Tips & Tricks: Overhanging Mosaic Tesserae

'Just Greens' - Mosaic Mirror

A number of my mosaic mirror designs include overhanging tessarae.  The example shown right has several 'leaf'

segments that hang over the surface of the frame.

I had a question from a reader about how this technique is achieved and wanted to share my answer to her with anyone else who might benefit from it.

Just a quick note to fellow glass artists there is some extra curing time involved in this process, so you'll want to bear that in mind when planning your project. 

1) The mosaic pieces are applied to strips of mosaic mesh with Weldbond glue, including the overhanging pieces.  Allowing sufficient time to dry.

2) The mosaic mesh gets applied to the mirror frame with Weldbond glue.  The overhanging pieces will be a bit floppy at this stage, so you'll want to turn the frame upside down on a flat surface so that everything dries in place.

3) With the frame upside down, making sure the overhang pieces are flat, apply a clear epoxy resin to the back of the overhanging pieces.  Allow to dry for at least 24 hours.  When dry, the resin serves as a solid backing for the over-hanging sections.

4) Turn the frame right-side up and grout.

If you're not familiar with the products I've mentioned above, Weldbond is a non-toxic white glue that dries clear, provided it is applied in a thin, even layer.  It holds very well when used correctly and is available in most hardware stores.

The epoxy resin I use in Envirotex Lite.  You'll need to follow mixing and application instructions carefully.  I find it at art supply stores, though it may well be available in some hardware stores.