My first question!

[mitchino]

I am repairing a shower tiled with glass mosaics, I'm replacing all the lower half backing boards which were plasterboard with aquapanel, and then laying mosaics to match the old ones. The mosaic tiles are on an incredibly floppy mesh, and I was thinking I could glue them to a stiffer mesh before fitting them to make the job easier. Can anyone point me in the direction of a suitable mesh material? I've seen some slate mosaics that are on a quite stiff mesh, that's the kind of stuff I'd like to find.

Thanks to anyone who can help.

[Dave]

mosaics are like this but once bedded into adhesive are fine..if you add another layer to stiffen then this will make the proud of existing ones..

You can hang downwards no probs..

[Mike]

you can buy a mosaic backer which is plastic with a real sticky back, they can be cut with a stanley to size. i pay £2 for a 300mm 2

[mitchino]

Not all mosaic are like these though - they are the floppiest I've seen, like trying to lay chain mail. They sag and the gaps become uneven, the corner tiles rotate etc. As you say, I don't want them to be proud of the old tiles, but I thought there might be a fibreglass sheet I could use, or maybe I could spray them with starch on the back?!

[Dave]

They sag and the gaps become uneven

Kinda happens with age that another subject..

[Mike]

Not all mosaic are like these though - they are the floppiest I've seen, like trying to lay chain mail. They sag and the gaps become uneven, the corner tiles rotate etc. As you say, I don't want them to be proud of the old tiles, but I thought there might be a fibreglass sheet I could use, or maybe I could spray them with starch on the back?!

if you use the plastic backer you can use a smaller notched trowel for the mosaics e.g. 3mm against 6mm for the field tiles. the backer's only about 2mm

[Dave]

You can cover the face of the sheets with cling film.. that will hold them in shape till you bed them,

[doug boardley]

I've used the plastic sticky back stuff that Mike suggested, it works well and you still get a decent adhesive contact.

[Rich]

Kinda happens with age that another subject..

.....

[mitchino]

Ooh I'm quite pleased with myself - I have stuck sticky plasterboard tape to the back of the tiles in strips, this gives just the right amount of stiffness without adding to the overall thickness and allows the adhesive to still grip the tiles. Thanks for all the advice, happy now!