DIY Network

Preparation and Mosaic Column Preparation and Mosaic Column From "Weekend Decorating" episode WDC-205

	Room: before.
	Room: after.

Nancy Golden shows how to transform a plain spare room with absolutely no personality into a colorful, pop-art dining room in this episode of Weekend Decorating. Following the theory that a home should reflect the homeowner's personality, and using a little imagination, Golden soon transforms this bland room into a fun, arty dining area that has personality to spare.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 having the greatest degree of difficulty, this project rates a solid 4. It took 15 hours, spread over the course of two days, with the prep work of painting the room and removing an old lighting fixture done in advance. The total cost of accessories and supplies was $1,200.

When starting any project, it is important to be organized with your time and to know exactly what to do and when to do it; this is especially true when working with a weekend deadline in mind. First, you must figure out your floor plan. When that is in place, it's a good idea to get everything together before the weekend: that way, when it's time to start work on the room, you can really dig in to the project.

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Materials:
Paint
Paintbrushes
Roller
Drop cloth
Paint tray
Tile
Old china
Old silverware
Beads
18- and 24-gauge wire
Tin snips
Drop crystals
Mastic
Plywood
Chandelier
Aluminum lithographic plates, metal flashing or sheeting
Grout
Tiling tools
Rags
Steel wool
Upholstery tacks
Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) cleaner

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	A look at the partially completed column.

Beginning the Transformation

The dining room began its transformation with the removal of the ceiling light fixture and the application of a rich purple shade of paint to the walls (figure A).

Tip: Dark paint colors may require two to three coats to ensure complete coverage. The fun, offbeat theme of the room continues with an embellished wall, a mosaic column, a unique chandelier and artistic furnishings and accessories that reflect the homeowner's colorful personality.

Mosaic Tiling

Mosaic tiling is an art form that goes back centuries. Here it transforms a basic column into a distinctive work of art. Golden uses whole and broken glass, pottery, metallic and porcelain tiles, along with broken pieces of china (figure B) and old silverware to cover the column. You can also incorporate elements of your family life into the wall if desired. Just make sure that the item you tile is structurally sound and can support the weight of the tile.

Tip: Broken edges of tile and china are extremely sharp; always wear gloves and protective eye wear for safety.

Steps:

1. Apply mastic to a small area of the column with a notched trowel (figure C).

2. Apply harlequin-shaped tiles to the top of the column. These tiles give a sense of pattern.

3. Place broken tiles and china in a random fashion to fill in spaces. Use tile nippers to cut the tiles into odd-sized pieces. Sharp edges can be rounded with a tile stone.

4. Continue working in small sections all the way around the column.

   Tip: Make sure you have lots of tiling materials on hand. Check out flea markets and garage sales for sources of inexpensive china or interesting objects for your mosaic.

5. Wait 24 hours for mastic to dry before applying grout.

6. Have a drop cloth on the floor to protect it from spills and damage from grout mixture.

7. Type-1 sanded grout is used here, since it will not scratch the glass tiles. It can be bought premixed, but if you want a colored grou, you will have to mix your own.

8. Apply grout with a grout float. Since the mosaic surface is irregular, you will also need to use your fingers to press the grout into all the corners and crevices of the mosaic work. This is messy and time consuming work, so wear heavy gloves and have patience.

9. When the grout is in place (if you are grouting a large project, such as this column, you will need to work in sections again, to prevent the grout from completely drying on the tilework), use a sponge and clean cold water to remove the grout from the mosaic materials.

10. When the grout is removed from the mosaic a haze will still cover the surfaces. Remove the haze with a dry polishing cloth.