These days, people are increasingly building swimming pools in their country houses. Some hire professional workers for this, while others are engaged in the construction on their own. Mosaic for swimming pools is the most common finishing material. Experts recommend using it when facing the walls and bottom of the structure.
Pool Mosaic
Mosaic is a finishing material, which is a small-sized fragments. They can be made of glass or ceramic tiles. The first material is given the greatest preference. The fact is that ceramics are covered with decorative glaze on top, which can collapse over time. With constant contact with water, damaged tiles begin to accumulate moisture inside themselves and lose their waterproof properties.
Glass Mosaic for swimming pool does not lose its water-repellent qualities even if defects appear on its surface during laying or after long-term operation. The material is characterized by highstrength and low water absorption coefficient. It is easy to work with it, and in case of damage to individual parts, it is easy to replace them without violating the entire composition. In addition, glass mosaic is frost-resistant, which is an indisputable advantage for pools located in an open area or in a summer pavilion.
Choice of material for work
It was said above that pool mosaics are made from various materials. Speci alty stores offer a huge selection of finishes in any color scheme. It can be a mosaic of a uniform color or various patterns and images. The choice of material depends on personal tastes and preferences. Experts can easily help you choose the right mosaic and calculate the number of parts.
If you are going to make a pool yourself, it is best to consult with the seller. Based on your wishes and climatic features of the area, he will offer the most suitable option. When buying a mosaic, it is recommended to take material with a small margin. Cracks or chips may form on glass parts during operation. Such elements should be replaced immediately so as not to return to the restoration in the future.
Pool lining adhesive
When the mosaic for the pool is purchased, you need to take care of buying glue. This issue should be approached responsibly, since the strength of the finish, and hence the quality of the entire structure, depends on the adhesive base.
Mixesfor laying mosaics are sold in the same stores where you bought the finishing materials themselves. The main quality that glue should have is moisture resistance. Otherwise, under the influence of water, the lining will begin to lag behind. Today, there are special mixtures that allow you to do without the use of grout. They are white in color and look aesthetically pleasing as they fill in the seams.
Well, we figured out the choice of glue. Now we need to figure out how to work with it and what surface it can be applied to.
Surface preparation
Laying mosaics in the pool should be carried out on a flat surface, free from dust and dirt. A primer is used for leveling. If the pool bowl is covered with a cracked layer of paint, it should be removed if possible.
The primer should be diluted in a container of water and immediately begin to process the walls and bottom of the pool bowl. The mixture can be applied with a wide spatula. It is recommended to use plumb lines to make the surface even. It is better to start from the corner and gradually move along the wall. When the bowl is primed, the solution should be allowed to dry well for a day. After that, you can proceed to the application of glue and cladding.
Laying mosaics in the pool
Dilute the glue with water in accordance with the instructions printed on the package. The mixture must be thoroughly mixed so that all lumps disappear. It should be homogeneous in composition. The consistency of the solution can be changedin the process of laying the mosaic, if suddenly it turns out to be too liquid or, conversely, thick.
It is recommended to start lining from the top of the wall. To make the seams even, you can make vertical markings on the surface. Glue should be applied to a width of no more than three mosaic blocks. After that, the solution must be leveled with a spatula with jagged edges to create a relief and a sheet of material should be applied. It is necessary to glue the parts of the mosaic at a small distance from each other. The seam should be the same everywhere.
Finishing the pool with mosaics should be carried out in two directions: a few blocks away from the corner and down to the very bottom. It is better to remove the glue that has come out immediately with a spatula, without waiting for it to dry. After finishing the walls of the pool, you can proceed to facing the bottom. It is performed similarly.
How to cut a mosaic
When you get to the corner of the wall, you will definitely be faced with the need to cut the mosaic. To do this with high accuracy, you should know the size of the required fragments. To do this, you can use a ruler or tape measure. Next, marks should be placed on the tiles themselves, along which cutting will already take place.
Mosaic tiles for the pool are cut using a special tool. You should not try to break it with wire cutters, because the result is likely to be jagged edges. It is better to work with a tile cutter or a glass cutter clearly along the drawn line. Some stick adhesive tape on the surface of the material so that the edges do not break off. cutfragments are glued to the walls in the same way as whole ones.
It is recommended to carry out work on cutting the mosaic with gloves. During the cutting process, small glass chips are formed, so hands must be washed thoroughly after this. The workplace should also be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner or a damp cloth.
How to rub seams
To make pool mosaics look aesthetically pleasing, the seams should be rubbed. This is done using a special composition. First of all, you need to prepare the necessary devices. We will need: the grout itself, a container for diluting the solution, a rubber spatula and a rag to immediately remove excess mixture.
Glue can be used as a grout. The main thing is that it is waterproof and airtight, as well as frost-resistant. Usually the grout is selected according to the color of the mosaic. The width of the seam is also important. If it does not exceed 4 mm, a fine-grained mixture should be used, and if the seam is larger, a coarse-grained one.
Remember that you can only overwrite the mosaic after the mortar on which it is laid has completely dried!
Mosaic Grout
Mosaic cladding of the pool is coming to an end. It remains only to make the grout. To begin with, you should carefully inspect the entire surface and clean it of the adhesive that has come out. From the gaps between the tiles, the dried mixture must be removed. After that, the mosaic must be wiped with a wet cloth from dust and dirt. Make sure that moisture does not linger in the seams.
Now start applying the diluted grout. It's donerubber spatula on a small area of the surface. Rub the grout into the unfilled joints along the diagonal of the tile - first to the right and then to the left.
Excess grout is recommended to be cleaned after 10-20 minutes with a damp abrasive sponge. If you leave them for a long time, the solution will harden, and it will be difficult to remove it. When the grout dries, the remaining dust can be wiped off with a dry cloth.
Remember that at least 20 days must pass between the drying of the mixture and pouring the pool.
This is how mosaics for swimming pools fit. This process is lengthy and requires care. If there is a desire and opportunities, you can cope with such work yourself. The main thing is not to rush and do everything carefully so that you can enjoy the result for many years.
