Cutting Smalti And Viterous Tile For Mosaics - Mosaic Tutorial

A video tutorial on using your double wheeled nippers to cut Smalti and Vitreous tiles for your mosaic project, I will also give you tips along the way to help you when using these two materials.
Smalti from Smalti Australia
www.smaltiaustralia.com
Vitreous tiles from OzMosaics
www.ozmosaics.com.au
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Videos produced by Treasury Road and all material provided within this website is for informational, educational, & entertainment purposes only. The video and all included information does in no way constitute the provision of professional advice.
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[@nzaid4526]

thanks so much.. i like to follow your informative videos.. would you please make a video on how to use smalti tiles in a project.. what kind of glue is suitable and does it need to be grouted?

[@TreasuryRoad]

Thankyou so much, will look at that. In most cases Smalti is not grouted as the grout can get into the pits of the glass and also dull it down, normally the pieces are very close together and thinset (cement based adhesive) is used as the adhesive, if you want total control of the thinset then use the baggie system I have made a video on that. Some people do use Mac and Prep Multiuse adhesive but thinset is mainly used. If you go to my Treasury Road page there is a piece I made some years ago that has Smalti and stained glass pansies in. :)

[@lyndamisso8905]

Great info thanks peter for someone just starting out or reinventing the wheels very informative

[@TreasuryRoad]

Thankyou so uch Lynda, appreciate it. :)

[@sandyw7004]

Thank you for the great video and the notes on mixing the smalti with stained glass. I’m just beginning and find your instructional and tip videos very helpful. May I ask where you got the containers shown in this video, both the taller and shorter ones (I am in the U.S.)?

[@TreasuryRoad]

Thankyou so very much, the tall containers are just biscuit (cookie) containers, I have had them for many years, I just thought they would come in handy one day, the shorter ones aren't anything special, they have a screw top and they came from a shop here in Australia called the reject shop. :)

[@robynlane8215]

Thank you for sharing. It seems like smalti is thicker than glass. When combining smalti and other pieces how to account for the different thicknesses when laying the pieces?

[@TreasuryRoad]

Thankyou, Smalti comes in different forms, it can come in large pizza slices, small pieces etc. It depends what you are making generally having different heights isn't an issue as it adds interest and texture to a mosaic. Generally speaking some people will add extra adhesive under the pieces, some will add clear glass or similar under the pieces you can also use the Indirect Method, just Google that. If its a table then you would need to have everything the same height but I wouldn't use Smalti in that instance as part of the beauty is the different shapes and heights of Smalti. Also Smalti is generally not grouted as the grout can dull the beautiful reflective cuts and can also get into the pits so when you are combining materials together you need to take that into consideration, Smalti is generally adhered with thinset (cement based adhesive) or tinted thinset and you push the Smalti into the thinset so it kind of self grouts. Combining different materials is wonderful and called Mixed Media Mosaics however you just need to take the grouting into consideration before proceeding. I created a piece to go on the wall, I used stained glass to create a bunch of flowers and used Smalti all around it so what I did was I created the flowers, grouted it, let it cure and then added the Smalti tightly together and didn't grout the Smalti. I hope that helps. :)

[@robynlane8215]

@@TreasuryRoad Thank you so much. I already placed my focal piece and it was stained glass. I will add height as you suggested, because the smalti made it feel too recessed.

[@theartofglass886]

Peter if you take the spring out and the little peg out you can open up the tool as much as you like

[@TreasuryRoad]

Thankyou, yes I should have mentioned that as a side note in the video. :)

[@KazakhKea]

Hi there from New Zealand, Can you please explain how to work with cut viterous tile? I would like to make mosaic on a pot with viterous tile, but when I cut them and glue on the pot I get uneven surface. Is it just limitation of this media and I have to accept it, or there is a trick how to make it even? Thanks

[@TreasuryRoad]

Hi Kazakh. Vitreous tiles are a very even tile, if you are cutting them and adding them to the pot then it would be the amount of adhesive you are applying under them which is not the same amount. Or it could be you are squashing some down into the adhesive more than others especially if the pot is smooth. I cant elaborate further because I don't know what adhesive you are using. I would suggest joining Mosaic Australia Wide on Facebook and create a post including a photo, its a great group where lots of people help without judgement, I am also in there so I can have a better understanding of what the problem is. :)

[@KazakhKea]

@@TreasuryRoad Thanks, Yeah, it's easier to ask on Facebook. Vitreous tiles are even on one side, but on the back they are not. So when I cut 2x2 tile on small pieces and glue I got each of them on defferent angles and levels. But probably it's not clear without photos. I'll ask on Facebook

[@TreasuryRoad]

I think I know what you mean, this would be an issue if you were cutting the pieces up very small. To begin with I normally cut against the grooves on the bottom as much as I can otherwise the nippers can get side tracked in the grooves. If you are cutting them extremely small or using certain areas like the corner pieces then those pieces can be difficult to keep flat because the surface area on the bottom is not great. :)

[@KazakhKea]

@@TreasuryRoad Yes, I came to the same conclusion. Thanks for you answer :)

[@diannecrea7090]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge! 💕

[@TreasuryRoad]

Thankyou so much and my pleasure. :)

[@BiddyLamb]

Great video!

[@TreasuryRoad]

Thankyou so much, appreciate that. :)

[@phyllisbarr4766]

great thank you

[@TreasuryRoad]

Thankyou so much Phyllis and thanks for watching. 😊

Great tutorial!

[@TreasuryRoad]

Thankyou so much. :)

[@kaysommers3323]

Besides the double wheeled nippers, what is the name of the other tool?

[@TreasuryRoad]

The other tool is a scorer breaker, readily available at most large hardware chains or tilers. :)

[@sandrakicklighter2735]

From the US and never heard of smalti. What is it? A kind of dyed stone? A kind of glass? Hard to tell from just watching the video.

[@TreasuryRoad]

Have a look on the internet it will go into detail. It is hand made and cut glass and is also made with 24K gold, it comes in a huge range of colours and the best Smalti is Smalti made in Italy. Smalti is expensive but very unique it comes in small pieces, large Pizza pieces, normally cut with a Hammer and Hardie . Its normally adhered with thinset and very close together and its known for its colours and reflections. Its not normally grouted as it can dull the reflections down and the glass can also have pits in it. I believe the technique was discovered thousands of years ago.

[@joychip5994]

Is that Mexican or Italian smalti

[@TreasuryRoad]

I cant remember what they are but I know they weren't the Italian. :)