DIY Network

Elvis Tile-Mosaic Pool Long live The King! Dean and Derek create an Elvis tile mosaic for the bottom of a swimming pool. From "Rock Solid" episode DROC-311

Underwater Elvis

Elvis is everywhere — even on the bottom of this swimming pool.

For this Rock Solid project, expert stone masons Dean Marsico and Derek Stearns — using a unique system that anyone can design — install an Elvis mosaic tile pattern in the bottom of a swimming pool. These mosaic tiles, made from natural stone, offer unlimited design options and can be installed on walls, in entrance ways or any other place your imagination takes you.

advertisement

	Before
	The mosaic design
	After

Tools:

utility blade
tape measure
pencil
trowel
notched trowel
tile nippers
electric mixer
rubber cement
mask
small paint roller
five-gallon bucket
sponge
cloth
broom
rubber grout float

Materials:

stone tile mosaic
thinset mortar
waterproofing
wt-look stone sealer
non-sanded grout

Design and Materials

Dean and Derek install a custom designed life-sized Elvis mosaic to add new life to a swimming pool. Mosaics made from natural stone offer unlimited design options and can be installed on walls, in entrance ways, or any other place your imagination takes you. This Elvis mosaic was made in Lebanon from a photo. It is set on a plastic mesh backing to keep all the pieces together.

Begin by unrolling your mosaic and examining it for missing stones that might have fallen out during shipping. Extra stones come with your mosaic for this purpose. Hold the stone against the hole, mark it with your finger, and then snap a piece off with nippers. Check to make sure the piece fits in the hole and secure it with rubber cement. Check the whole mosaic and fill in all holes.

Preparation Of Site

To prepare the pool for the installation of the mosaic, it is drained and the surface is cleaned with grinders and an acid wash. When a pool is drained, some of the ground water has to be allowed back into the basin. If the ground water is blocked out, it creates a lot of pressure that can end up cracking the pool.

Figure A

Preparation Of The Mosaic

• The next step is to bring the mosaic to the pool deck. Because this piece is so large, Dean and Derek get some help moving it.

• Next cut off the excess mesh and plastic along the edge of the mosaic with a sharp blade (figure A).

• As you're cutting around the mosaic you may find that there's a part of the design that needs some extra support. In this Elvis design, the guitar is only connected to the main body by the hand. To keep the guitar from flopping around, Dean and Derek left the piece of plastic connecting it until the mosaic was safely in the pool.
  
  
• Before moving the mosaic into the pool, determine its placement. Dean and Derek decide to place Elvis in the center of the shallow end. Find the center point and move the mosaic into place. Be sure to get help when you carry it. One it's in place, cut off any remaining mesh and plastic.

Page  1 | 2 | 3 | 4