The long-awaited day of completion of all is approaching repair work in the house, and the remains ceramic tiles gathering dust on the loggia or, even worse, blocking the passage in the corridor? Don’t forget to get rid of the leftover material, but rather use it to decorate your updated home! Or use it to make a functional item! The main thing is don’t be afraid to show your imagination! Our article offers you 10 original ideas How to use leftover tiles to create real art decor or decorate old furniture.

No. 1: use tilesto create country decor

Tiles unused during renovation can become a suitable decor for summer cottage. For example, you can use them to lay out a small garden path or decorate the floor in a gazebo. If there are small tiles or mosaics left, you can use them to cover flower pots in the garden. With such outdoor decor, your dacha will sparkle with new colors.

#2: Use tiles to make cup holders

Leftover small hexagonal tiles make an ideal material for creating functional coasters. Just glue a few tiles together and enjoy! designer accessories, which will not only decorate the kitchen, but also protect the surface dining table or coffee table from stains.

No. 3: use tiles to decorate the mirror frame

Has your bathroom mirror frame become dull, scratched and no longer looks good? Dont be upset! Cover it with multi-colored ceramic mosaics. A wooden or plastic frame with a flat surface is suitable as a frame. A little glue and imagination - and your mirror will live a new life.

#4: Use tiles to cover up scratches on an old table.

Remains of tiles or mosaics are useful for hiding scratches on the surface of a magazine or coffee table. Just cover the tabletop with colored tiles and you can rest assured that such a piece of furniture will not only fit perfectly into the decor, but will also serve its owners for a long time.

#5: Use tiles to decorate your tray

To make the kitchen tray original and exclusive appearance, its surface can be covered with small format tiles or glass mosaics.

No. 6: tiles are suitable for table setting

If you are planning a picnic outdoors, use large-format tiles for table setting! Guests will definitely appreciate your ingenuity! Plus, leftover porcelain tiles or tiles can be used as cutting boards!

#7: Use tiles to decorate your walls

Don't know what to decorate with empty walls in the hall? Forget about banal posters and reproductions and create your own art object. Combine several pieces of tiles into a single composition, choose a suitable frame for your masterpiece and, voila, your wall decor is ready!

No:8 original photo demonstration

Standard photo frames can be replaced with tiles! Just glue the photo to the surface of the material, hang the resulting decor on the walls, and the best moments of life will always be in sight!

#9: Tile part of the wall

The tiles remaining after renovation can help transform the interior of a bathroom or kitchen in the future. By laying tiles on only one wall or even part of the wall (by the sink, for example), you can add volume to the space and make the room original and effective.

No. 10: colored floor in boho style

Anyone can complete a home renovation with an original mosaic made from broken tiles, especially if you become familiar with the basics of the work. Lay out a colored pattern from the remnants of the tiles, adding fragments of other decorative materials- one of the most simple methods creating an original panel in the bathroom, kitchen or garden design. This painstaking work is not very popular, but hand-made panels in the interior will never go out of fashion.

What materials can be used for mosaic cladding?

An original do-it-yourself tile mosaic gives huge opportunities to express imagination, especially when there is material and good ideas. In childhood, many tried to master the method of drawing by cells, when the grid on the portrait reproduces the sketch, enlarging the layout several times. Using the same method, you can reproduce any scene or portrait on the wall in one of the rooms - Viktor Tsoi, Marilyn Monroe, “the mask of a stranger,” birds, an aquarium. Good examples- mosaic from broken tiles photo.

Getting the job done is not as difficult as it seems, and if you hire a specialist, it will be expensive. None of the guests will be able to distinguish the step-by-step drawing from the artist’s work. It will take more time than the master’s workflow, but it is a pleasant creative experience, and it’s nice to post your work on social networks. If you manage to master the technique of laying mosaics from broken ceramic tiles, this can become both an exciting hobby and additional income.

Mosaic panels - execution of thematic or abstract compositions from different elements. Each drawing is unique because it is made up of fragments whose color and shape cannot be repeated. The mosaic may consist of:

equal pieces of the same shape (circle, square, triangle, 6-sided);
fragments of arbitrary shape;
combinations of pieces different sizes and shapes.

Construction supermarkets throw away broken tiles, ceramic tiles and other finishing materials or sold as recyclables, and can be purchased at a reasonable price. For those who are interested in how to lay a mosaic from broken tiles, it is important to know that they are suitable for these purposes various materials. This:

broken colored glass;
pieces of mirror and bottle glass;
fragments of porcelain tableware;
thin cuts of wood;
polished fragments of colored glass and mother-of-pearl shells collected on the seashore;
original shells;
smooth colored pebbles;
pieces of gems;
large smooth buttons, etc.

Tip: When laying out a colored pattern, there are not always pieces the desired shape and size - they can be plucked off with pliers from a large fragment or cut evenly with a tile cutter. While doing this work, protect your face from splinters and dust! When starting work, protect your eyes with safety glasses and your nose and mouth with a household respirator. Wear a robe and gloves to avoid cutting yourself from the edge of a splinter. It is important that no casual spectators are present during this process - sharp fragments of chipped tiles can injure them.

Where can I lay out a mosaic panel?

Mosaic made from special tiles like smalt - expensive pleasure, and it is also used for interior decoration. However, the most budget option will be a self-made mosaic made from broken tiles. This finish is widely used:

on the floor - in the bathroom, hallway, kitchen or pool;
on any surfaces intended for washing;
on countertops and ceramic flowerpots;
for garden buildings;
on the sides of a bench or bench made with your own hands;
inside an old bathroom designed to look like a swimming pool with a “sea bottom”.

If you're looking for finished pieces that inspire, look for views of Barcelona. The great Spanish architect Gaudi left to his descendants many talented examples of mosaic panels. But gifted contemporaries also left us many artistic paintings:

at the ends of multi-storey buildings;
in finishing of swimming pools;
as decoration kitchen premises and bathrooms;
monumental paintings in the foyer and cladding of public buildings;
for decoration of shops, offices, clinics and sanatoriums.

This universal method decorative finishing today you can try in your home country house or at the dacha, in a city apartment or at the entrance. A bench in the yard, decorated with a mosaic of broken tiles, can withstand frost and rain well; it will not lose its appearance for years. original appearance, and the material can be collected from apartment to apartment for free. You can familiarize yourself with the basics of mosaics made from broken tiles - a video where all stages of the work are described in detail.

Where to start laying out a mosaic image

Mosaic canvases are not only an exciting creative process, but also original way savings. Against the backdrop of a steady increase in the price of building materials, there is an opportunity to show resourcefulness by collecting elements for a picturesque panel from scrap materials. Shards of broken colored tiles helped Gaudi not only discover new facets of his talent, but also create famous masterpieces in Park Guell!

There are several options for choosing a theme for a panel:

1. Try to see your theme in the colored fragments and color scheme, then add some missing material.

2. Select ready-made diagram mosaics from broken tiles, based on personal preferences.

3. It is better to create a mosaic from broken tiles according to your own sketch, but based on familiarization with highly artistic samples.

4. The picture that inspired you can decide to recreate it in mosaic version using image magnification.

5. Try to repeat the finished mosaic masterpiece with your own color scheme.

6. Review proposals for the sale of finished mosaic tiles, and choose the material that impressed you the most.

7. Using ready-made broken material, lay out on any smooth surface an abstract design that your imagination suggests.

It is important to have an understanding of artistic principles:

symmetrical canvases are more difficult to lay out, but they are better perceived;
in asymmetry, a larger fragment is placed on the left, and the right-side placement of large fragments makes the image heavier;
when laying out recognizable outlines and portraits without a stencil, it is important to maintain proportions;
If you don’t have artistic taste and creative experience, it’s better not to experiment on a prepared surface, but to use a good sketch.

Fragments of broken tiles are also laid in the form of abstract paintings, using color contrasts. But abstraction is also built on the principle:

beautiful combinations of shades;
smooth color transitions;
contrasting options.

However, large natural elements look most impressive in mosaic canvases:

birds and animals or their fantasy images;
flowers - sunflowers, daffodils, poppies, irises;
fish - aquarium, sea or animated;
portrait elements - the profile of a girl in a hat, a carnival mask, a languid look, recognizable images;
landscapes - schematic or highly artistic.

Before you start laying out the mosaic canvas on your permanent place, try to work out the layout on another surface, for example, on the floor or table. It is important to measure the size finished work with the surface where the mosaic will be. Try to imagine the finished result with grout between the fragments; you may need to add pigment of the desired shade to it for a continuous pattern. Black filler between large pieces of colored broken tiles will resemble stained glass, and white filler will give cleanliness and freshness.

In the drawing of the future work, it is better to think through all the options in advance so as not to regret the haste - redoing the mosaic is extremely difficult. If it is difficult to create a mosaic with a recognizable image, then it is better to start with a simple abstract composition.

Tip: When choosing pieces of tiles, it is important to sort them - higher quality fragments are suitable for central elements and semantic accents, the rest goes to the edges. Face-cut, chipped and defective pieces with cracks in the enamel are suitable for edges and chipping off missing pieces (filling voids). For mosaic tiles, the dimensions can be adjusted using nippers. When the finished panel is dry, refresh it with a glass cleaner and wipe with a fluffy rag.

Preparing surfaces for work

Mosaics are laid out on the wall in different ways:

on the prepared wall, coating each fragment with glue and securing it to the reinforcing building mesh;
lay out the main part of the mosaic on a grid and secure the finished pattern to a plane;
It is important to prepare a rounded wall, transfer the mosaic fragmentarily from the preliminary layout, otherwise the pattern will warp and some of the tile fragments will fall off.

1. Before applying markings for the mosaic sketch, clean the wall from any remaining wallpaper, peeling paint, cement dust, and small particles.

2. Wipe the cleaned surface with a damp, clean sponge and let it dry.

3. Fill everything with starting putty, apply a small layer to the entire surface under mosaic panel, cover with a reinforcing mesh, and apply pieces of tiles onto it.

4. Mosaic fragments are well attached to a flat surface; if the pattern is initially laid out on a mesh, it is applied to a perfectly plastered surface.

5. When transferring tiles, it is better to use 2 stencils - on one the primary layout of the panel will be done, and on the second we apply markings on the wall or other plane. The most convenient way is with chalk or marker. Do not be afraid that the lines will be visible; they will subsequently be filled with a special solution - grout.

Tip: When laying scraps and fragments of tiles, protect your hands with gloves from small cuts from sharp edges. The tile adheres well only when optimal temperature- within +5°С - +30°С.

Tile mortar

A solution for working with ceramic and tiles is available in every hardware store. Give preference light shades- this makes it easier to evaluate preliminary results.

For cullet, use a light or transparent solution; it will be visible under the fragments. In some cases, a little foil is placed under each piece of colored glass to make the mosaic sparkle like precious stones.

The finished solution is applied to the wall with a small spatula from a corner or central area, where it is more convenient to lay out the panels. Each fragment is pressed a little into the solution so that it adheres well.

Tip: It is best to attach the lining from below, and the finished areas should be allowed to dry before the next step. It is convenient to lay out pieces of the same color using a stencil pattern, for example, a sunflower petal. On a small panel, the solution will successfully replace “liquid nails”.

Curved pattern

Mosaic pattern from broken ceramic tiles - perfect option where there should be a curved washable surface that cannot be laid with ordinary tiles. It is good to attach small fragments along a grid with regular glue, and fill the gap with grout or finishing plaster.

This method is suitable for rounded and streamlined surfaces in the bathroom and pool, in the hallway and kitchen. Looks good:

mosaic washbasin laid out in oriental style;
the outer side of the bath and the inner side of the pool;
round niches for small figurines.

Surfaces flowing into one another look beautiful in a bathroom, sauna or swimming pool - from the floor to the walls and outside tanks, as in the photo. The greenhouse looks picturesque, the loggia under winter Garden with rounded multi-level terraces for plants, lined with mosaics of broken tiles, shells and stones.

Technology of laying out a mosaic pattern

To master the features of laying mosaics, it is important to carefully study the master class on tiles made from broken pieces. For this you will need:

chipped remains of porcelain stoneware, ceramic tiles, and other facing and natural materials;
set of spatulas;
scissors for cutting the mesh and the mesh itself;
equipment and utensils for semi-preparing the adhesive composition;
grout for joints - in the color of the tile or contrasting;
nippers and tile cutters;
any tile adhesive light color, better special transparent or super-cement;
Suitable for laying mosaics on the floor cement mortar.

General rules:

1. It is convenient to lay out the pattern from the central semantic fragment, gradually covering new areas.

2. First, the installation of the main figures is completed, then the background and background of the composition. If a lot of mortar or glue has come out here and there, it is important to carefully remove it from the front side of each element; you can leave it in the gaps.

3. On final stage The pattern is left to dry for a day. Then wipe the mosaic with a damp sponge to remove excess composition.

4. The final stage is grouting the mosaic canvas or filling the gaps. Special grout for tiles can be purchased at a construction supermarket or made from dry finishing putty. If you do it yourself, prepare the batch for small sections, working through each fragment.

5. If necessary, add pigment to the grout to match the mosaic tone.

6. After about 20 minutes, the grout will set and darken slightly - you can remove the excess from the tile pieces with a damp sponge.

7. When the mosaic is completed, treat with glass cleaner and wipe dry thoroughly.

Tip: When the mosaic fabric is laid out on pieces of mesh in fragments, it is important to remove excess edges so that they do not overlap. It is better to immediately cut out individual fragments using templates and lay out individual sections according to the sketch.

Mosaics for outdoor use can be laid on cement mortar with the addition of glue:

decorating fences;
bench base;
garden paths;
barbecue walls;
fountains;
multi-level flower beds.

After the cement base has set a little, they begin to decorate it with mosaics. Don't forget to level horizontal surfaces building level, vertical - plumb.

Caring for mosaics is simple:

do not use abrasive cleaning compounds, acidic substances and oily substances that damage the grout;
contaminated areas of the mosaic in the kitchen can be lightly cleaned with a soft brush and soapy water;
after any cleaning agent, wipe the panel with a damp sponge, then dry;
external surfaces and garden decor can be treated with clean water from a hose, but the stream should not be strong so as not to destroy the integrity of the composition.

How to use broken tiles or old whole ceramic tiles.

old tiles can be used in various finishing works, while saving a decent amount of money. And it doesn’t matter - a whole tile, a broken tile or together with the base - you can successfully lay down old tile .

When replacing old tiles with new ones, a lot of debris is generated, most of which are fragments of ceramic tiles and tiles with old mortar, which, apparently, was applied to an unprepared surface. Broken tiles of any size and any shape can be used in a mosaic or mosaic a part of a curved surface, or finish the floor in a bathroom, toilet, closet, garage - anywhere.

In my case, fragments of old ceramic tiles were used to finish the threshold at the entrance to the house. In one place, mosaic finishing changed the perception of asymmetry.

How to choose old ceramic tiles for installation.

We selected it according to size, color, and even found a tile with a pattern that was aligned in the center. The edges of the threshold and its parapet were finished.

I went to finish the front side of the steps old tiles from the walls of the bathroom. It turned out to be small and it was glazed.

How to choose old tiles to reuse.

Among the piles of so-called construction waste it is necessary to select all old tile and its fragments.

For example: whole, in the amount of five pieces, beige colour- will go to four corners and one to the center of the site.

Twenty pieces of blue and the same size are located at the edges of the site. There are seven pieces of whole tile left, but different color and size. We will lay it on the site in a pattern in different places. The rest of the surface will be filled with a mosaic pattern made from fragments of broken tiles. Fantasy and imagination are a helper in this case.

How to prepare a surface for ceramic tiles.

A dense surface is prepared for the base under the tiles. In my case, a cement mortar was used with unscreened coal slag of medium and coarse fractions in the ratio: part cement (M400) + six parts slag and two parts fine-grained quarry sand. The laid out mortar was compacted with a wooden tamper, starting from the place where the mortar was laid out and, especially carefully, at the corners and edges of the prepared surface. There is a vibrator - even better.

When the solution shrinks, the large fraction goes down, and a cement suspension with sand and water remains on the surface, which is convenient for smoothing and leveling the laid concrete.

How to lay old tiles.

When finishing the threshold of your house, the tiles were laid in an unconventional way, that is, not from the corner and into the corner, but from the middle to the corner. Why? main reason— the entrance door, at the threshold of which I wanted to maintain symmetry and comparison of the pattern on the tile with the dimensions of the door.

Then the tiles were laid around the perimeter of the site, with the completion of the installation at the site of the future imitation rug on the threshold.

Cement mortar with the composition: one part cement (M400) + three parts fine quarry sand was laid out on the hardened concrete base in small sections. Slightly leveled and from the middle of the threshold front door We laid our old ceramic tiles. How?

Place a clean solution on top of the fresh solution according to the sides , tiles soaked in water. We leveled it and lightly tapping it with our hand, keeping it level along the horizon, drowned it in the solution until a small amount of water appeared from under the tile. The rest of the tiles were laid in a row on both sides of the first installation. Next, laying was carried out along one side of the site from the corner of the first laid row, filling the entire surface with tiles.

The horizontality of the laid tiles was controlled by a level attached to a level wooden block, length, equal to length diagonals of the site. A device with a level was applied in different directions across the area to identify uneven areas and tiles that were not flush with the level. It is necessary to correct unevenness of the tile immediately after laying it, while the solution still retains viscosity and the tile is mobile. The excess mortar squeezed out between the tiles was removed with a rubber spatula.

What to do with broken ceramic tiles.

Paste on a large sheet of paper (you can use a poster or a calendar) office glue face down according to the image on paper (you can use your own drawing) fragments of tiles in accordance with the selected color and size. Once the glue dries and everything is glued, we place the glued fragments with the paper facing up on the cement mortar. Lightly compact with a flat board, a rule, or a grater. After a few tens of minutes or when the glue binding the tile fragments has soaked, the paper can be removed, and if everything lies smoothly, then removed paper base possible before wet cleaning the finished installation of the entire surface.

You can lay out a mosaic at random without a template drawn on paper, selecting tile fragments that match the pattern and type. Level control must be carried out constantly, without missing this moment.

After filling the main threshold area with tiles, we began finishing the parapet wall. Here the finishing was done in the standard way - from the corner to the row along the bottom and up.

Then the edges of the steps were finished.

The corners were left cement and rounded, since the edges of the tiles are sharp and the tile itself can be damaged by the metal heels of women's shoes or other objects.

During operation, cement mortar falls on front side laid tiles. The tiles should be cleaned with a dry cloth when they are firmly seated and do not move during cleaning.

The seams between the tiles and the surface between the fragments laid out in a mosaic are well rubbed down with ordinary putty for interior walls. The result is a beautiful contrasting pattern.

If the surrounding air is dry and hot, the finished surface is slightly moistened with water and hidden from direct sunlight, covered with a damp blanket or other material.

The next day, the entire installation is cleaned of traces of the solution, washed and rejoiced at their work.

A cement surface left without installation should be painted with diluted paint two to three weeks after all or almost all moisture has evaporated from the surface.

Here is one of the options how you can lay out broken tiles, which I used five years ago.

Each person has his own approach to decorating a home: some use stained glass, some photo wallpaper, and some gravitate towards various kinds of stencils and sculptures... But of all this, mosaics deserve more attention.
Even as a student, studying at the Faculty of Design and Architecture, I enthusiastically studied the work of the great Antonio Gaudi. It’s my dream to go to Barcelona and see his unsurpassed creations live. But at least create small item interior design in his style is accessible to absolutely anyone.
Mosaic cladding- one of Gaudi’s favorite techniques. For his collages, he used fragments of dishes, ceramics, and bottles. Masterpieces were made from trash!
It was these photographs that fueled my desire to create a “piece of Barcelona” at home.

Broken ceramic tiles is an excellent material for creativity. It is great for creating decorative elements both in the country house or in the house, as well as in the apartment.

Broken tile mosaic

This type of work does not require any special skills, but perseverance will come in handy. And if you, like me, want to try yourself in this field for the first time, then for starters it’s better to choose something not particularly grandiose. As you gain experience, you can move on to more complex fantasy decorative elements.

What a magnificent frog! It is somewhat reminiscent of the famous Gaudi lizard from Park Güell.
Original solution restoration of an old table. An interesting effect can be achieved by adding a layer of glass on top.
A wonderful idea for decorating a work area in a country kitchen.
Your breakfasts and dinners at such a table will be even tastier!
And I just fell in love with this table!
This is a truly unique job...
Above the decor of such small architectural forms Obviously you'll have to work hard, but the result is worth it!
Path made of broken tiles- a great solution if you have recently had a renovation and have a lot of damaged or unused material left!
Amazing magnificence!
You not only want to sit on such a bench, but also take a photo!
There's something about it!
What a wonderful fragment of a snail image made from the remains of broken tiles.
This is the kind of garden sofa you can create if you wish. Beautiful and practical!
Bright and unusual solution for facade country house or dachas.
The combination of colors makes them look very stylish.
There are simply no words... I didn’t expect such a decision!
A very interesting and unusual technique. Inspiring!
What a magnificent dragonfly. Just a sight for sore eyes!
Using leftover broken tiles you can decorate almost any furniture.
Exclusive stands for flowerpots: definitely no one has these!
And you don’t have to invest a lot of money in buying expensive tiles for the kitchen. This is just a great solution kitchen apron, which does not require special costs.
It’s not at all difficult to create such decor, but the effect is impressive!
A very gentle and pleasing combination of colors.
An interesting idea plus your perseverance, and a real designer piece is ready!
Painstaking, but very interesting option solutions for cladding a balcony wall.

Coziness in the house is created with the help of fancy details, chosen with taste. And better yet, made with your own hands with soul and immense love for creativity. I hope these ideas have inspired you to create your own. decorative solutions for home.
After all, it’s not at all difficult to find materials to create such masterpieces. In many construction stores There are always leftover tiles or broken ceramics, which are sold as raw materials at a low price. You can also use tiles that you have left over from renovation.
So all that remains is to get excited about a certain idea, find time for it and start doing it. Imagine and create!

Very often after different surfaces the rooms were lined with multi-colored ceramics, among the construction waste in large quantities lie tile remains– trimmings and broken pieces. And it’s okay if it’s an old covering knocked off the walls, but very often you have to discard beautiful ones that have cracked during transportation or storage. decorative tiles, and ceramics break very easily if handled carelessly. From such fragments, which were previously part of the materials purchased for cladding, you can make stunningly beautiful things.

Remains of tiles for wall panels

So, the apron in the kitchen and the walls in the bathroom are covered with fashionable tiles, and the hallway is finished with porcelain stoneware. In general, everything is beautiful, the premises please the eye with their novelty, but the hefty pile of tiles spoils the mood. Materials are not cheap, and every broken decorative plate means wasted expenses. However, let's find a use for these fragments of former luxury, for example, lay out a beautiful wall panel in the living room or nursery. There are two options: wall covering or hanging structure.

For any of the proposed methods of decoration, you will need tile adhesive, or any other that can hold the remaining tiles on a vertical plane.

Wall panel - step by step diagram

Step 1: Sorting the battle

All fragments without exception will suit us. However, you should immediately separate them by size. First of all, we separate the largest fragments, this is the easiest, and we will need them for initial stage finishing. Then we sort the remaining pieces into medium and small, the first - with sizes from 5 to 2 centimeters, the second - any remains of at least 1 centimeter. We don’t take the smallest fractions; the tiny ones are difficult to use.

Step 2: Forming the panel

I must say, without creative approach and the ability to work impromptu, it is quite difficult to create a mosaic. The fact is that it is difficult to apply a design on the wall in advance, which will subsequently be systematically and immediately covered with adhesive in large areas. Therefore, it is better to take a large sheet of paper or whatman paper, draw it into squares and then lay out the picture or simple pattern you want with tile fragments. This is how we will transfer the panels into squares onto the prepared surface.

Step 3: Surface Preparation

If you prefer the standard cladding method, you need to remove the old coating from the section of the wall that you have chosen for the panel. In other words, we clean off a piece of wallpaper, scrape off the plaster, and if we're talking about O plasterboard sheathing, then remove the putty along with the coating. All the smallest protrusions are removed, the surface is primed and puttied again, after which it is divided into squares identical to those made on the template. Troublesome? Then, as a base, you can take any suitable size chipboard or MDF board, or better yet, a piece of thick drywall. We attach loops for hanging, prime it, it is better to cover the particle board with drying oil and cover it with reinforcing mesh (preliminarily drawn into squares), and putty a sheet of dry plaster before priming and also mark it out.

Step 4: Finishing

We mix the tile adhesive and cover with it exactly the area to which we will transfer the image fragment from the first square (it’s more convenient to start from the bottom corner). Using a notched trowel, we make several rows of grooves necessary for better subsidence of the mass under the elements of the future panel. Next, we take the largest fragments and place them in the order in which they were laid out on the template. Between them we fix the middle pieces with glue, and fill the remaining gaps with small ones. We remove the excess mass protruding from the seams with a hard rubber spatula.

To change the shape of individual fragments, for example, giving them the contours of flowers or animals, you should use a lathe or grinder with an abrasive wheel.

Step 5: Grout

Now all that remains is to tidy up the seams themselves, which look like a continuous strip of shells and protrusions. After the initial cleaning of the surface, we take another tool - a narrow spatula made of soft rubber. It is ideal for leveling tile adhesive between rows of cladding and resulting in grooves with a smoothly rounded bottom. When the mass holding the coating dries (this will happen after 24 hours), we take a special grouting compound and carefully apply it along all the seams with the same flexible spatula, without particularly trying to keep the panel elements clean. Simply wipe the pieces of tile with a damp sponge or cloth when you are finished, being careful not to touch the treated spaces between them.

When everything is ready, all that remains is to wait for the grout to completely harden. If you applied a mosaic of broken tiles directly to the wall, then you simply proudly admire your work, but if the panel is glued to a shield, you need to screw screws into the wall according to the number of loops, using plastic dowels. Regardless of which version of the panel you made, for greater safety, cover it with clear varnish.

Garden path made of tiles

If you live in a country house and there is no use for fragments of ceramic decorative plates in the premises, it would be a good idea to go into the garden. Look at it with the most critical eye and determine whether you like garden paths. With the help of tile battles, they can be turned into fabulous tablecloths that will stretch between trees and flower beds, creating a spectacular landscape design. Preparation for installation is identical to that described above. Therefore, we skip the first stages and immediately proceed to preparing the surface.

Surface preparation. We need sand. Ordinary river or quarry clean sand, preferably sifted. For the path, we dig a shallow (up to 15 centimeters) but wide groove, the bottom of which is thoroughly compacted. If the soil cannot be compacted due to excessive looseness, pour a layer of oily clay about 10 centimeters thick and tamp it. A layer of pre-prepared sand should be laid on top, which must be leveled and also thoroughly compacted. We drive pegs along the edge of the future path, pulling a marking cord between them at the level of the intended surface, strictly horizontally, which can be determined using a level.
Laying tiles. The largest pieces should be laid out along the edge, each of which should have at least one smooth edge; we turn it outward. We press each fragment properly so that they sink into the sand almost to the very top plane. Then we mix the cement mortar and, lifting fragments of the future path one by one, pour it into the holes under them mortar, and then put it in place. We fit the middle pieces into the middle of our covering, securing them with cement in the same way, and fill the gaps with small fragments, pressing them into the sand, removing them and simply spreading the solution underneath with a spatula. We maintain the horizontality of the cladding with a block laid on the surface, tapping it with a rubber hammer. Fill the joints with liquid cement, then wipe the surface.

What can you make from broken ceramic tiles for design?

Let's not limit ourselves to standard mosaics, even if they are made with inspiration, and consider the fragments as an element for decorating any objects around you. Take, for example, the usual flower pot, and using regular glue "Liquid Nails" Let's cover it with a dense layer of fragments of colored tiles, arranging them in a certain sequence in a simple pattern. The same can be done with any containers, including concrete flowerpots, old buckets and even thermoses, which will thus turn into ceramic jugs.

But we will go further and figure out what we can make from broken ceramic tiles ourselves. Using a wire frame and reinforcing mesh, you can easily build a ball, then cover it polyurethane foam. All that remains is to spread tile adhesive on top and place pieces of broken tiles in it, adding shards of glass with slightly sanded edges in between for effect. Such balls can be placed on specially prepared pedestals made of brick and concrete, also covered with mosaics, or simply decorate flower beds with them, placing them in the center.