Just did my column using thinset mortar too.

slow, why did you mix the sanded grout with the mortar for the grout, to get a little finer look?

LIL: I didn't have gray grout, and didn't want to go to Lowes, so the white mortar and the black grout made the perfect color. I knew this plan would work cuz I'd used it before - plus to me, it never hurts to ensure more adhesion, in using the mortar. It worked out wonderfully. As I mentioned in my bathroom thread, at the end, when I was grouting after the white wall tiles were put back in place, the grout line on the right was a little too wide, so I buttered some large beads and glass nuggets w/the mixture, stuck them into the wet grout line, and they are IN THERE to stay.

This is just what I wanted to know for a future project.
Thanks, slow, that came in handy.
Bianchi

Oh, I see. I used the mortar to do the stepping stones except this last one was a mess, I'd used the GEII on it and seems like everytime I get down to a certain level that stuff doesn't want to dry and I end up throwing the tube away. When I started to grout most of it fell off. Had to start over but it ended up ok I think. I think also the weather being so darn damp all the time had some to do with it. We are drowning here, the drought is over for sure!!!

Thanks slowmedown, but we do not have Lowes in town here. I live in a 12 mile long city, on the coast of CA. All we have are ACE and Home Depot. I will try the thinset, but I don't believe any actual glue will work, as I have tried even the ones people say will stick to a vertical piece only to have it snap off during grout. I have an upcoming project that I can't afford to ruin. Thanks...I will see what I can find.

Any thinset w/work. I imagine Home D has a type of thinset - a tile store - wherever - just make sure you put in the admixture or make your own from sand/cement/laytex. Riana makes all her own thinset/grout using the sand and cement and additives. I like Mapei cuz it's easy to use, but if there comes a time I can't find it, I'll make my own.

to slowmedown
here's another question,
on the hypertufa forum, one of the recipes for the cast leaves is for the portland cement, sand and the fortifier..
couldn't that same fortifier be used, in place of water,
for when mixing up the grout and use that as an adhesive?

I realize the tufa recipe wouldn't be thick enough or stable enough, for using as a grout itself but with the fortifier and grout, then I would think that should work.
and again...I rely on the grout/adhesive in the tub, for whatever I do..cuz it's a one-step method, that is good for once through.

howsomeever, I will make a trip to Lowe's here and see just what it is, that gives you the good results you get.
it OBVIOUSLY works, cuz that's one fabulous column you made.

Becky .(*_*).

I don't know diddly about tufa - never tried it, but I DO know grout is for grouting - mortar is for gluing. If I'm using the plain thinset I got from a tile store when I first started mosaicing (I only use it in a pinch), I use about equal parts of the fortifier and water. I would never use grout only for an adhesive. The thing I was telling y'all about when I stuck beads in the grout line, I only did that cuz I knew the grout/mortar mixture was heavy on mortar. THAT'S what makes things stick - As WENCH has said, and I am saying too, grout is only for filling and finishing. Even though it's hard to remove, it is not meant for adhesive. This isn't hard, y'all - thinset mortar is a cement-based adhesive. It WILL hold up outside. I use it for grouting to ensure adhesion and to ensure my whole structure is covered in cement.

Slow, one more question. Do you apply the thinset on the substrate, then put the glass in it OR are you applying it to the glass then apply to the substrate?
Thanks!

I apply to the substrate cuz most of the time my glass pieces are so small. When I use shards of dishes, I butter them, to fill up the concave sections.

Slowmedown. You are a world of information. I really appreciate your advice, especially since you have 'tested it in your kitchen'. I hearby pronounce you the Betty Crocker of adhesive, grout and mortar. I am going to cut and paste your advice into my notepad so I don't forget what I need to do.

oh, there's a step by step in there, that makes sense..

grout for grout
mortar for gluing
fortifier for strengthning
thinset mortar is an adhesive

I think I'm on the right track now..
because before, I just go willy nilly and hope for the best ....
I still haven't tried the GE11 and I have several tubes of it. I don't know what the delay is...I just don't like the slippery feel of it.
and I'm also impatient

I would make a bad student, for a teacher, I think.

Becky .(*_*).

OHMYGOODNESS - Y'all KNOW I don't give advice. I just tell you what I do, and what has worked for me. NO WAY am I telling y'all what to do.

Slowmedown, where do I find a column or cement substrate? I went to a fancy nursery garden center, this morning. I found a darling terra cotta bench, no longer than 8" in length, and 6" in height. $50 price tag.

I don't care for the looks of resin, alabaster, plaster, etc. I do like terra cotta and cement, but not sure where to begin.

LOL - slowmedown's new name is Betty!!

You've done a very nice job advising on this thread!

mdunkin - I know slowmedown and nicethyme and I think Rosemarythyme have all made their own columns. I can't find the posts real quick, but I'm sure someone will jump in with info.

Maria

I'm using chimney liner for my column. Its approx 8" square and 2' tall. It cost about 6.00. Slow also did a column using chimnet liner...
Oh, about calling Slow by Betty, I wouldn't. Thats the name of that chic that stole her column ;-)

LOL - y'all make me laugh - a good way to wake up in the mornings. I was so busy yesterday I didn't have time to check in here. MDUNKIN: Like BAMA, I made a tower for my daughter from very heavy, thick chimney flue tiles. The size is 13" X 13" X 12", and I stacked six. Each tile was so heavy I could barely lift it before mosaicing, so they are VERY heavy. By the time I put it on a concrete block, added another block on top w/a finial, it was around eight feet. My first one was made by using two sizes of the four feet (12" diameter) cardboard tubes from Lowes, and I mixed/poured Quickcrete between the tubes. Since you don't have a Lowes, see if you can find those tubes somewhere near or perhaps order them on-line. I also think you could use those cardboard tubes carpets come on. Check w/a carpet store. Hopefully you could find two sizes. The wall of mine is only about an inch thick, so it's hollow on inside. I saw a magazine article last year in which the lady had used large PVC pipe to mosaic. It's not available around here larger than six inches. If you could find some of the round terra cotta tiles they used to use in sewers, they make great columns. I have an eight inch X about 30" tall terra cotta column I bought from a pottery shop waiting in line to be mosaiced. THEN I mosaiced a column made of cedar. It's about 10" square X five ft. Now if you want to know what I'd do if I were in your situation, I'd make one from scratch, using the "Riana" method you see us talking about here a lot. The diamond-shaped wire mesh they use for plastering walls is easy to bend, wire together. Make it double layered, push your concrete between the mesh and viola - you have a column. Here's the link to the thread I posted after our trip to Puerta Vallarta, where we learned how to make wire armatures for concrete sculptures.

wire mesh recipe

Hey Mdunkin, you can find my method in this link. I did this beacuse I wanted to start learning how to sculpt with concrete. It was fun but I plan to start working with the mesh method that slow linked next.

Here is a link that might be useful: how I made my column

Bama, you're killing me!

Bama....just have to say how much I enjoy your sense of humor - your comments in several threads regarding "Betty" stealing "slow's" column.... cracked me up

For what it's worth, in one of the lists I read, Sonia King recommends something she referred to as "Lexel Silicone." She said you can pick it up at Ace Hardware. I googled it, but couldn't find a Lexel product that was silicone, but did find this page (among others) that explains a bit about it (assuming this stuff is what she was talking about):
Lexel: 3 Reasons Lexel Is Better Than Silicone

This page says the stuff is for interior/exterior. In googling further, it looks as though it runs a couple of dollars a more than the GEII silicone, but for certain projects, it might be just the ticket.

Vertical surfaces are difficult sometimes. If you can't lay your project flat, then you might have to resort to using blue painter's tape or something to keep those larger/heavier pieces in place. You can also glue your tiles down on a special mosaic mesh, which results in larger sheets that you can then mortar to your substrate.

Nancy

Here is a link that might be useful: Mosaic Tile Mesh