A Guide for Choosing Glass Mosaic Tile

glass mosaic tile
by AquaBlu Mosaics

Mosaic glass tile is trending.

This trend can be attributed to recent technological breakthroughs as well as glass tile’s inherent properties such as how it imparts intense color and reflects light.

From a design perspective, glass tiles provide an elegant design element. Available in a variety of iridescent, pearlescent and reflective styles, glass mosaic tiles are an effective way to add dramatic luster to your room’s decor.

Because of its enormous choices of colors, shapes and even textures, how you put your own stamp on indoor or outdoor space is only limited by your imagination.

Here’s a closer look: 

Benefits of Glass Mosaic Tile

Glass tile is more than just a pretty face. In terms of performance, livability and hygiene, it offers an impervious surface that inhibits mold, mildew and bacteria.

Mosaic glass tends to have a shiny luminous style that creates an extra bright and spacious look in a room. When you combine them with well-positioned kitchen lighting, a dramatic lighting effect is the result.

Because of their smooth non-porous surface, glass tiles are easy to maintain. They do not stain and any dirty or greasy spots can be quickly wiped with a wet cloth. The glass is also strong and resistant to most chemicals, making the tiles highly durable. It’s also impervious to moisture and unaffected by UV rays, so it won’t stain from spills or fade from exposure to detergent or sunlight.

brilliance and shine zero percent water absorption heat and frost resistant
Brilliance & Shine Impervious to Liquids Heat & Frost Resistant

As a bonus, glass mosaic tiles are better for the environment than other types of mosaic tiles. You can even find glass tile made from recycled glass, which is discarded and broken glass used to create various tile designs.

And more good news: As demand and improvements in manufacturing have made the style options soar, they’ve also brought prices down.

Mosaic Glass Tile Applications

Mosaic tiles have the power to transform a plain surface into an artistic masterpiece popping with boldness and style. Whether it’s your kitchen or bathroom suffering from a blah look, mosaic tile is exactly what you need to up your décor.

Glass tile can be used just about anywhere, indoors and outdoors. Common applications include:

  • Kitchen or bathroom backsplashes
  • Showers
  • Countertops and walls
  • Borders and niches

Glass tile can be deployed in a number of interesting patterns such as herringbone tile style, hexagon tile style and fish scale tile.

 Herringbone Tile Hexagon Tile Fish Scale Tile
Herringbone Tile Hexagon Tile Fish Scale Tile

In recent years, glass has become a favorite pool tile for owners constructing new swimming pools or refurbishing old pools. That’s because glass mosaics have revolutionized the whole concept of pool design. The silky smoothness of glass tile is gentle on the feet and feels amazing underwater. Consequently, there has been a surge in glass tile pools, in which the entire pool finish is completed in glass. Glass pool waterlines (especially blue glass tile) are also still trending. Blue mosaic tile has almost a mystical appearance the way it reflects light. The blue in the glass also helps keep pool water looking blue and refreshing.

Glass tile’s design possibilities can further be enhanced with Starlike epoxy tile grout because of its extremely large range of colors and accent additives. Also, Unlike cement tile grout, epoxy grout is waterproof making it ideal for pools, backsplashes and showers.

Mosaic Tile Installation

Should you do it yourself or hire a pro?  AquaBlu's glass tile products are either face or mesh mounted to make installation easier. However, you may want to leave projects with lots of complex cuts, or installation in a wet area, to a tile setter.

mesh mounted glass tile face mounted glass tile
Mesh Mounted Face Mounted

The three major parts of installing mosaic tile are:

  • Part One – Preparing the surface to be tiled
  • Part Two – Laying the tiles
  • Part Three – Grouting the tiles

Cutting Mosaic Tile

Glass tiles are an attractive option but they can be easily damaged during installation – especially when cutting. To cover all possible scenarios, the experts recommend four tools for cutting glass tile:

  • A wet saw
  • A manual scoring wheel
  • A bar cutter
  • Wheeled mosaic nippers

Measure the tile to be cut, and use a washable marker to draw a cutting guideline on its surface. Align the glass tile with the cutting guide on the wet saw, and carefully cut along the guideline you drew. Feed the tile through the saw slowly, moving away from you with light but steady pressure until you’ve cut through.

Home Values

Kitchens featuring upgraded backsplashes and countertops are often a better investment than new appliances.

The right tile can add character and practicality that future homebuyers will find extremely appealing. For example, most backsplashes are only around 30-square-feet in size, so even costly tile doesn’t add up to a lot when installed here. Updating an older or darker kitchen with a mosaic tile backsplash can reflect light and will help boost resale value.

Same with pool tile. A swimming pool – even a small one – updated with glass pool tile not only increases the value of your home, but it can drastically reduce the time and expense of keeping a home on the market. 

Where To Purchase

AquaBlu offers well over 1,000 styles of beautiful, reasonably-priced glass mosaic tile in shapes ranging from penny round to large square in nearly a dozen different colors.

You will also discover special features such as slip resistant and glow in the dark tile, as well as 24k gold, and iridescent tile.

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Have a question about mosaic tile? Talk to one of our experts at (800) 971-1442 or fill out the contact form on our website, https://www.aquablumosaics.com/.