Choosing a design for decorating a bathroom with mosaics and how to arrange it yourself with your own hands
The use of mosaics in the decoration of bathrooms allows you to decorate rooms of any size in an original style. An additional advantage of the coating material is a long service life while maintaining decorative properties. Despite the high cost and the need for professional skills when laying, mosaic tiles are very popular.
Advantages of using mosaics in the interior of the bathroom
Mosaic is a way to create a floor or wall image by collecting and fixing pieces of stone, glass, metal, ceramics on the surface. Facing the mosaic is a tile (chip), whose size has been increased tenfold. The standard size of fleas is 2-5 centimeters. The decoration of the premises with mosaic shards dates back to the 4th millennium BC. The mosaic was an element of decorative and visual art, unique examples of which have survived to this day.
The release of mosaic blocks (flexible composition sheets) with a format of 30x30 centimeters simplifies installation and allows them to be widely used in design. Using mosaics, you can create a unique wall covering, floor, plumbing. It can be a monochromatic coating, with the image of the original ornament on the entire surface, or in part or in the form of artistic paintings.
The finish depends on the design idea and taste and is acceptable in all styles:
- classic;
- modernist;
- bionic.
Mosaic has an advantage over traditional tiled bathroom cladding not only in decoration possibilities. It surpasses the tile in terms of performance, which is expressed:
- in resistance to high humidity;
- the temperature difference;
- Mechanical stress.
An important advantage of mosaics is the possibility of high-quality finishing of corners, niches and ledges. Waste when laying a mosaic coating does not exceed 5%, which is lower than when working with tiles. In general, mosaic is an effective, reliable and durable coating. Disadvantages of mosaics include higher cost and experience requirements for tiling.
The main types of materials used
There is a huge selection of materials for tiling the bathroom with mosaics, the cost of which depends on the quality characteristics.
ceramic tile
Ceramic mosaic tiles have a standard size with an imitation of the outer surface for the texture of chips. Laying technology corresponds to the standard, which allows you to combine ceramic mosaics with tiles.A kind of ceramic mosaic is made of tiles imitating fragmented ceramics. The material is used to create decorations in the antique style. Outperforms standard ceramic ceramic in cost.
The ceramic mosaic coating is resistant to extreme temperatures and high humidity. The glazed surface of the tile allows the use of abrasive materials to remove limescale and dirt.
glass mosaic
The material does not pass steam and water, having absolute insulating properties. Adjustable lighting allows you to change color accents in the upholstery. The hall, decorated with glass mosaics, visually seems larger. The glass mosaic is resistant to household detergents, except those containing citric acid. Preparations with abrasive inclusions are not used to clean the mosaic surface. Tempered glass resists mechanical stress.
A type of glass mosaic is smalt - colored artificial glass made using special technology. The difference between smalt glass and ordinary glass is in the internal glow and color play. Smalt is an expensive material that requires professional styling.
Natural Stone Mosaic Tiles
A natural material with high mechanical properties, it is most often used in the bathroom for flooring. Chips are made from inexpensive semi-precious stones, which allows you to create a variety of interior options in the bathroom.
Roman
More than two thousand years ago, in ancient Rome, a method was invented to decorate rooms with pieces of natural stone, smalt and glass. A set of mosaics consists of chips of different configurations and sizes, most often made of marble.The bottom coating is made up of large pieces, fitted to each other chaotically. For drawing, small chips are used to make the image artistically accurate.
Florentine
The Florentine mosaic appeared in the 16th century in Florence. The Medici family became the founders of a new way of decorating walls. In the Florentine mosaic, in addition to marble, several types of semi-precious stones are used simultaneously:
- jasper;
- Lapis lazuli;
- rhodonite;
- porphyry.
The panel is typed in a strict color and texture according to the sketch without seams. The colors, the structure of the stone are taken into account. Siding chips are thin plates whose shape and size are adjusted during installation. Florentine mosaic is the most expensive and time-consuming method that requires a lot of experience and knowledge. When decorating a bathroom using the Florentine mosaic technique, a small genre painting is made.
Russian way
The Russian-style mosaic was invented by Ural stonemasons in the 18th century. It was used to decorate decorative objects (boxes, vases), fireplaces, columns, tables, walls. The Russian mosaic technique is similar to the Florentine one. Subtle seams give the coating a monolithic appearance.
Pieces of malachite, jasper, agate, lapis lazuli and other semi-precious stones were used for the facing. Thin plates (2-3 mm) were cut from the stone, which were glued to the base of inexpensive metal or stone. The selection was made based on the color shade and pattern of the stone, which creates the illusion of using a solid stone.
Metal
Metal mosaic appeared recently.The obstacle for the metal coating was the high cost and thermal conductivity of the material. The development of technology makes it possible to make a metal cladding in the bathroom. The difference between metal mosaics and other types lies in the orderly arrangement of the chips on the surface. The main element of the mosaic - the chip - is a nozzle, fixed on a rubber base, with certain parameters:
- height - from 3 to 5 millimeters;
- size - from 1x1 to 10x10 centimeters;
- metal thickness - 0.5 mm.
The rubber backing allows laying on surfaces of any curvature.
The chip material is stainless steel or aluminum, which does not corrode and is resistant to mechanical damage. Metal tiles can be sprayed:
- bronze;
- brass;
- the copper;
- precious metals.
Other positive qualities of metal mosaics are:
- immunity to fungal and bacterial infections;
- household chemicals;
- Mechanical stress;
- the temperature difference.
Disadvantages of mosaics - high thermal conductivity, which is why the walls in the bathroom will always be cold; abrasive cleaning will leave scratches on the surface.
The shape of the chips is varied:
- triangular;
- edge;
- diamond-shaped;
- complex;
- with 3D effect.
The surface of the tiles depends on the metal processing method and can be:
- bright;
- mast;
- tapped;
- corrugated;
- with hunting imitation.
Metal mosaic has a narrow color spectrum which can be varied by combining with ceramic and glass chips.
In wood
Mosaic tiles are made from precious wood species. When facing the walls, several types are used to achieve color shades from beige to dark brown. The wooden wall covering requires special care, which is gentle on the protective lacquer film on the tiles.An expensive finishing option due to the high cost of material and professional installation services.
Plastic
Polymer mosaic is not as decorative, but it has several advantages:
- affordability;
- moisture resistance;
- good adhesion to surfaces.
Polymer tiles, unlike tile tiles, do not slip so much, which makes it possible to make a floor covering.
Laying technique
When choosing a mosaic, pay attention to the base on which it is made: paper, mesh or there is no base.
- paper;
- mesh;
- unfounded.
The paper fixes the tiles on the front side, and is removed after installation. Rectangular or square blocks are fixed on the grid, which, when combined, form a picture. Mosaics without a base are used to create wall panels.
Walls
Do-it-yourself mosaic wall cladding requires knowledge of the material and laying technique. Mosaic tiling requires flat walls, especially when stacking small chips. Installation will not be able to hide irregularities, which will reduce the decorative effect. The walls are checked using a level and a building rule. Defects are corrected by grouting with a cement-sand mortar. For better adhesion, surfaces are primed twice before plastering, waiting for complete drying.
After leveling, the walls are cleaned with sandpaper if there are scratches after the trowel.
Dust from surfaces is removed with a vacuum cleaner. Re-primer (2 times). On the wall, a marking of the location of a mosaic of blocks or a sketch of a panel is made. For seamless installation, gray glue is used, in other cases, white glue is used for glass mosaics.The adhesive is applied first with a flat trowel and then with a notched trowel. The height of the ridge is not less than 3-5 millimeters.
The laying starts from the bottom row in the far corner. The block is applied to the surface and pressed with a trowel over the entire surface. You can align the position of the tile area by moving it along the wall. If there is an error in the installation and it is necessary to remove the tiles for reuse, it is not suitable.
After gluing the first row, laying is carried out for 20 minutes until the glue hardens. In this way, each subsequent row is laid. If the tile was on a paper base, after the glue has completely dried, the paper is moistened with a sponge and removed from the tile after a few minutes. The seams are rubbed with a bactericidal compound over the entire depth. Residues that have settled on the tiles are removed with a damp sponge, without letting them dry on the mosaic.
For facing metal mosaics, transparent acrylic glue is used, which gives good adhesion of rubber and plaster surface. The glue is applied to the wall with a smooth trowel and a jagged surface is formed. The laying begins in the same order as for the other types of mosaics. The rubber backing is pressed against the wall and ironed with a roller. The glue that has emerged at the edges is immediately removed. After 12 hours, the surface of the mosaic is wiped.
Stage
Floor mosaic differs from wall mosaic in increased strength. The materials used for continuous flooring are ceramic, natural or artificial stone, plastic.Floor mosaic modules facilitate installation with high decorative effect. Glass, smalt and metal inserts are used as additional decor in the design of the image.
Preparing the floor for facing, the installation technique does not differ from laying a mosaic wall. The difference lies in the choice of grout for the joints: it is not recommended to use a light tone, which will be difficult to wash off over time.
table top
The bathroom worktop should be made of moisture-resistant materials: a metal frame and cement-bonded particleboard. To glue the mosaic to the countertop, start from the front edge up to the wall. Finally, the ends are faced.
Shower cabin
Before tiling the shower cabin with mosaics, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work. At the installation site of the cabin, the screed is removed from the concrete slab. A polyethylene film or rubberized fabric and a layer of bituminous mastic are laid on it.
The next stage is the masonry and another layer of waterproofing, which covers the sides of the pallet (height - 25-30 centimeters). A reinforcing mesh is placed on the surface and poured with an aqueous cement mortar with liquid glass with a slope of 2-3 degrees to the drainage hole. To level the surface, use wall drywall impregnated with bituminous mastic. Glue is used on a cement or polymer base, depending on the mosaic material. The installation technique of the pallet cover is similar to that of the wall covering.
Shelves
The coating of the shelves in the bathroom is the same as the coating of the counters.
Bath screen
The bath screen can be made of a metal / wooden frame and moisture-resistant plasterboard, brick, gypsum blocks.Installation requirements:
- smooth and clean surface;
- padding;
- the use of adhesives corresponding to the material of the mosaic;
- markup;
- compliance with the width of the interblocks and internal seams in the mosaic.
If the bath has a complex configuration, first rectangular sections are formed, then roundings and joints.
Ceiling
When decorating the ceiling with mosaics, it is necessary to create a waterproofing layer, use waterproof glue, which is especially viscous and dense.
Features of the choice of color solutions
Before deciding to buy a mosaic, you need to decide how the bathroom will be tiled: in what color scheme, with what pattern or panel. The choice depends on the size of the bathroom and taste preferences. In small rooms, it is necessary to use colors that “raise” the ceiling and “extend” the walls. For spacious bathrooms, all design options are possible.
Neutral and pastel colors have a soothing effect, while juicier colors lift your spirits. In the first case, it is good for the evening, in the second - in the morning. The use of different shades looks original. But it is not recommended to use more than 3 tones in decoration.
When decorating bathrooms, one color is often the background, the second is additional, and the third is accent. For example, this is how a flower and floral ornament looks like, oriental patterns. The image can be on the entire surface or in the form of inserts. The mosaic fresco occupies part of the space, up to ten shades can be used for its decoration.
white
The white mosaic finish adds extra space to the bathroom. The light tone creates an upbeat mood. Dry water streaks are not visible on the white surface.Snow-white mosaic can be used as a background, additional and accent. Tile material - ceramic, glass, smalt.
Gold
The golden hue is used as an accent in patterns and panels with a rich palette. This color has a metallic tile, thanks to dusting, and artificial glass (smalt).
Blue
In the finish, blue is combined with blue, creating a smooth transition (gradient) from a lighter tone to a more saturated tone. It is used in floral ornaments (mixtures), panels.
Blue
Blue tone is associated with the sea. It can be supplemented with blue, white, silver. In the decoration of the floor, imitation pebbles are used.
Money
Spray metal tiles can be used in compositions with all color shades, as an accent.
Beige
Neutral color. When decorating, it can be used as the main background in multi-colored mixtures. Various shades of beige are created using wooden, ceramic and glass mosaics.
Green
Green in various shades has a cooling and soothing effect. It goes well with white, silver, beige.
Gray
A neutral shade that comes alive with silver, blue, white inserts in the form of individual tiles, geometric ornaments.
brown
A brown bathroom will look dull and gloomy if images of rich and light colors are not used in the decoration. The combination with beige and gold gives the effect of an expensive coating.
pearl
The color of the mother-of-pearl changes hue depending on the light, and from what angle you look at the cladding. Pearl chips are made from smalt.
Black
Black glass or ceramic mosaics give a mirror effect, which is enhanced by mirror inserts.Tiles of this color are used in small quantities in panels, ornaments.
Turquoise
The turquoise colored bathroom is elegant and peaceful. It can be used in finishing with blue, blue, white or silver colors.
How to choose a shape
Shape, size and color are related to each other, which should be taken into account when choosing a design. For example, when finishing surfaces in the same tone, the tiles should be the same size and shape. If the coating provides for bright inclusions in the form of geometric patterns, then the tiles should have a non-standard shape, but the same size and color.
Tiles for the bottom coating can be of different sizes, but of the same shape and shade. When creating a smooth transition of a shade from pastel to saturated, mosaic blocks with chips of the same size and shape are used. The multi-color coating also requires chips of uniform shape and size. When laying a panel, tiles of different shapes are needed.
The shape of the mosaic tiles affects the spatial perception, allowing you to visually represent the room higher, wider and longer.
A circle
Round metal or glass shavings can be of the same or different diameters. Due to the absence of corners in the mosaic block, the bathroom design takes on a softer form.
Honeycomb
Grids with chips in the form of honeycombs can be monochrome, multi-colored. This type of mosaic is used in the decoration of walls, floors, pallets, screens.
Edge
The square chip is a versatile shape suitable for all sizes of bathroom cladding: for decorating walls, ceilings, floors and screens, shelves, pallets.Standard finishes are parallel rows and columns to form a monolithic image. To obtain an ornament or pattern, a shift of multi-colored mosaic blocks is used.
Rectangle
Rectangular shavings of glass, ceramic, natural stone make it possible to create original compositions. Horizontally elongated tiles visually expand the walls, in a vertical position they "raise" the ceiling.
Rhombus
Diamond mosaic allows you to create 3D images. In such decorative patterns, a combination of rhombuses of 3 shades is used: one light, two dark. Diamond tokens can be the same size in a block and differ. Depending on the location of the diamonds and colors, the finish can occupy the entire surface of the wall or floor or appear as a separate element.
complex figure
The use of randomly arranged mosaic blocks of geometric shapes in the coating creates the impression of a handcrafted finish, which gives the bathroom a special charm.
Examples and Layouts
An important design element is the possibility of laying mosaic tiles.
The floor mosaic is laid:
- with an alternating shadow like a checkerboard;
- in a plain background with a patterned rug in the center;
- with a narrow frieze.
Mosaics are arranged on the wall surfaces:
- sign;
- curly;
- aprons near sink and bathroom.
Niches, shelves are covered with mosaics, frames are made. The installation method depends on the size of the tiles, the room and the design intent.
While running
The laying imitates masonry, applied to walls and floors. When pasting, the mosaic block is moved half the length of the bottom row element.
Report
The siding option is considered the easiest to install, it is used for all types of chips.The wall mosaic is laid parallel to the plane of the wall. The seams between the blocks are in the form of a mesh.
Chess
The checkerboard method is a variant of the grid method, characterized by the location of the seams and the colors of the chips. Installation requires the use of two contrasting colors. Seams should be positioned without offset.
Corner
Corner laying visually aligns and expands the walls. Mosaic elements are glued to the surface with a rhombus (at an angle of 45 degrees). During installation, adjustment (cutting) of the blocks is necessary. When finishing, it is not recommended to use more than 3 shades.
Linear
The laying method is the same as for the net. The difference lies in the selection of the mosaic blocks: the rows differ in texture and color.
Design tips
With the help of a mosaic composition, functional zones can be distinguished, which will visually expand the area of small bathrooms, for example:
- washbasin;
- thermal baths;
- heated towel rail;
- mirrors.
Increases the volume of small-sized premises by stacking them in blocks of chips in the form of:
- squares of light tones;
- hexagons;
- rectangles;
- diamonds.
The mosaic can be combined with tiles, decorative plaster, using as an accent element in the design. Plasterboards are not used to level walls and ceilings. The floor of the room is finished in darker tones, in contrast to the walls, or to match the color scheme of the bath screen with accent pieces.