a breaker for straight lines. If you are going to make a mosaic often, then the set can be expanded.

Do-it-yourself mosaic is not only an opportunity to decorate the space around you with beautiful and unusual things. It is also a way to have fun. However, you must remember that this work involves glass, and therefore you need to be careful not to injure your hands when gluing and rubbing, and also be careful that pieces of glass do not fly off when broken.

Do you know a children's toy in the form of a tube with a small window, looking through which we see bizarre patterns and colorful ornaments? Mosaic is one of the finds of decorators, which allows you to revive the most dull interior. It can be successfully used in the design of the garden plot.

To create mosaic compositions, the most unexpected objects are suitable:

fragments of tiles or broken dishes;
pebbles painted with acrylic paint;
colored plastic caps for beer, mineral water, juices, etc.;
multi-colored bottles;
glass from old window frames, etc.

Mosaic elements do not have to be of the correct geometric shape. We bring to your attention several techniques with which you can transform the country landscape with your own hands.

Decoration of vertical surfaces

You can decorate with mosaic ornaments or panels any walls of summer cottages:

garden houses and arbors;
summer showers and toilets;
wooden and stone fences;
retaining walls, etc.

One of the tasks of landscape design is the visual increase in space. In order to make the site seem larger, weaving plants are planted near the walls, tubs with small trees are installed. However, roses, clematis, grapes or other creepers grow slowly, and you want to get the result today. Mosaic is an ideal technique that easily copes with this task. Plant motifs on the walls expand the space, creating the illusion of a continuation of the garden.

It is convenient to use flat shards from dishes or broken tiles.

Operating procedure:

clean the wall from debris and dust;
the place reserved for the picture, slightly level with putty and sand;
draw the outlines of the future panel;
according to the instructions, prepare a solution for laying tiles or use ready-made glue;
start work from the middle of the drawing, picking up shards in shape and shade;
apply the adhesive solution with a spatula not to the entire contour, but to a small part, moving further as the mosaic elements are laid out.

At the first stage, the wall should dry out within a day. Then the remaining glue is removed, and the seams between the mosaic pieces are treated with a special tiled grout, which is also removed after drying. These actions are conveniently performed with a soft, damp sponge.

colorful paths

To decorate paths, driveways or other suburban highways, solid materials are mainly used. It can be natural or artificial stone, wood or ceramic tiles. With the help of pebbles of different sizes and textures, you can “draw” a simple ornament or create a real Persian carpet.

The fashionable trend of recent years has been the construction of colored pebbles. Sea or river pebbles are painted with special acrylic paints. The technology is the same as for paving slabs, but there is one feature - the pebbles are laid on the edge. This method provides better adhesion of the cement mortar to the stone, which means that the track will be stronger. The mosaic can consist of stones of the same size, or be contrasting - small stones are placed in the gaps between large flat tiles.

glass mosaic

Glass paintings deserve special attention, because the possibilities of this material are endless. Painting with glass is the only activity where you don't have to worry about a broken mirror, because its fragments can also be used.

Creating a panel according to ready-made sketches is quite simple - you can take patterns from women's magazines for knitting an ornament or for cross-stitching as a basis. They are convenient because the finished picture is made up of the same elements of a certain color. But you can use glass pieces of different sizes and shapes, and any illustration or drawing as a sketch. The main thing is to prepare the material and decompose it into shades. This technology requires some skills - first of all, you need to learn how to cut glass correctly.

Step by step:

The mosaic set technique is the same as when laying tiles on a wall. You can use special glue or liquid nails.

false mosaic

Another technique surprises with its simplicity and unique effect. This technique is suitable for those who are not very patient, but want to get results. Actually, this technique is not a mosaic, rather, it is one of the decoupage techniques, although glass is also present here, and the pattern consists of small parts. What's the catch? For a false mosaic, whole glass is used, and it is not necessary to paint it.

To work, you need a drawing that should look like glass mosaic. It can be any illustration, photo, or picture drawn by yourself, a collage of flowers and leaves, an abstraction of shiny candy wrappers, etc.

Operating procedure:

a pattern is glued onto the prepared surface;
transparent glue for glass is applied on top;
apply thin glass (from old window frames) and press down well;
if the surface is horizontal - stack the load.

When the glue is completely dry, the glass is hammered in several places with the sharp end of the hammer. The result will be chaotic fragments, while the glass is not completely broken. Glass dust is removed with a cotton swab moistened with water. Then you need to fold a small piece of fine-grained sandpaper in half and carefully walk over the chips. This action will produce two results:

expand the seams a little;
smoothen the sharp edges of the fragments.

The resulting seams are overwritten as usual. If you add a little bronze paint to the grout, you get the effect of antiquity.

Where can be used? In this technique, it is better to draw horizontal surfaces:

countertops of garden furniture;
sides of artificial reservoirs;
borders of high flower beds, etc.

Plywood sheets decorated using the false mosaic technique are used for wall cladding, on terraces, and other summer cottages.

Decoration of small items

Nothing is thrown away on the plot - any items can be used for decoration. We have already talked about, the same technique is used for glass products, only special acrylic paints are used for glass.

Acrylic paint with a metallic effect is applied using a stencil. Transparent acrylic gel can be mixed with small beads and this paste can be applied to the surface of old shades or flowerpots.

Creating a mosaic effect with paints is also very simple - use a stencil. And any mosaic technique is successfully used to create flowerpots, candlesticks, and other decor items that will always find a place in the country.

Among the various creative directions in recent years, the top ten has been supplemented by the composition of mosaic glass. Modern methods and materials make it possible to create mosaic canvases that are durable, colorful and practical. It is worth turning your attention to mosaic glass, with the help of which panels of varying complexity are created at home. As a result of an exciting creative process, a waterproof coating will be created that can be safely used for interior or exterior decoration. The production of such a coating can be established from ordinary glass waste.

By the way, if you suddenly solve a scanword and the question comes up - what are the names of glass for mosaics, 7 letters - know: smalt.

Mosaic, as a form of creativity, has more than 6,000 years.

This fact is confirmed by fragments of the floor and walls found during excavations of Sumerian temples.

In ancient Greece, mosaics were laid out using river pebbles. Despite the meager color scheme, craftsmen created beautiful patterns on the floor of dwellings even from gray stones.

A special love for mosaic tiles was nourished in ancient Rome. It was in this country that they began to willingly create bright pictures from broken glass, which were distinguished by their strength, dullness and multi-coloredness. The name of this mineral is smalt.

Description of mosaic glass

When the term “mosaic” is mentioned, many people imagine the beautiful stained glass windows of foreign cathedrals. But we hasten to immediately dissuade readers that the technique for creating stained-glass windows and colored glass mosaics differ significantly.

Colored mosaic glass can be of two types:

glass modules;
smalt.

The appearance of the smalt is disc-shaped. Immediately before the creative process, the disc is split into pieces. Smalt is used mostly by professionals to create high quality mosaics. It is not transparent, but rather, matte structure. Broken glass tile has a pretty decorative and colorful look to fit in with a modern bathroom décor.

For those who are just joining this creativity, it is worth turning your attention to the modules. These are colored fragments glued onto a paper base or packaged in plastic containers. Fragments of glass can be of various geometric shapes and sizes. It is more convenient and safer to work with such modules. You can cut the paper base with ordinary scissors or a clerical knife.

Those who wish to make mosaic paintings with their own hands will need materials:

glass cutters;
liquid nails, PVA glue or transparent silicone;
tile grout for joints;
smalt or glass modules;
marker, construction pencil.

A broken glass product should not cause injury, so it is worth using safety glasses and gloves throughout the entire creative process.

Broken glass mosaic technology

Do-it-yourself mosaic from glass modules. The creative process begins with a visit to the finishing materials store and the preparation of the work surface.

The surface of the wall should be even, with no recesses or cracks on it. On the wall or other surface that is intended to be transformed, a pattern is applied with the division of sectors by color. Then the glass modules are separated from the adhesive base and they are fixed. You can glue modular tiles directly on the wall with the front side out, prudently leaving gaps. If the drawing requires glass is cut with pliers to the desired size. You can make a mosaic. But this will require experience with wire cutters.

After the drawing with the help of glass blocks is laid out, the surface is left for a day for the glue to dry. Then, according to the instructions, the tile grout for the joints is diluted and the space between the image fragments is carefully filled. After one day, wipe the mosaic with a damp cloth, and then dry. To give the picture a complete look, it is recommended to open the glass modules with varnish. This will increase the service life and give the picture a holistic look with a pleasant gloss.

Mosaic laying out technology - "reverse set"

There are several ways to create mosaic paintings. One of them is called reverse dialing. In this case, mosaic glass is glued face down on sheets of paper. At the same time, glue is chosen with a weak fixation, for example, PVA. If paintings of considerable size are created, then there may be several such fragments on paper. The technique for creating a mosaic in this case has the following sequence:

prepare the wall
fragments, pre-numbered, are glued to the wall with silicone or liquid nails;
after all sheets with modules are glued, they wait a day to dry;
after moistening the sheets with water, wait and remove;
prepare the grout mixture and fill the seams between the mosaic fragments;
after 24 hours, they clean the surface of the grout, and give the picture a finished look.

What is remarkable about this technology is that fragments of the future image can be created in advance and in another place. And to the installation site, sheets with mosaic glass should be delivered on the eve of their fixation.

Mosaic glass in the interior

What can be made from glass?

Glass mosaic can decorate not only the flat surfaces of the bathroom, an apron over the working surface of the kitchen or a panel in the living room, this technique can also be used to decorate three-dimensional objects. Examples of this are flower containers, vases, floor lamps, mirrors, garden furniture, bathroom accessories, crafts, tiles, etc.

Broken glass crafts for a schoolchild or loved ones can be especially useful as a gift or a token of attention.

If you want to create a beautiful wall panel using the mosaic technique, then For this you need to prepare the following materials:

glass modules or smalt;
the basis for the mosaic (glass, plywood, drywall, etc.);
transparent silicone;
glass cutters;
glass cutter;
sketch;
tile grout;
protective gloves and goggles;
rag.

As the basis for the mosaic, it is better to choose glass. This is convenient if you use a real-size finished image, which is placed under it and slowly lay out the drawing, exactly following the contour and color of the original. It is recommended to glue colored tiles with transparent silicone; for the convenience of applying the glue, they are filled with a syringe. Along the perimeter of the picture, frosted or dark glass is laid out in the form of a frame. Dried work is treated with grout, wiped with rags and varnished.

Stained glass mosaic also looks original, but its creation technology has some features.

What can be made from broken glass?

Experienced mosaic masters can use not only colored glass as a material. Fragments of tiles, colored pebbles, shells, eggshells, bead, broken glass, etc. are used. Do-it-yourself glass mosaic, laid out around the perimeter of the photo frame, will attract the eyes of all loved ones.

You can make a mosaic of glass with your own hands on the wall, on the basis of raw plaster, smeared with glue. Fragments of the mosaic, previously pasted on sheets of paper, are simply pressed into the wall. After the solution has set, the paper is removed with a damp sponge. To seal the seams, gypsum or tile grout is used. To give more expressiveness to the picture, you can add the color of the desired color to the grout mass.

If there is no desire or opportunity to purchase ready-made glass fragments for mosaics, they recommended to do it yourself. To do this, armed with a glass cutter, prepare pieces of the required size and shape (triangular, square, rectangular, in the form of a rhombus). The glass should be about 3 mm thick. It is best to paint white glass modules with spray paint.

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