Ceramic Mosaic Tiles Information

Most ceramic wall tiles can be cut down to use in mosaic, but you may wish to avoid those with a beveled edge that may make the edge pieces look different from the others.

Tesserae is the name given to the glass and stone pieces used to make a mosaic. Vitreous glass tiles are 20 mm square and available in a wide range of colours. The repetitive patterning of the tiny mosaic tesserae is hypnoti¬cally pleasing to the eye.

Ceramic tiles are available in either paper-faced sheets, like vitreous glass tiles, or on mesh-backed sheets.

Mosaic designs are made by setting small tesserae of tile, or other materials into a background of grout, when viewed from a distance, can create photographic-style portraits or patterns.

As far back as the twelfth century, imaginative craftspeople spun tile, stone, and mosaics together in floor and wall tiles. Exotic and colourful, mosaics are among the most ancient forms of decoration, The great civilizations of the ancient world produced magnificent mosaics.

Mosaic was first used by the Ancient Greeks, who made decorative pavements out of contrasting pebbles. The Romans developed the technique, and mosaic floors are found throughout the empire. During the Middle Ages, mosaic became a widespread decorative technique both in the West and in the Byzantine Empire. The European movements of Art Nouveau and the Vienna Secession used mosaic in new ways and in many different types of building. This century, new mosaic materials, both glass and ceramic, have been created by industrial processes designed to be used in large areas.