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bverste

using dishes for mosaic

bverste
13 years ago

I have been gathering some very pretty dishes that I am slowly breaking up or nipping up, anyway the question that I have is that some of the dishes have chipped, it appears that the pattern is painted on--am I explaining this well enough? anyway I am concerned that the glaze or painting will just come off the mosaic, so are there better dishes than others to use?

Comments (6)

  • texaswild
    13 years ago

    My experience w/hand painted dishes is that they don't hold up in below zero temps outside. I had a few minor chips on the shards, as well as on the red ceramic tiles I bought from Lowes, last winter when we had 19 below - nothing major that can't be re-touched w/porcelain paint. IMO, you can safely use yours on inside projects.

  • jenel
    13 years ago

    Slow, when a pattern is painted on, does the grouting process scrape the pattern? I had the same fears as bverste.

  • texaswild
    13 years ago

    I haven't had any problems w/grouting, and I am very vigorous in the grouting process - sometimes using a wire brush. I think it was the severe winter we had in East TX that nicked a few spots. Still, I won't hesitate to keep using whatever bright colors I can find in my area. A mosaic, to me, isn't supposed to be absolutely perfect.

  • aka_strawberrygoat
    13 years ago

    for all the dishes that I've broken, used nippers on and sorted..I found that the finer china for sure is superior to thicker pourous dishes, like from dollar stores or ones made of stone wear..
    any Gibson or others, with that type of name, will be great, in breaking, nipping, hammering or just dropping on the floor.

    it's just nicer, to have dishes that make a clean break and not fly off into a thousand itty bitty shards, that fall all over the floor, right around you or 6 feet away.

    thrift store, with china is the way to go..don't even bother with bonanza dollar stores..you'll be sorry.

    it's the gold and silver rims that make me nervous, for the grout to scratch it up.

    and positively never try to outwit any corelle dishes!
    you will lose~

    Becky .(*_*).

  • bverste
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks for the info everyone, I have been having fun nipping poor little plates up--little plates that have done nothing to me.

  • texaswild
    13 years ago

    Don't give up, BVERSTE. Keep looking for the nicer dishes and keep breaking, When I don't want certain shapes, I do as STRAWBERRY suggested - hammer away on a concrete floor.

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