Concrete Walkway with Mosaic Inlay

10 years ago

Hi everyone! You've got yourself a newbie here. I'm looking for some advice on an outdoor mosaic project. I have a concrete walkway that my husband and I poured last summer. It has seventeen 6-inch diameter circular indentations in the concrete, which we created with the idea of filling them with mosaic inlays. I've worked with stained glass for years, but never with mosaic.

I've made two of the mosaics, using vitreous glass tile glued with white glue upside down to a piece of heavy kraft paper in the reverse method. The pieces of glass are extremely, ridiculously small - some as small as 1/4".

My question is, what material would you use to install and grout the mosaics into the concrete depressions? I feel like I've read many different ways I could do it. I've read that sanded grout is best for outdoor applications, but wouldn't be good for the tiny grout lines I've left. I'm worried about the small pieces getting shifted around in the process.

The depressions are about 1/4" deep. I live in Maine, so there's definitely a freeze/thaw cycle!

Any advice is appreciated - thank you!

Comments (17)

silvamae
10 years ago
If it were me, I would use thinset (mortar) as an adhesive and also as grout. What a cool sidewalk you will have! I love the curves of it.
silvamae
10 years ago
and also meant to say, "Welcome!"
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nicethyme
10 years ago
cool, sanded grout fits everywhere . I would love to play with filling those depressions with stained glass and rocks... oooOOoo, the opportunity abounds

keep us posted PLEASE
willow-bee
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks so much for the advice! The guy at Home Depot recommended regular old mortar, so I think I will give that a try as far as what to lay the tiles into. And unless anyone else chimes in otherwise (and please do!) I'll try sanded grout.

There's a line engraved on the walkway with an angle grinder that represents a timeline of the earth, and the mosaics will show different events/creatures that evolved along the timeline...starting out with the formation of the earth and moon, the atmosphere, dinosaurs, dragonflies, fish, etc. ...and finally people!

(Super nerdy, I know. We like science.) I'll be sure to post some photos of the mosaics when I get them in!
nicethyme
10 years ago
then dang! call my nerd queen! cause I love that idea!

I would go with thinset for adhesive though
silvamae
10 years ago
That is going to be fabulous!! Please post pics along the way.
julie10059
10 years ago
Looking foward to pic's
nanatricia
10 years ago
Yes sounds like it is going to be great !!! Have fun!!!
barbfrizzell1955
10 years ago
What a cool project! I look forward to seeing more pics of this!
Calamity_J
10 years ago
LOVE THIS!!! Plz keep posting work in progress pics
willow-bee
Original Author
10 years ago
Hello all! Looks like there's some interest in my project (which warms my little heart). Here are a couple photos of the first two insets I put in last weekend. They are in the bed of thinset, but not grouted yet. I put too much thinset into the dragonfly one so there's not much room - or any in some spots - for grout, so I'm not sure how that's going to look. The dragonfly also taught me the importance of using high-contrast colors between subject matter and background (his body is kinda lost in the background). Better to learn on #1 than #12, I guess! So 2 down, 15 more to go....
willow-bee
Original Author
10 years ago
...and the moon!
barbfrizzell1955
10 years ago
Looks good!
mfbpa
10 years ago
Awesome! What fun! I'm so jealous, I've been trying to get to my wall but my kids are popping out babies and getting married, which leaves no time for my mosaics. Currently I am living through other peoples work.
LOL
Thanks for sharing.....
silvamae
10 years ago
Wow, looking good!
julie10059
10 years ago
That is going to be so nice,you are doing a great job
oldcrafty
10 years ago
Looking so good!