Not sure how thick your plywood is but vitreous glass (venetian glass) makes a good edge that is free of sharp edges. I just did a headboard and it is edged with it. It comes in all colors so you can color coordinate w/ your china. And it cuts like butter if it's needs nipped. Just an idea.......

Found a stopping place in grouting, so thought I'd check in at nearly lunch time. AMITY: I LOVED reading how you bolted outta bed w/an idea - sounds like me. And, I L.O.V.E. what you came up with. What a terrific idea. Along w/CATHY's very GOOD idea of using the vitreous tiles, I've seen on a site way back couple yrs. ago, someone used a band of copper around a table. It would give it real mixed media interest. You could use brass also, or any kind of easily cut metal. Oh, this is gonna be fun to watch. The whole time I was reading about your waiting to find that little talbe, I'm thinking MAKE YOUR OWN. Then read further, and found you did just that. PERFECT. LOVE IT!!!!!

how about the copper or brass strip like slow suggested with the upholstery tacs that are decorative and come in a strip to hold it in place. you just nail it in. you can even patina it to turn it black. if you use the vitreous tiles on the wood and its gonna be outside, even if you use thinset and seal the wood really really good, the tiles might pop off

OHMYGOODNESS - I didn't register that this w/be an outside table. If I were making an outside table, I'd use backerboard instead of plywood. It comes in different thicknesses. Wood w/deteriorate.

Yes, No wood! It will eventually swell and pop off your hard work. The copper strip idea is a good one, it looks very nice and you can make a "lip"if you like. Vitreous is also a great idea.

Last summer I made a small side table for my porch. Because of advice from the brilliant ladies here I used cement board for my base. I too had the edge dilemma. I bought some wood veneer strip stuff from Lowes or HD which I glued to the edge and painted black to match the table base. It worked for me, but this table is not in an area of constant use. I would have liked to use metal if people were going to sit at the table, put elbows on etc. Love what you are doing so far. Keep us posted.
Judy

There is no way to seal wood enough to prevent the movement it gives with moisture - even just humity changes will pop tesserae eventually.

so here's my advice FWIW, router out the center of this and set in a piece of cement board, lower than the wood so that THAT becomes your rim.

Oh my goodness....You all are soooo encouraging, helpful and really want me to succeed...I love it!

OK, we have the backer board left from our DIY shower re-do.
I finally found the copper strip....almost fell over from sticker shock....but I'll keep looking for a less-expensive seller and I'll also look at the glass and the veneer banding.
I'll have to wait until Saturday for hubby to cut the backer board to replace the plywood but that's ok, I've got plenty to keep me busy today and tomorrow.

I finally got some "me" time late last night to check in here but instead of reading my own post, I ended up reading all your posts.....all the way back to page 11 ! LOL
The creativity on this board...OMG, I am in total jaw-dropping AWE!''

I would have been here two days ago but my darling daughter called me from work.
"Mom, the DM no longer wants to hassle with the little garden set-up and he's about ready to dump ALL the plants...do you want them? They are all almost dead as nobody here knows how to take care of them properly but maybe you can save a few of them?"

Well, judging from the posts I read here last night, some of you will understand how I could Not turn down free plants! The fact that someone was throwing away semi-live plants was to me, almost sinful. :)
Daughter brought the plants home.......6 of those black lattice-type crates, full of geraniums, ivy geraniums, impatiens (both sun and shade varieties) double impatiens, some herbs (chive, mint, basil), a couple 6-packs of tomato plants (cherry), two 6-packs of blue alyssum and even a couple jalapeno plants! LOL

The last couple days I've been knee-deep in fresh potting mix, sand, peat, pots, cutting back, transplanting......
It looks like all the geraniums (both types) will make it and it also looks like the impatiens will come back. I'll baby the rest and see what happens.
Pics of plants, before daughter's car was completely unloaded.

Back to mosaics!
After reading here for hours last night, I could feel the caring, the encouragement, the genuine concern you regulars have for each other AND for anyone that comes here for the first time with a questions. I could tell through your words that you WANT newbies to mosaic/stained glass to succeed. Simply Amazing...all of you!

I also gathered from reading past posts that there is a lot of DIY going on with many of you.
That's been the story of my life for over 30 years of marriage........
Raising 5 kids, there was just never enough funds to have things done so we'd head to the library, learn what we could, then do it ourselves.
Never are our DIY projects professional-looking, but they are passable, safe, we've saved a ton of $$$ and we usually get compliments....at least on our creativity. LOL
Our home, when we purchased it in 1981, was the drug house of the neighborhood and had been on the market for almost two years.
With the exception of the new roof and enlarging and moving the electrical box to the other side of the house, everything else has been done by us.....a real Laurel and Hardy experience each and every time. LOL

Since it looks like I'm going to be hanging around this forum for awhile (I have an old, round, iron bistro table I want to tile and I'm sure I'll be needing lots of help from all of you) I thought I give you a link to my Trash to Treasures album....give you an idea who I am, what I do and how I'd rather reuse and re-purpose than buy it new (what can I say...I got used to being cheap and old habits are hard to break lol).

I so look forward to getting to know you all better and again, Thank you all so much for your responses to my question and making me feel so welcomed!

Here is a link that might be useful: Trash to Treasure - Around the house

Glad you like us here. In looking at your slideshow, I think I need to go lie down - made me tired seeing all the work y'all have been doing, but it surely has paid off. Looks great. I noticed your fake rocks. Please tell me where you bought the molds for those. I might be making myself and my DD a fountain, and w/love to make the rocks to cover them. W/appreciate any info you offer on making these rocks - sizes - did you use any reenforcement, etc?