If you used a real thick coat of mastic, you might be able to push the mosaic pieces into it and skip the grout. I'm pretty lazy, I think I'd try that, especially since you'd have to seal grout if you used it.

I want to put small tiles on an outdoor stucco porch column. Will mastic alone suffice? (Sorry, haven't studied this recently... may be dumb question!)

I'm probably too late to help OP but for others who come along.....

http://www.intimateweddings.com/blog/how-to-make-stepping-stones-with-a-cake-pan/

I have not tried this but it is how I plan to do it.

I hope it's ok to post links like this (I'm new here). Can anyone tell me?

Yes, you can add links like that. Nice idea.

tj

We made stepping stones as a camp craft one year. coat a 5 gallon bucket with Vaseline, then pour cement about 2" thick. Let sit a while, then press the pottery shards, stones, whatever into the wet cement. I'm not sure how well the kids' lasted, but I had mine for 10+ years.

I've always used GE silicone glue to attach the mosaic pieces to whatever, then used grout. I've never had anything pop off, but probably have sustained some brain damage from all the fumes I've sucked in making pots and birdhouses.

I also use ge silicone and grout. no problems.

Thanks for the tip on the GE Silicone adhesive. Has anyone tried the GE "Iron Grip" adhesive? I noticed it seems to be something new.

I've seen stepping stones made using cake pans, buckets, and those flimsy plastic saucers for putting under big pots (coat all with Vaseline or cooking oil spray like Pam), smaller square pizza boxes, or lathering a cement mix over a big leaf (like rhubarb) that is lying atop some sand.

I felt so bad when I read this woman's story of her grandmother's precious teacups. Her husband broke a box full of them when they fell out of his truck. She used the broken pieces to make stepping stones by pressing the pieces into the cement mix. I liked that she incorporated the handles as well. Over the Moon - Stepping Stone

I saw these stepping stones on Pinterest and I can picture these with real buttons, bits of china, or even old jewelry stuck into the tufts like buttons. I found a place in the UK that sells similar molds.

I also saw these on Pinterest. They are store bought but I wondered if they couldn't be made. I can see these decorated with bits and pieces of broken dishes to create the illusion of flip flops.

Has anyone created their own molds for stepping stones? And if so, how did you do it?

Last year 'I did several cement leaves from around the yard. No mold but the leaf required. I also used cake pans but never decorated the tops of the stones. I still have them and could do mosaic on them. so many ideas so little time.

This one before all the leaf peeled off. It is a monster. It also cracked in the winter because I had it sitting as a bird bath on top of a milk can and did not put enough wire in it Live and learn. I will take it down and put it just as decor in the flower bed some where. I just have not done so yet.

Lots of others and I do think I need to gather up a few for the fairy garden.

I have yet to try a concrete leaf. I don't have anything with big enough leaves in the yard so I'd have to find someone who grows rhubarb or something else bigger. The elephant ears I grow on the porch don't get that big.

What kind of leaves did you use, Shades_of_idaho?

Most of mine were done with rhubarb. I did some with the large hosta leaves too and they are a breeze to peel off the cement, There seems to be a bit of waxy stuff on them .

Forgot to say how darling the pillows are done in cement.

I do have some hostas. I'll have to pay attention to how big the leaves get. Thanks for the tip, Shades!

These are not stepping stones but close. I did mosaic on mirror then added it to the stair risers. I need one more for the three step one and one for my side door and another for the back door. I will be busy working on these for awhile. Mostly made of scrap bits all done on slabs of mirror. With glass glob edging.

One big thing to keep in mind on actual mosaic stepping stones you intend to walk on is to leave enough cement between the bits of glass to break up the super slick surface of the glass. I try to leave 1/4 inch or so. I rarely do actual stepping stones. Mostly decorative to look at not walk on.

Now I need to get back to a very scary project. I am trying to put a roof up made of an old farm gate with the tin already on it and it is heavy as can be and I need to lift it up 6 foot and now the wind is blowing. I might need to post pone this project. Sigh. As I am typing the wind is getting even worse.Tomorrow is another day. I will safely dig post holes instead. LOL

OH and I actually used cement patch for my leaves. It is a nice texture with out rocks in it to have to deal with. I am not sure it is as strong as the ready mix cement is . I do try to add a layer of cement then a layer of hardware cloth and WOW that stuff is pretty expensive now. OK on to post holes.

Shades, I never thought of using a mirror to mosaic on and then glue that to the step riser. I always thought of getting that sticky mesh stuff that you can stick your pieces to (the good part against the mesh) and then put mastic on the surface you want it to stick to and push it against it. Once the mastic dries, then you wet the mesh stuff and it dissolves the glue so you can peel it off. Your mirror idea sounds a lot easier.

How does it hold up in the winter? I'm in growing zone 5 so our winters are similar.

I did a bench of cinder blocks and the same mosaic on mirror a few years ago and so far everything is doing fine. I use the silicone GE 2 and everything is sticking well. I have never used mesh for anything. To do that you have to turn your tiles or glass bits over and my brain will not work that way. If you use the sticky mesh on the bottom you then use mastic to stick it down I have never used any mastic just the silicone. So I do not know how that would hold up. My zone is 4 and some times 5 so yes we would be close. Last year we had several days of 20 below zero and even more and my bench has sat under piles of snow for months dealing with the freeze thaw. I did pop off one tile on the mirror when I moved the bench some and the tile was on crooked and it popped it off. no harm done. I just need to glue it back on.

I bought a whole pallet of mirror off cuts for very cheep. It is why I have used a lot of it in my house. Then I can work on the horizontal surface then attach to the vertical. You can get fairly big pieces of mirror in the behind the door mirrors when they are on sale. That mirror glass is not the 1/8 inch thickness though. Just be aware of that.

Thanks for the great tips, Shades! I'll have to watch for some thicker mirrors.

I know what you mean about the mesh, I'm not sure how well I'd be able to assemble pieces upside down. The only good thing is you can use different thicknesses and they will come out flat when applying mastic.

I still watch yard sales for mirrors. Even though I am trying so hard to use up the junk I already have. Right on the different thicknesses. And if pouring your own stones you put it in the bottom of the mold and they say that works. I have not had good luck doing this though. I tried it with shells once.