I found this installation guide when I did a search that explains about the different backings that can be used, when and why. It apparently is put out by a distributor of glass tiles.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: How to install glass tile

sue_ct, thanks! That's exactly the info I was looking for. Now I can stop panicking that I'll have to (yet again!) find another backsplash tile and go ahead and place the order.

Go use this tile forum, it has great advice just like GW! We just completed our tile backsplash and it turned out great! It was a first time tile DIY project and we posted several questions and got some good advice. I've seen Bill Vincent post there also! Good Luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Great Tile Forum!

Not to hijack this thread but a related glass tile question - to make a long story short, I already purchased some grey thinset (one of the brands Bill V recommends for walls) but my tile selection will leikly change and include one with a few inserts of glass tiles (the Fire and Ice tile Jodi in So cal has). These clear glass tiles will be dark amber, light amber and clear mixed in among a larger expanse of natural stone. How much will the grey thinset affect the look of the glass tiles as compared to white thinset.

I already spent $50 on the grey thinset and can't return it (a Home Depot special order)

Thanks

Thanks for all your help everyone! I decided to take the plunge today and ordered the 3" x 6" tiles. DH only has limited experience with tile but we figure we'd do a better job than our GC's tile guy. His subs have NOT impressed us so we didn't want to take the chance on them doing a poor job and being stuck with the results.

Bill V, you'll probably be getting more questions from me in about 2 weeks :)

I'll be around. :-) On the off chance I might miss your post, don't hesitate to email me. (but try here, first, so that others might benefit from the answers to your questions, as well)

straw_bale_ln: We decided to install our own glass tile backsplash too, like you, and have done one section so far. Here it is, before we grouted it.

I'm showing it to you to encourage you, but I need your encouragement too! We are using 3x6 from Modwalls.com, and 1x1 mosaic from Oceanside Glass. I have to say, it was tricky, but very satisfying. We have a long way to go before we finish our whole kitchen.

Here is what I learned:

1) Lay down the thinset as evenly as you can. I put it on too thick near the bottom, and some of it is lumpy. Bill V., you'll probably notice where. We used Custom Building Products Flexbond. Don't back butter if you don't have to (the thinset does not show through the 3x6, but it does through the mosaic). Backbuttering, for us amateurs, just makes your thinset thicker so you won't have the same plane as the rest. Don't press too hard; some of our thinset came through our mosaic. We'll have to chisel it out carefully before grouting.

2) Find the right cutting tool. For the 3x6, we first tried a friend's fancy $600 wet tile cutter, and it tore through the glass, jaggedly. We borrowed another friend's cheapy $99 HomeDepot wet saw with a brand new 7 inch diamond blade, and it works beautifully. We then filed down the cut edges with a tile stone, which made them look really smooth and clean.

3) Cutting around outlets is hard. My husband used the 7 inch wet saw to sort of "slice'' into the tiles and then nipped off the sections out of the 3x6, but we decided it might be easier with a dremel saw. We have purchased one for the next round, where we will also have to cut a lot of the mosaics. We'll let you know how that goes.

4) We will be using CBP Polyblend unsanded grout, in a beige-y color (forget exactly which one) for grouting. We used 1/16 inch spacer between the 3x6, even though some people say not to go that thin. We wanted the smallest grout lines possible.

Here is what we plan to do behind the stove. We're using 4x4 from Oceanside, plus some borders from them. It will also be a challenge! We'll let you know how it goes. Let us know how you do. Good luck!

Wow hmsweethm - your backsplash is a beauty! You've also made me feel better about using glass in my overall traditional kitchen (having doubtful tiny pangs here and there). It's really, really nice and you did a great job on the installation.

Thanks, redroze. I saw you thread about picking a backsplash. It's hard, but fun. Good luck.

Another comment for straw_bale: We installed our tile on the painted wall. I just sanded it lightly with about 100 grit paper, and it was good to go.

I too found the instructions for glass tile installation confusing and sometimes contradictory. I think that's because it's a relatively new product (compared to other kinds of tiles which have been used since the Roman times and before!) and a lot of installers want to run and scream when they hear that's what you want -- LOL.

So I appreciate all the help and advise I've seen on this forum, especially from people like Bill V. I'll keep looking for your progress reports.

hmsweethm, thanks for all the useful info. I won't be getting my tile for about 2 weeks but I'll definitely post progress pics. You should do the same; I'd love to see how things progress for you, especially with the area above the stove. I love the accent 1"x1" tiles you chose, very nice. I really wanted to do something similar to that but since my granite is much "busier" I didn't want the backsplash to compete with it too much so we opted for just the subway tile. We went with the Ovation 3"x6" tile from Artistic Tile. The color and look really matches some of the larger crystals in our granite and I think it's going to look really nice in the end. I can't wait! :)

I almost forgot, we were also planning on keeping a really tight grout line. Any advice?

With 3x6 glass you should be able to use a 1/16"- 1/8" grout joint. The sides of the tiles are usually angled, which makes the finished grout joint bigger than the area you're actually spacing the tiles, so keep that in mind when deciding what you want to use for a grout joint.

Bill, doesn't the grout line kind of depend on the kind of tile you're using? The 3x6 here have very sharp clean edges, while the Mosaics do not. None of the Oceanside Glass tiles actually have very even edges. They are made of recycled glass, to some extent, and they're more rustic.

I actually had a question about grout lines, Bill: While we were able to use spacers between the 3x6s, we didn't use them to separate the mosaics from the 3x6s, which made me nervous as we were progressing. The material -- the mosaic tiles, with a paper backing -- were too uneven for us to use the spacers. What do you do in such a case? Do you just have to eyeball it along the way to make sure you're staying even? We tried to use plumb lines, as advised in so many places, but the lines get erased with your thinset, which made my husband kind of upset because then there was a slight tint to the thinset (our plumb line was purple).

Thanks for all your help. I read everything you write here and learn from it. I've had a little tiling experience -- did a bathroom and a kitchen floor in another house -- but my husband had never tiled, so we depend on information like yours.

doesn't the grout line kind of depend on the kind of tile you're using?

Yes, it does. But in general, most 3x6 glass can be set as i described above. You're right-- with mosaics, the grout joint is already determined by the joint size within the sheet of tile.

The material -- the mosaic tiles, with a paper backing -- were too uneven for us to use the spacers. What do you do in such a case?

Unless you're doing a very small area, the very WORST thing you could do is try and eyeball your coursing. Your eyes will LIE!! (until it's all done, and then they'll tattle all OVER you!!) Use the chalk line to show where you need to be. If you're worried about the chalk tinting the thinset, you can always snap your line a 1/2" high, and then keep the tile equi-distant from the line. AS for spacers, I'll usually use marble wedges where needed with mosaics. If you look at the following pic, the little white piece on top of the red shim is a marble wedge. it's about 1/2" wide, and goes from a point to being a strong 1/16" thick at the back end:

Wow, that is such an impressive picture. I want professional shims like yours!

That is really helpful advise about snapping your plumb line 1/2" above where you need it. The problem for us was that it was disappearing under our thinset, so it wasn't helping at all, then tinting it. We'll try drawing it higher next time.

I'll post a separate thread when we do our next phase. This section we did (and have yet to grout) was just over 60'' long, but then we have two longer runs to do, including the one with the stove and the fancier arrangement. I'll have more questions then. We wouldn't have tried this without all the great advise here, especially from you, Bill. Thanks again.

The "U" shaped shims, I bought on line. They have three sizes-- 1/16", 1/8", and 1/4". I've used them for years because they don't compress like standard spacers, and if you need to add a wedge do to sizing of the tile, they're flat and will take a wedge easily. They're called "Glazelock Shime", and they're actually made for installing huge panes of glass, as in office buildings, etc., but they work well for tile and stone, too. Here's the url where I bought them: http://www.glazelockshims.com/products.htm

As for the spikes, those you can order through http://www.tile-experts.com They're called "tile spikes", and they come in 4 sizes-- Same three as the shims, plus 3/16".

The white marble wedges, you can get at any HD or Lowes.

Actually, I just remembered-- I'm doing a glass mosaic installation tomorrow, so I'll try and get some progression pics.

I, for one, can't wait to see photos.

Sorry-- They're pushing hard right now. I didn't even get home till midnight last night, and I'm headed back there in about another half hour. I'll still try and get pics of the finished product once we grout it.

Here are the pics:

This next pic, I took for 2 reasons. First, to show that the glass is, in fact, grouted. I couldn't believe how it looked after grouting half the installation, and STILL couldn't see a difference, so I took this pic showing a close-up partially grouted:

The second reason is that so many of you have been told, either by your sales people, or by your installers, that you can't use sanded grout with the glass tiles, that it'll scratch the hell out of them. In the close-up you can see that this is a VERY transparent glass. ANY imperfection will show up as a shadow on the painted back of the tile. Now, look on the right side of the closeup picture, where the tile's grouted. Look, ma-- no scratches!!

Just beautiful! Are those Interstyle?

I knew someone was going to ask, and at midnight last night, I wasn't thinking clearly and had my son throw away all the boxes!! I'll see if I can find out from the project manager.

Don't go to any trouble. I was just curious.

Wow, Bill, that is really really beautiful. I had to look real close to see that part of the tile in the picture was not grouted. Amazing.

Thanks for showing us. What a stunning bathroom -- at least I think it's a shower.

Gorgeous installation, Bill! Having just spent the weekend DIYing a glass tile mosaic installation in my bathroom, I know that even with the mesh it's not easy to keep the tiles straight (without sinking).

Based on your grout coming out so well here, I think we are convinced to use Laticrete brand rather than Hydroment or Custom. We want the lightest silver/gray color Laticrete offers-- do you recommend Silver Shadow or Light Pewter? It's going to be used on Calacatta Gold field tile with a Blue glass border. Thanks!

While I'm at it, I'll pass on a couple of things I learned about glass tile installation for any potential DIYers out there. I used Artistic Tile Opera Glass in 1"x2" running bond on mesh as a border in a bathroom.

1. Mesh backed is *significantly* easier to work with than paper faced tile.
2. Glass that is colored through is easier to work with than clear glass with a colored backing.
3. Glass with very smooth machined edges (like the tile Bill shows above)is easier to work with than the hand-made rough edged tile (like Oceanside glasstile).
4. Use the best quality highly modified thinset you can find(we used Laticrete 251 Platinum). It allows you to keep the mortar bed thin and still get the set up to be quick and tight.
5. A low-budget home depot wet saw will cut glass just fine as long as you invest in a good quality diamond blade. The blade takes a few cuts before it starts to cut smoothly.
6. Make sure you are setting the tile with a hard surface "shelf" below it. It wants to sag. Also don't try to do too many rows at one time.
7. You can DIY glass. A tile salesperson had convinced me it was impossible to make it look good, but with the right products it can be done.
8. Next time I might buy some 1"x1"'s so I don't need to cut so many 1/2 tiles for the corners.

What a stunning bathroom -- at least I think it's a shower.

it's actually one of two niches in a 5 star hotel health spa lobby designed for retail shelving. Go to the link at the bottom of the post, and you'll see a pic of it all put together.

We want the lightest silver/gray color Laticrete offers-- do you recommend Silver Shadow or Light Pewter? It's going to be used on Calacatta Gold field tile with a Blue glass border.

Hands down-- silver shadow. Light pewter is more of a warmer gray. You want the silvery grey to go with the blue accent.

Use the best quality highly modified thinset you can find(we used Laticrete 251 Platinum)

I know what you meant, but just to keep from confusing people, it's 254 platinum. The 255 non-sag is also a good choice for a strong modified thinset, and makes it much easier to hang the sheets of tile on the wall.

Here is a link that might be useful: Inn by the Sea- spa lobby

Bill, that looks like a really elegant and high class establishment. No wonder they hired you to do those niches!

Really impressive work there.

Thanks for the grout advice, Bill. And thanks for correcting my Laticrete #. Choosing the right thinset is hard enough without my confusing the issue with the wrong product name!

Hi all,

I have read through all of these posts and I feel like I just need a little reassurance before I tackle my DIY glass tile project....

My husband and I have purchased 1"x1" glass tile with a mesh back (sheets are 12"x12") and we plan to do a backsplash in our kitchen. The good news is that the area between the counters and the cabinets is just over 12" high so the tile sheets fit perfectly, and we only have a total of 15 square feet to tile. We also only have 2 outlets to deal with.

I've read through the posts on the basic procedure, but I'm concerned about making sure I don't run into an issue with saggy, wavy lines. I know that I don't want to eyeball it, but I'm not sure what the best game plan is. Can someone help??

First, use the non-sag thinset I talked about up above. You mix it stiff-- to the point where you have to use a little elbow grease to trowel it, and the tiles will hang right where you put them. Secondly, cut the areas from the sheets where the outlets will come thru, and then set your sheet, using a grout float to tap them into the thinset. Once you've done that, you're going to have to literally cut the tiles one at a time on a wet saw, because once the sheet material on the back gets wet, the mounting pretty much falls apart. Now, as for the wet saw, you need to make sure you have a blade made specifically for glass tiles, or it'll chip the heck out of the cut edges.

For the person who installed the glass time in kitchen, is this tile Glass Reflections by Daltile? I am unable to find anything that cuts the tile. Daltile will not sell me the blade they make, which costs over 100 bucks. I am working on getting a tile co. to order it but hate to think that is the only option.

Thanks, Sandra

Sandra, you might check on line before you go thru Dal. They DO charge an arm and a leg for their tools. You might do better going thru someplace like constructioncomplete.com, or even going to John Bridge's site and going thru his store.

I have called corporate Dal. A local Dal solde me a Rodia glass tile/glass block blade that burns up the tile and destroys it. They assert I am not cutting correctly and that is is my fault and loss. I am waiting for a call back from corporate Dal.

Meanwhile I am using the Husky diamond blade that comes with the Husky wet saw. I tried a Bosch blade which also damaged the tile. I will complain again to the Daltile about the selling of an inappropriate blade. Dal recommends a Vetro Glass blade but only comes in an 8 or 10 and I do not want to buy another wet saw.

Do you have experience with Glass Reflections? It looks like the tile used in the photos of the kitchen back splash, where the person stated that a cheap blade works better than the expensive set up she tried. At this point, I am using the Husky and hiding the cuts in the corners. I will post a pic.

If hmsweethm could tell me the specific blade brand and if she used Glass Reflections from Daltile, that would help.

Thanks,
Sandra

Bill and all...
I'll be getting 1-square-foot sheets of recycled glass tiles (1-inch tiles with a randomly placed 2-inch tile) mounted on a mesh backing. Some of the tile are clear, some are tinted like green or blue bottles.

I'm concerned that the mesh will show through those transparent/translucent tiles. But the supplier (www.SusanJablonMosaics.com) says the mesh disappears into the thinset. What has been your experience?

Thanks so much for any help you can give.

Can I resurrect this thread? It came up on a search...

I am going to install a small backsplash. It is a powder room and there are three sides around the sink...22 x 42 x22. I'm only going to go one tile high and the tiles are roughly 4 x 12. The tiles are American Olean Abstracts They are glass and have a wavy texture. I will need to cut only 4 pieces and I'm so happy the edges are finished. I should only need 8 tiles, but will purchase 9 to start. What is the best way to cut this? Must I borrow or rent a tile saw? What blade is best, yet economical? Thank you for advice for a very inexperienced tile setter!

I have a new question for this thread...and anyone who can help. I chose a light green glass subway tile for my kitchen backsplash 3 years ago. It's still in a box because my husband, who is usually quite handy (and quite the perfectionist), is terrified of this tile. We will be staggering them so the first question that came up is which side to put the cut edge on (inside and grout or on the outer edge where we will be putting a metal trim edge first). The 2nd question is where should the tile end and begin? Our cabinets are not lined up with the countertops exactly...some countertops are wider than the upper cabinets. My opinion is that the backsplash is suppose to line up with the countertops...the main reason for the word "backsplash" but his opinion is to start them with the upper cabinets which means an inch or 2 of some of the counters will not have backsplash behind them. The third question I have is this: The tile have an obvious shadow too them all the way around the edge. They have I guess a slight bevel? In any case, when we cut the staggered ones on the ends, that shadow wont show. I'm not too concerned with it but it's causing my husbands OCD to flair up. Again, these cut edges will be agains the trim molding we're putting up but they don't "hide" under the molding like we thought...the sit against it. I want the smallest grout line as possible so I can't really tell him to use a massive grout line on the edges to cover it with that.....again...how noticeable do you think it will be in your opinion? Has anyone else installed glass subway tile with a slight bevel that they can give me any pointers? Also, using a diamond blade to cut but the stuff does still chip...why is that? It's a NEW blade. Thanks for any help you-all can give me!