Adding a decorative glass & stone tile border as shown is an easy project with stunning results that you can do inexpensively. This project only cost me $50. I'll show you how!
WOW! Adding a glass & stone tile boarder in an afternoon and inexpensive? uh, NO!
It is indeed beautiful, and makes a statement, but the cheapest is $5+ per sq ft, and the pretty stuff (yes that'd be the glass & stone mosaic) is NOT "cheap" - just installed a killer backsplash and 1 sq foot of this type tile is $9/sqft if you are color blind- but the good looking stuff runs (mid-line) $12-$15 and some go as high as $30. Not Cheap, Not Easy, absolutely can not be
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completed in an afternoon (not correctly any way) The backing the 1"x1" (by pix above) has 1/16" space that needs 1/6" spacers on all 4 sides of everytile (12 rows of 12 tiles per sheet with like a kazillion itty bitty spacers) Takes TONS OF TIME! Then once its on the wall, 24 hours dry time, then the grout game- Smoosh it in said tiny lines, then wipe them off 3-7 times- carefully so as not to pull out what you want! Then 48-72 hours dry time before it can be sealed and caulked. I'd be pretty amazed if ANYONE could complete a boarder in the bath pix above in an afternoon!!! NO WAY!
I wasn't aware you needed spacers for the glass tiles.....my kitchen backsplash installer didn't use any. I got my 12x12 sheets at Home Depot for $4.99 a sheet. My question, Kim, is that I was expecting to see some type of grout edging along the exposed edge. You didn't use any from what I can tell. Does that bother you at all? My coworker did a single strip around her bathtub of the rectangle square, and it looks great.
@Dian, Thank you for such a passionate comment. This is a decorative border. The project cost me only $50. No spacers are needed because this made from a 12x12 mesh sheet of mosaic tiles. I was incorrect with the time frame, which I apologize for. I should have clarified (and I will correct the description), the tile can be installed in an afternoon, the grouting will take longer. My adhesive said to wait 6 hours before grouting for smaller projects. Large projects need 24 hrs. You may read the blog post for additional details.
Becky, I love those rectangle tiles too! I bet it looks beautiful. You know I thought about an additional top border but after I completed it I was happy with the results. I made did make sure the top edge was very clean.
Kim . . I love the tiles! And your comment to Dian was too nice! lol Obviously he/she did not read your link on how to do this job. I hope it hasn't scared off anyone . . this really is a fairly easy job - just a little messy when putting on the butter and the grout. But - it cleans up very nicely! I love all the new tile sheets that are comming out now . . it is so hard to decide which design I want! Thank you for shareing your work <3
It is indeed beautiful, and makes a statement, but the cheapest is $5+ per sq ft, and the pretty stuff (yes that'd be the glass & stone mosaic) is NOT "cheap" - just installed a killer backsplash and 1 sq foot of this type tile is $9/sqft if you are color blind- but the good looking stuff runs (mid-line) $12-$15 and some go as high as $30. Not Cheap, Not Easy, absolutely can not be ...»