mounting rock mosaic on vertical--what adhesive?

16 years ago

Hi--this is a somewhat *larger* format mosaic question: I'll be mounting rather large slices of onyx, along with some handmade slices of various Oregon rocks (and wow, what rocks we have here!) onto a *dry* vertical wall in the bathroom (i.e. not near the shower or bathtub--it's regular drywall I've sealed with GARDZ). Everything's Weldbonded onto mesh, but they do sag on the mesh when they're held up, so they're somewhat weighty. Many have a 2" diameter.

What adhesive would you all use? Thinset would be a default choice (the latex-modified, for large-format porcelain kind), but could I use something else that's less time-sensitive so I could put one unit up, hold it until it sets, and then move on to the next? I want to know that I'll be able to make sure they set in the correct place, and thinset would be already starting to cure while the first unit was being held, so the second, third, etc. units would be with "older thinset", as it were...(I have 9 units)

I was thinking maybe something like Liquid Nails? Has anyone used anything like that behind pebbles? I'll be grouting, so the color isn't an issue...

Thanks for any thoughts/experiences you can offer on this.

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Comments (6)

monicakm_gw
16 years ago
flyleft, Of course I can't offer any advice for your current question but I would like to ask about your under floor warming mat/system. Is that fixed yet? Hope so :)
Monica
bill_vincent
16 years ago
Fly-- look into the non-sag thinsets (in white of course!)
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Beagles this is a really "OUT There" idea but this is something they do in places like Greece, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Morocco... Maybe it can work for you too. Tile is inexpensive in some parts of the world and often kitchens, laundery rooms or mudrooms are designed by having tiles on the walls and floor. There is a main drain on the center or corner of the room. The floor slightly flows to that section of the drain. This way the entire room can be washed down with a hose. And the water trickles to that spot and out it goes. My girlfriend in VA had this done in her mud/laundry room because she wanted to be able to wash her riding boots and dogs before entering the house. She had a hose that pulled out from under the sink. This hose has hot and cold water. I have seen this done in Brazil and Argentina where I believe tile is inexpensive along with the labor. These cute little rooms have tile on the walls and floor and are super easy to clean up. I assume and this is the tricky part that all the dirty water is flushed into the septic or some sort of drain catch so it is gone. Again a plumber would have to look at this. You could eliminate your dog tub and instead have a drain on the floor of the entire room/laundry too. Perhaps a tiny step down so that it would not harm your built ins. Even a tile table or granite table to lift the dogs on to clean, wash, dry but narrower so you have more space. The hose can also be used to wash the muddy paws when they come in from a run. I know it would mean eliminating your beautiful groomers table but since you are not a groomer perhaps a special built in dog bath would be better use of the space. Again this may be a silly idea. I just wish I had this in my own mud/laundry room. My DH said we need to finish the kitchen first and maybe we will think about a drain on the floor with a little hose like Argentina. Having boxers means lifting 80 lbs is a challenge for my skinny arms. : ) ~boxer
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organic_donna
16 years ago
Flyleft,
It sounds beautiful, I can't wait to see the final result.
Donna
mahatmacat1
Original Author
16 years ago
Oh monica...thanks for asking. Long, long sordid story short, our electrician, mensch that he is, is coming out yet another time tomorrow to see if he can make a splice further down that will finally address the problem--involves sacrificing warm feet for a few sf, but we'd save the rest of the bathroom. He did connect the 5' mat and of course the cats have found it already :) It's really lovely and I just hope we'll catch a break on this and clear things up.

Bill, thanks--can you give me a specific name of a nonsag thinset? I know you were mentioning one you were going to try -- gosh, was it last year already--? What's one that you specifically recommend? Thanks...and I'd *love* to hear about what you have in mind for the mural--as in small mosaic work? That's getting more up my alley :)

Donna--I *hope* it will be beautiful. It will be memorable, at any rate :) We have the onyx slices up in two other places (and down on the shower floor) -- this is a third strictly decorative strip running up the wall next to one side of the vanity, and I figured I'd incorporate our love of --well, rocks :)-- by working some of the beautiful jaspers and agates, quartzes and granites we've found over the years we've been here (sliced courtesy of my lovely tile saw--man has that thing earned its keep :)) into the design.

(side note for lovers of rocks, of which I think you are one, Donna :): yesterday I halved a jasper and honestly, there is a "picture" in it that jumps out at you of a storm at the coast. So real and somehow has light in it that makes the waves practically move when you look at them. DH confirmed it--he said you really don't have to give the benefit of the doubt and say "sure, yeah, that's a storm" or whatever, as you do with so much of what is called "picture" jasper-- it's just *there*...it's so amazing...it's not going on the wall :))
bill_vincent
16 years ago
Fly-- there are three that I know of:

Custom's Megalite
Laticrete's 255
Mapei's Ultralite
mahatmacat1
Original Author
16 years ago
Excellent, Bill--I'll research them and go from there. Helps a lot.

mounting rock mosaic on vertical--what adhesive?

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mounting rock mosaic on vertical--what adhesive?

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