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Stained Glass & Mosaics FAQ

How do I prep a bowling ball before mosaicing (and other bowling ball

9 years ago

peso Thu, Oct 7, 04 at 18:42
Hey all you veteran bowling ball people! I have done a search on all the info, but I have a question. Do I have to paint the balls? One thread said I did, but I hadn't read about anyone else painting first. I have 2 balls one a flat red and one is a shiny blue. Could you let me know what you did and how you feel about this painting thing... Thanx in advance
Penny
littlechloe Thu, Oct 7, 04 at 19:45

I can't think why you'd paint it unless you are using glass or light colored marbles that would show the color underneath. It's a good idea to wipe it down really well with a cleaner that cuts grease as bowling balls have oil on them from the lanes. I covered one in half-marbles using clear silicone, didn't do anything other than clean it.

techsupport8 Mon, Oct 11, 04 at 8:29

If you don't like the color, then paint it.
If not, leave it be - it's less work.

barbara52 Mon, Sep 20, 04 at 14:15
If you plan to have yours outside, you should use a waterproof adhesive (I use GE Silicone II) and a waterproof sealer (I use Tile Lab grout sealer) over the grout.

Keli Tue, Sep 21, 04 at 6:06

more tips..
When you glue the plastic frogs on use superglue, or they'll pop back off.

When you mosaic the BB use small tesserae, it's easier to deal with the curve of the ball

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What are you using for glue ritaweeda? GE silicone II works well. I have a penny covered BB I made into a fountain and I have four other balls in my garden. Two with glass stones two w/o. I found a large rot iron candle holder at a garage sale and buried it in the ground. It holds my BB very nicely. In the spring it may list a little but I just pack the dirt with my foot. My two w/o stones are colorful but they are fading. They sit under oaks in my shade garden but still the color is slowly fading away.
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Grout needs time to "cure" like cement. Did you have it dry in the sun? Because that could cause the cracking. It is best to let it dry in a cooler, shaded area so it doesn't cure too quickly. Otherwise, your grout may have been too wet when you applied it. When you spread it, it should be about the consistency of brownie batter (that's the best way I know to describe it) - still spreadable like mud but not as thin as pancake batter (can you tell I love eating? lol). You were right to use sanded grout and a grout sealer.
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