Hi all,

I am about to tile the backsplash for the kitchen. I chose 50x25x10mm Porcelain Mosaics in 30cmx30cm sheets.

I have tiled with 600mmx600mm porcelain floor tiles before and ceramics in my bathroom but not porcelain mosaics.

I am planning on using BAL Grip as I don't think I need a powdered adhesive here (unless you guys say different).

My particular worry at the mo is cutting. I have a basic powered (wet) and non-powered tile cutters but don't know what the best way to cut the mosaics is. With the porcelain floor tiles the wet vutter tended to chip the top surface of the tile which I could hide but that's not the case here.

Any advice on the best way to cut porcelain mosaics - are they as tough as the floor tiles?

Grip is ok, but not nec' the preferred from most on here. it may be worth getting a diamond blade for your wet cutter. check size and look at Trade Tiler as they a comprehensive choice.

I would use a powder adhesive over ready mixed but you should be fine with that. With regards to cutting the mosaics, same as above really, get yourself a diamond wheel for the wet cutter. I would also have a look at the heavy duty/ mosiac tile nippers, you might find this quicker than using the wet cutter everytime.

OK,

What's the gripe with grip

I used various BAL powders and I am fine with them but for the splashback I thought Grip would be OK. Is there a better ready made adhesive for mosaics that you guys recommend or is it powders all the way?

I'll check out the diamond wheel price, I only have 4sqm though so it could add 25% to the cost of the job. If not I'll get some heavy nibblers with my addy.

To be honest, its powder all the way. There is nothing that a paste can do that a powder cant. If ou do a search on here you will find tonnes of stuff on why we tend to go with powder over ready mixed addy. Having said all that, you will be fine with those tiles and that addy

OK, thanks.

I found these from TT, who I will be getting the addy from:

Topps Trade Tile Nippers | Topps Tiles

Any good or cheapo rubbish.

How do you use these too, do you scribe them and then clip them - or - scribe them and nibble up to the line.

Tradetiler Tile Hole Cutting

They should be ok, but you could find that your mosaics are a bit hard for them, these are are what I would use as they are better at going through harder tiles but slightly harder to use as the 1s from topps have a flat edge so they are easier to get a clean straight cut.

With either of these nippers I would score and then bite to the line using the nippers.

For future reference.

I bought a pair of heavy nippers from Topps which were rated for porcelain but the tiles were too thick (actually 12mm thick). The nippers could clip the tile but the amount of work needed was unfeasible.

So I upgraded by motorised tile cutter blade and used that. That was fine although I had to do the cuts dry as water activated the mosaic webbing glue.

Thought that this may help people in future if they have the same question.

i would scribe them on my little sigma then pull them off with pinchers or if the cut is wide enough snap with manual cutter

Try a grinder with diamond wheel for the mosaics never failed for me Always used a grinder on site