Making a Mosaic Tile Birdbath

Another great project I came up across is a mosaic tile birdbath. This is a bigger project than a mosaic flower pot or a mosaic mailbox, but the principle remains the same. That is you must decide on the materials used and the mosaic art patterns, if any, you will want to incorporate in your design.

Again the materials and tools you will need are similar to other projects, it is just the base that changes. Here is a brief description of the major items you will need;

• A bird bath base made of wood, tera cotta, steel or stone
• Left over tile, can be anything such as ceramic, porcelain or marble and even little stones
• A hammer to break down your tile into smaller pieces, or mosaic tile nippers
• Tile glue or mortar, a good product is no more nails or liquid nails. These come in a tube
• Grout, usually you would use sanded grout unless your tile is very close together, maximum of 1/8 of an inch where you would use un-sanded grout
• A tile sponge, bucket and gloves

If you are going to make your mosaic bird bath using only broken tiles then you will need to break them into smaller pieces. Inserting your tiles between sheets of newspaper or an old cloth will stop pieces from flying up when you hit them with the hammer. Remember to always work safely and wear safety glasses and a pair of gloves to do this. Even sandwiched between paper or cloth, small pieces can fly up to your face.

If you decided to make your birdbath using a pattern, lay it out first. Once you are satisfied with the look you can then transfer it to your birdbath.

The next step consists of gluing your pieces to your base. You can either spread a tile adhesive directly on the birdbath or you can apply a tube glue, such as liquid nails, directly on the back of each piece. Whatever method you use, keep your tiles about 1/8 to 1/4 inches apart.

After the tiles have set for at least 24 hours you can grout the mosaic birdbath. Mix your grout according to the instructions on the package. To apply the grout on a round surface it is easier to use your hands to push the grout into the grout lines rather than using a grout float. Rub your hands all over making sure you entirely fill all grout lines. Always wear a good pair of rubber gloves for this step.

Now to preserve your new mosaic tile birdbath it is recommended to seal your grout lines. I let my grout dry completely for about 5 to 7 days before applying the sealer.

Now that you are finished just add water and admire the birds come to your work of art.

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