How to apply the remnants of tiles in the country. How to make a mosaic of broken tiles with your own hands

Everyone can complete repairs in the house with an original mosaic of broken tiles, especially if you familiarize yourself with the basics of work. Lay out a colored pattern from the remains of a tile, adding fragments of others decorative materials- one of the most simple methods creating an original panel in the bathroom, kitchen or garden design. This painstaking work is not very popular, but man-made panels in the interior will never go out of fashion.

What materials can be used for mosaic cladding

The original do-it-yourself tile mosaic provides great opportunities for the manifestation of imagination, especially when there is material and good ideas. In childhood, many tried to master the method of drawing by cells, when the grid on the portrait reproduces the sketch, increasing the layout several times. In the same way, you can reproduce any plot or portrait on the wall in one of the rooms - Viktor Tsoi, Marilyn Monroe, "the mask of a stranger", birds, an aquarium. good examples- mosaic of broken tiles photo.

Doing the job is not as difficult as it seems, and if you hire a specialist, it will be expensive. Step-by-step laid out drawing, none of the guests will be able to distinguish from the work of the artist. It will take more time than a craftsman's workflow, but it's a nice creative experience, and it's nice to share the work on social networks. If you manage to master the technique of laying out a mosaic from a bat ceramic tiles, it can become both an exciting hobby and additional income.

Mosaic panels - execution of thematic or abstract compositions from different elements. Each drawing is unique, because it is made up of fragments, the color and shape of which cannot be repeated. Mosaic may consist of:

• equal pieces of the same shape (circle, square, triangle, 6-sided);
• fragments of arbitrary shape;
• combinations of pieces different sizes and forms.

Construction supermarkets throw away broken tiles, ceramic tiles and other finishing materials or sold as recyclable, and can be bought at a reasonable price. For those who are interested in how to lay out a mosaic of broken tiles, it is important to know what is suitable for these purposes. various materials. It:

• broken colored glass;
• pieces of mirror and bottle glass;
• fragments of porcelain dishes;
• thin saw cuts of a tree;
• polished fragments of colored glass and mother-of-pearl shells collected on the seashore;
• original shells;
• smooth colored pebbles;
• pieces of gems;
• large smooth buttons, etc.

Tip: When laying out a colored pattern, there are not always pieces of the desired shape and size - they can be plucked with wire cutters from a large fragment or cut evenly with a tile cutter. When doing this work, protect your face from splinters and dust! When starting work, protect your eyes with goggles, and your nose and mouth with a household respirator. Work in a robe and gloves so as not to cut yourself on the edge of the fragment. It is important that casual spectators are not present during this process - sharp fragments of chipped tiles can injure them.

Where can I put a mosaic panel

Mosaic made of special tiles like smalt is an expensive pleasure, and it is also used for interior decoration. However, the most budget option will be a self-made mosaic made of broken tiles. This finish is widely used:

• on the floor - in the bathroom, hallway, kitchen or pool;
• in any surfaces intended for washing;
• on countertops and ceramic flowerpots;
• for garden structures;
• on the sides of a bench or bench made by hand;
• inside an old bathtub designed like a "seabed" pool.

If you're looking for finished work that inspires, look for views of Barcelona. The great Spanish architect Gaudi left many talented samples of mosaic panels to his descendants. But even gifted contemporaries left us a lot of artistic canvases:

• at the ends of multi-storey buildings;
• in the decoration of swimming pools;
• as a decoration for kitchens and bathrooms;
• monumental paintings in the foyer and cladding of public buildings;
• for registration of shops, offices, policlinics and sanatoriums.

This universal way decorative finishes today you can try it in your country house or in the country, in a city apartment or at the entrance. The bench in the courtyard, decorated with a mosaic of broken tiles, tolerates frosts and rains well, it will not lose its original appearance for years, and the material can be collected from apartments for free. You can familiarize yourself with the basics of mosaics from broken tiles - a video that details all the stages of work.

How to start laying out a mosaic image

Mosaic canvases are not only a fascinating creative process, but also original way savings. Against the background of a steady rise in prices building materials there is an opportunity to show resourcefulness, collecting elements for a picturesque panel from improvised materials. Shards of broken colored tiles helped Gaudi not only discover new facets of talent in himself, but also create famous masterpieces in Park Güell!

There are several options for choosing a theme for the panel:

1. Try to see your theme in colored fragments and color solution, then add some missing material.

2. Select ready scheme broken tile mosaics, based on personal preference.

3. It is better to create a mosaic of broken tiles according to your own sketch, but on the basis of familiarization with highly artistic samples.

4. The picture that inspired you can decide to recreate it in a mosaic version using image enlargement.

5. Try to repeat the finished mosaic masterpiece with your own color scheme.

6. Review proposals for the sale of finished mosaic tiles, and choose the material that impressed you the most.

7. Using ready-made broken material, spread it on any smooth surface abstract drawing that will tell fantasy.

It is important to have an idea of ​​artistic principles:

• symmetrical canvases are more difficult to lay out, but they are better perceived;
• in asymmetry, a larger fragment is placed on the left, and the right-sided placement of large fragments makes the image heavier;
• when laying out recognizable outlines and portraits without a stencil, it is important to observe proportions;
• if there is no artistic taste and creative experience, it is better not to experiment on a prepared surface, but to use a good sketch.

Fragments of broken tiles are also laid in the form of abstract canvases, using color contrasts. But the abstraction is built according to the principle:

• beautiful color combinations
• smooth color transitions;
• contrast options.

However, large natural elements look most impressive in mosaic canvases:

• birds and animals or their fantasy images;
• flowers - sunflowers, daffodils, poppies, irises;
• fish - aquarium, marine or animated;
• portrait elements - a profile of a girl in a hat, a carnival mask, a languid look, recognizable images;
• landscapes - schematic or highly artistic.

Before you start laying out the mosaic canvas in its permanent place, try to work out the layout on another surface, for example, on the floor or table. It is important to measure the dimensions of the finished work with the surface where the mosaic will be. Try to imagine the finished result with grout between the fragments, you may need to add pigment to it in the desired shade for a solid pattern. The black filler between large pieces of colored broken tiles will resemble a stained glass window, and white will give purity and freshness.

On the image future work it is better to think over all the options in advance so as not to regret the haste - it is extremely difficult to redo the mosaic. If a mosaic with a recognizable image causes difficulty, then it is better to start with a simple abstract composition.

Tip: When choosing pieces of tiles, it is important to sort them out - better pieces are suitable for central elements and semantic accents, the rest of the battle goes to the edges. Cut off on the front side, chipped and defective pieces with cracks in the enamel are suitable for edges and chipping off missing fragments (filling voids). For mosaic tiles, the dimensions will be corrected with wire cutters. When the finished panel is dry, freshen it with glass cleaner and wipe it with a fluffy rag.

Preparation of surfaces for work

Mosaic is laid out on the wall in different ways:

• on the prepared wall, smearing each fragment with glue and fixing it on a reinforcing building mesh;
• lay out the main part of the mosaic on the grid and fix the finished pattern to the plane;
• it is important to prepare a rounded wall, to transfer the mosaic in fragments from a preliminary layout, otherwise the pattern will warp, and some of the tile fragments will fall off.

1. Before applying the markup for the mosaic sketch, clean the wall from the remnants of wallpaper, peeled paint, cement dust, and small particles.

2. Wipe the cleaned surface with a damp clean sponge and let it dry.

3. Fill everything with starting putty, apply a small layer on the entire surface under the mosaic panel, cover with a reinforcing mesh, and apply pieces of tile on it.

4. Mosaic fragments are well attached to a flat plane, if the pattern is initially laid out on a grid, it is applied to a perfectly plastered surface.

5. When transferring tiles, it is better to use 2 stencils - on one, the primary layout of the panel will be performed, and on the second, we apply markings on the wall or other plane. The most convenient way is with chalk or a marker. Do not be afraid that the lines will be visible, they will subsequently be filled with a special solution - grout.

Tip: When laying tiles and shards, protect your hands with gloves from small cuts with sharp edges. Tiles stick well only when optimum temperature- within +5°С - +30°С.

Mortar for tiles

A solution for working with ceramic and tile is in every hardware store. Give preference to light shades - it is easier to evaluate the preliminary results.

For cullet, a light or transparent solution is used; it will shine through under the fragments. In some cases, a little foil is placed under each piece of colored glass so that the mosaic sparkles like precious stones.

The finished solution is applied to the wall with a small spatula from the corner or central area, from where it is more convenient to lay out the panels. Each fragment is slightly pressed into the solution so that it attaches well.

Tip: The laying is best attached from below, and the finished areas should be allowed to dry before the next step. It is convenient to lay out pieces of the same color according to the stencil pattern, for example, a sunflower petal. On a small panel, the solution will be successfully replaced by “liquid nails”.

curved pattern

Mosaic pattern from broken ceramic tiles - perfect option where there should be a curved washable surface that cannot be laid with ordinary tiles. It is good to fix small fragments along the grid with ordinary glue, and fill the gap with grout or finishing plaster.

This method is suitable for rounded and streamlined surfaces in the bathroom and pool, in the hallway and kitchen. Looks good:

• laid out in oriental style mosaic washbasin;
• the outer side of the bath and the inner side of the pool;
• rounded niches for small figurines.

Beautifully look in the bathroom, sauna or pool surfaces flowing into one another - from the floor to the walls and the outside of the tanks, as in the photo. The greenhouse looks picturesque, the loggia under winter Garden with rounded multi-level terraces for plants, lined with a mosaic of broken tiles, shells and stones.

Technology of laying out a mosaic pattern

To master the features of laying out a mosaic, it is important to carefully study the master class on tiles from broken pieces. For this you will need:

• chipped remains of porcelain stoneware, ceramic tiles, other facing and natural materials;
• a set of spatulas;
• scissors for cutting the mesh and the mesh itself;
• fixtures and utensils for preparing the adhesive composition;
• grout for joints - in the color of the tile or contrasting;
• wire cutters and tile cutter;
• any tile adhesive light color, better special transparent or super-cement;
• suitable for laying mosaics on the floor cement mortar.

General rules:

1. It is convenient to lay out the pattern from the central semantic fragment, gradually covering new areas.

2. First, the laying of the main figures is completed, then the background and background of the composition. If a lot of mortar or glue has come out in some places, it is important to carefully remove each element from the front side, you can leave it in between.

3. At the final stage, the pattern is left to dry for a day. Then wipe the mosaic with a damp sponge to remove excess composition.

4. The final stage is the grouting of the mosaic canvas or filling in the gaps. Special grout for tiles can be purchased at a building supermarket or made from dry finishing putty. If you do it yourself, prepare the batch under small areas working through each piece.

5. If necessary, a pigment is added to the grout to match the tone of the mosaic.

6. After about 20 minutes, the grout seizes and darkens a little - you can remove its excess from the tile pieces with a damp sponge.

7. When the mosaic is completed - treat with glass cleaner and wipe dry thoroughly.

Tip: When the mosaic canvas is laid out on pieces of the grid in fragments, it is important to remove excess edges so that they do not overlap. It is better to immediately cut out individual fragments according to templates, lay out individual sections according to the sketch.

Mosaic for outdoor use can be laid on cement mortar with the addition of glue:

• decoration of fences;
• base of benches;
• garden paths;
• barbecue walls;
• fountains;
• multi-level flower beds.

After the cement base has set a little, they begin to decorate with mosaics. Do not forget to level horizontal surfaces building level, vertical - plumb.

Mosaic care is simple:

• do not use abrasive cleaning compounds, acidic substances and oily substances that spoil the grout;
• dirty areas of the mosaic in the kitchen can be lightly cleaned with a soft brush and soapy water;
• after any cleaning agent, the panels are wiped with a damp sponge, then dry;
• outer surfaces and garden decor can be treated with clean water from a hose, but the jet should not be strong so as not to destroy the integrity of the composition.

CrazyStroitel.ru will tell you how to make paths in the country from ceramic tiles yourself.

All experienced summer residents know that when it rains and there are no tiles in the summer cottage, then an unpleasant picture awaits you in the form of dirt in your area. To avoid this and beautiful path in a do-it-yourself tile cottage, you will need to follow simple step-by-step instructions.

First you need to decide on a tile.

Option 1

Buy tiles. If you are planning to buy tiles, then optimal size will be 60x60 cm. Thickness 3-7cm. The color is naturally chosen according to taste.

Option 2

Make a tile yourself from the remains and stone or fragments of old tiles or flat stone, etc.. You can even just use cement mortar. Now we will learn how to concrete the path in the country.

We make the tiles ourselves (if you have already bought a finished tile, then skip this step)

Important! Look at our website .

1. First, we calculate how many tiles you need using this calculator on the partner site Perpendicular.pro. Further, in order to make such a tile, you will need a form of wood 60x60 cm. The thickness of the form is at least 10 cm. The solution must be filled by 7 cm.

2. We put pebbles, granite or flat stones in the form. Or we don't put anything.

3. Fill with concrete 1/4 (1 bucket of concrete and 4 buckets of sand) by 7 cm. We are waiting for 5 days until the tile gains strength.

Ready. Next step.

Ceramic tile paving

Ready. We get a tiled coating for paths in the country:

During the repair, it turned out that the tile was well preserved and so neatly moved away from the wall that you could at least reuse it? Why not! There is no need to hastily say goodbye to already used materials, because you can breathe a second life into them. Dom.by will tell you how to use old tiles in various variations.

Idea #1: Repost it.

The tile can be laid again, and, believe me, it will look good. Refresh the look of a summer house or garage. The laying process should be easier and faster than the first time, since the material has already been prepared.

Idea #2: Break into pieces.

If the tile after removal is not in its original form or you have several types of tiles, then it is better to turn them into small fragments. Such eclecticism will look very original.

Idea number 3: use as a decorative element.

Tile patterns can be very pretty and self-sufficient. Use it to your advantage and turn boring pottery into a work of art.

And now more about how you can use old tiles and bring these ideas to life.

How to use broken tiles?

Do not rush to get rid of tile fragments, as they can be used in interior design. Here are a few examples of what pieces of tile can turn into:

Abstract painting;

Stand for hot;

Frame for photos, mirrors, paintings;

tabletop;

Cutting board;

Framing for paintings or mirrors;

Mosaic on garden paths.

Get rid of the sharp edges of the tiles. You can also chamfer - so the tile will look neater.

On the surface of a solid color, a picture of a tile looks appropriate. If only small pieces remain from the tile, then draw them into an abstraction and place them in a frame. If the tile is well preserved and has an interesting pattern, you can use it as an independent element of the interior. So on a calm flat wall color accent will appear.

To make a frame, use plywood as a base on which pieces of ceramics will be glued. You can crush and combine them in various variations, regardless of shape and color. Glue all the elements well, give them time to fix on the frame - and you can use it in the interior!

Tiles and other materials

The tile looks good with gypsum - these materials make beautiful crafts. Place pieces of tile on the bottom of a detachable form for gypsum, fill them with mortar. Depending on the shape, you can get an original plate, animal figurines and much more. The main thing is that it does not take a lot of time and money.

In the Old World, painting on tiles is now common. So if you have artistic talent and a few tiles, you can try. You can create both on one element and on several, subsequently arranging them in one panel.

Tile pieces can revive an old flower pot or vase. Just stick a pattern on them, and boring objects will sparkle with new colors.

How to use leftover floor tiles? Use when decorating garden paths or countertops. The latter is decorated like this: the surface is covered with cement, on which broken ceramic elements are laid out. Will it be an ornament or a chaotic pattern - the choice is yours. After the mortar has set, the irregularities are filled with grout. A similar algorithm of actions is also used when making a track: pieces of tiles are heated in cement, and they are given time to dry.

Now you are armed great ideas. How to use the remains of ceramic tiles - your choice!

If you have recently carried out repairs in the apartment, as a result of which there are “extra” leftovers, do not rush to throw them away - they can still come in handy!
This is especially true of old tiles or ceramic tiles - you can lay out a whole mosaic from broken pieces, updating the interior of a house or landscape suburban area. How? Very simple!

As you know, a real finished mosaic in a store can be quite expensive, but everyone can create it on their own.

The result is an interesting mosaic design, which, moreover, will cost much less than bought in a store.

Where can it be used?

An old shoe table can be "turned" into a beautiful stand for indoor plants, or window sills - in a beautiful mosaic field.

If you have a cottage, then you can use an old broken tile for decoration country paths, shower floor in the bath or a decorative pond!

In addition to horizontal surfaces, mosaics are also used to decorate wall panels - just imagine how beautiful it will look or a wall in the bathroom, finished with mosaics!

Photos: apron in the kitchen from broken tiles

How can I get pieces of broken tiles?

Of course, if you still have a broken tile and you do not want to waste time on additional splitting, then you can use what you have. In this case, the mosaic fragments will look more than natural.

But you want something beautiful, elegant. Then you can independently cut the tile into fragments of such a size that it will be convenient to use when laying out the sketch.

The tile can be cut with a tile cutter, or you can simply chop it with a hammer. In the first case, you will have to handle the tiles very carefully so as not to damage the pieces, in the second case, before breaking, wrap the pieces in a bag / cloth so that small fragments do not scatter in all directions.

Master class on laying mosaics from old broken tiles

There are two ways to lay a mosaic of broken tiles: orderly (according to a sketch) and randomly (randomly).

First way more difficult because you have to lay out the tiles strictly according to the intended pattern, observing not only the technique of “drawing” patterns, but also the arrangement of colors. To do this, a sketch is prepared first on paper, then you can transfer it to a wall / horizontal surface (tabletop, floor, table, and other types of surface). And only then proceed to laying the mosaic.

Second way is simpler than the first - pieces of broken tiles simply fit randomly, you can lay them out like puzzles, "adjusting" some shapes - to form a kind of unified whole.

True, in this case, you still have to follow two rules:

1. Mosaic must have different colors for nearby pieces - so the pattern will not only be bright and colorful, but also more fun, interesting. The fewer shades you use, the calmer your mosaic will be¸ and vice versa - the large quantity different colors will be present in the image, the more colorful it will turn out. If any element "does not fit" in big picture, it can be replaced by another, using a crowbar and picking out the "puzzle".



2. The sizes of adjacent pieces should be different. Of course, you don’t need to put pieces that are completely different in size next to each other, but there should be at least some differences in them. You can take, for example, pieces not only of different sizes, but also different shapes. At the same time, the edges of the pieces should not touch each other - it is better to leave gaps (thermal seams), which then need to be carefully wiped.



Advice: the amount of glue required for gluing tile pieces is not regulated - one piece may require a thin layer, the other a thick one. Everything will depend on how evenly the surface is prepared for laying, as well as on the thickness of the pieces themselves. Sometimes you will have to apply a little more adhesive on a certain piece in order to equalize the height of different pieces of broken tiles - otherwise the grout can only damage the mosaic.



Decorating a flower bed with broken tiles



Photo: finishing flower pots broken tiles

Tools and materials

• Ceramic tiles, tile, remains of porcelain stoneware
• Tile (or building) adhesive
• Grout for joints
• Fine-toothed trowel
• Rubber mallet for tiles
• A little plaster, primer
• other expendable materials- rags, paper, a pencil with a ruler (if the mosaic is planned to be laid “with a pattern”).

Stages of work

Stage 1. Surface preparation. As mentioned above, it is desirable to bring any surface, if not to ideal, then at least to the most even - so that the pieces of the mosaic lay flat. To do this, you will have to use both, and a primer. When the base for the mosaic is ready, you can apply a layer of glue, on which the pieces will subsequently be laid.

Important: if used for mosaics and floor, and wall types tiles, you should remember about their different thicknesses - floor tiles thicker than the wall, and therefore it is advisable to start laying with it, it will be a kind of height reference for the entire mosaic tile. An additional layer of glue can be applied to pieces of wall tiles to adjust the height.

Stage 2. Laying pieces of tiles on the surface. If you prefer a chaotic mosaic, then you can simply lay out all the pieces in a mess, leaving small gaps between them. If the mosaic involves a certain pattern, then you will have to make a sketch that needs to be transferred to the surface.

Additional lubrication of the surfaces of tile pieces with glue is done with a notched trowel - so the glue will be distributed more evenly over the entire gluing surface. After the pieces are completely laid out, the surface is left for a day until the glue dries completely and the mosaic sets to the base.

Stage 3. Final work. After the glue has completely dried, it will be necessary to grout the tile joints. As a rule, it is advisable to select the grout in the same color as the pattern itself (however, if you choose a bright mosaic, then a neutral color grout - white, gray, light beige) is ideal. Half an hour after applying the grout, the mosaic can be wiped with a damp cloth, removing the remnants of the grout.

If the panel is laid out on the wall and has a certain pattern, then the mosaic laying technology is the same: surface preparation, drawing the outline of the pattern, selecting tile pieces by color and size, gluing each piece (in this case, it is advisable to apply glue to each tile piece in addition to applying a layer of glue on the base of the wall), grouting.

From the outside, it seems that all this is quite easy and simple, in fact, laying out a mosaic of broken tiles on a wall in a certain pattern is a laborious, long, but, nevertheless, very exciting task!

Very often after different surfaces in the rooms were lined with multi-colored ceramics, among the construction debris in in large numbers lie remnants of tiles- cuttings and chipped pieces. And okay, if this is an old coating knocked off the walls, but very often you have to reject beautiful cracked during transportation or storage decorative tiles, and ceramics break with careless handling very easily. From such fragments, which were previously part of the materials purchased for cladding, you can make stunningly beautiful things.

Remains of wall tiles

So, the apron in the kitchen and the walls in the bathroom are covered fashionable tiles, in the hallway is finished with porcelain stoneware. In general, everything is beautiful, the rooms delight the eye with novelty, but a hefty hill of tile battles spoils the mood. The materials are not cheap, and every broken decorative plate means a waste of money. However, let's find a use for these fragments of former luxury, for example, lay out a beautiful wall panel in the living room or nursery. There are two options: wall covering or hinged structure.

For any of the proposed decorating methods, you will need tile adhesive, or any other that can hold the remains of the tile on a vertical plane.

Wall panel - step by step diagram

Step 1: Fight sorting

We will fit all the fragments without exception. However, you should immediately divide them by size. First of all, we separate the largest fragments, this is the easiest, and we will need them for initial stage finishes. Then we sort the remaining pieces into medium and small, the first - with sizes from 5 centimeters to 2, the second - any leftovers of at least 1 centimeter. We do not take the smallest fractions, crumbly is difficult to use.

Step 2: Panel Formation

It must be said that without a creative approach and the ability to work impromptu, it is quite difficult to make a mosaic. The fact is that it is difficult to apply a drawing on a wall in advance, which will subsequently be systematically and immediately on large plots covered with adhesive. Therefore, it is better to take a large sheet of paper or drawing paper, draw it into squares and then lay out the picture or simple pattern you need with fragments of tiles. That is how, in squares, we will transfer the panel to the prepared surface.

Step 3: Surface preparation

If you prefer standard way cladding, you need to clean the section of the wall that you have chosen for the panel from the old coating. In other words, we clean off a piece of wallpaper, scrape off the plaster, and if we are talking about plasterboard sheathing, then we remove the putty along with the coating. All the smallest protrusions are removed, the surface is primed and puttied again, after which it is divided into squares identical to those made on the template. Troublesome? Then, as a base, you can take any suitable size chipboard shield or MDF, or better - a piece of thick drywall. We fasten the loops for hanging, primer, it is better to cover the chipboard with drying oil and sheathe it with a reinforcing mesh (previously drawing it into squares), and putty a sheet of dry plaster before priming and also mark it.

Step 4: Finishing

We knead the tile adhesive and cover it with exactly the area to which we will transfer the image fragment from the first square (it is more convenient to start from the bottom corner). With a notched trowel, we draw several rows of grooves necessary for better subsidence of the mass under the elements of the future panel. Next, we take the largest fragments and stack them in the order in which they were laid out on the template. Between them we fix the middle pieces on the glue, and fill the remaining gaps with small ones. We remove the excess of the mass protruding from the seams with a hard rubber spatula.

To change the shape of individual fragments, for example, giving them the contours of flowers or animals, you should use a lathe or grinder with an abrasive wheel.

Step 5: Grout

Now it remains to tidy up the seams themselves, which look like a continuous strip of shells and protrusions. After the initial cleaning of the surface, we take another tool - a narrow spatula made of soft rubber. It is ideal for leveling the tile adhesive between layers of cladding, resulting in grooves with a smoothly rounded bottom. When the mass holding the coating dries up (this will happen after 24 hours), we take a special grout and carefully apply it with the same flexible spatula along all seams, not really trying to keep the panel elements clean. Just wipe the pieces of tile with a damp sponge or cloth at the end of the work, being careful not to touch the treated gaps between them.

When everything is ready, it remains only to wait for the complete solidification of the grout. If you applied a mosaic of broken tiles directly to the wall, then you simply proudly admire your work, but if the panel is glued to the shield, you need to screw the screws into the wall according to the number of loops, using plastic dowels for strength. Regardless of which of the panel options you have made, cover it with a transparent varnish for greater safety.

Tile garden path

If you live in a country house, and there were no fragments of ceramic decorative plates in the premises of use, it is useful to go to the garden. Look at it with the most critical eye and determine if you like garden paths. With the help of tile battle, they can be turned into fabulous tablecloths that will stretch between trees and flower beds, creating a spectacular landscape design. Preparation for laying is identical to that described above, therefore we skip the first steps and immediately proceed to surface preparation.

1. Surface preparation. We need sand. Ordinary river or quarry clean sand, preferably sifted. For the track, we dig a shallow (up to 15 centimeters), but wide groove, the bottom of which is well tamped. If the earth does not lend itself to compaction due to excessive friability, we pour a layer of greasy clay with a thickness of about 10 centimeters and ram. A layer of pre-prepared sand should be laid on top, which must be leveled and also carefully compacted. We drive in pegs along the edge of the future track, pulling a marking cord between them at the level of the intended surface, strictly horizontally, which can be determined using a level.
2. Laying tiles. The largest pieces should be laid out along the edge, each of which should have at least one even edge, we turn it outward. We press each fragment properly so that they sink into the sand almost to the very top plane. Then we knead the cement mortar and, raising the fragments of the future track one by one, pour into the holes under them building mix, after which we put it in place. We fit the middle pieces in the middle of our coating, fixing them with cement in the same way, and fill the gaps with small fragments, crushing them into the sand, extracting them and simply spreading the solution from below with a spatula. We maintain the horizontal position of the cladding with a bar laid on the surface, tapping on it with a rubber mallet. Fill the joints with liquid cement, then wipe the surface.

What can be made from broken ceramic tiles for design?

Let's not limit ourselves to the standard mosaic, even if it is made with inspiration, and consider the fragments as an element for decorating any objects around you. Take, for example, the usual flower pot, and with ordinary glue "Liquid Nails" cover it with a dense layer of fragments of colored tiles, placing them in a certain sequence with a simple pattern. The same can be done with any containers, including concrete flowerpots, old buckets, and even thermoses, which in this way will turn into ceramic jugs.

But we will go further and figure out for ourselves what can be made from broken ceramic tiles. Using a wire frame and a reinforcing mesh, it is easy to build a ball, then covering it mounting foam. From above, it remains only to spread the tile adhesive and put pieces of broken tiles into it, adding glass fragments with slightly sanded edges for effect in between. Such balls can be placed on specially prepared pedestals made of brick and concrete, also covered with mosaics, or simply decorate flower beds with them, placing them in the center.