1. What material is the Micro 6 mosaic made of?
Micro 6 is a mosaic made entirely from recycled glass from discarded PC monitors and TVs.
2. Why choose Mosaicomicro?
Because it is a unique recycled material with a strong aesthetic character, it is green, and the technique used to produce it, including production, is Italian. The nature of recycled glass and the production process mean that each microtile is different from the others; each of them gives life to a “dynamic” micro surface: brilliant, opaque, velvety, smooth or structured.
3. How are recycled glass mosaics made?
Mosaicomicro is obtained by casting and not by pressing, through an industrialized process that always involves the intervention of the human hand. The glass powder, obtained from old disused TV and PC monitors, mixed with water, is modelled to obtain “micro” mosaic tiles.
4. Mosaicomicro is environmentally friendly?
Mosaicomicro is an eco-sustainable project, the recycled glass from disused cathode ray tube monitors is transformed into a precious mosaic. Its size and low weight guarantee very low CO2 emissions, reducing cooking times in production and also becoming a “light” product to be transported.
5. How much does Mosaicomicro cost?
The prices of Mosaico micro vary according to the collection, the quantity, the colour, the design of the decoration and the shape of the tile.
6. How much does the laying of Mosaicomicro cost?
The costs of installation depend on the company carrying out the work.
7. How do I lay the mosaic?
The sheets of mosaic should be arranged next to each other, with a joint of about 2 mm, avoiding differences in level between the edges (see installation tips).
8. Should Mosaicomicro be polished?
Glass mosaics should not be polished; they should only be glued, flushed and cleaned thoroughly.
9. Does Mosaicomicro need maintenance or special treatment?
Our mosaics do not need any special treatment, just daily cleaning.
10. Do micro mosaics deteriorate over time?
If you use constant maintenance and attention, they last forever.
11. Where can I apply Mosaicomicro?
Our mosaics have no use restrictions; they can be used indoors and outdoors, as floor and wall coverings, kitchen splash guards, table tops, bathroom shelves, swimming pools and spas.
12. Is it possible to customize the size or colour of the glass mosaic?
Yes, on a project you can also customize a decoration.
13. In how many colours are the mosaics available?
Mosaicomicro has three colour palettes: grey (including black and white), brown and blue, to which mixes are added. Of course, they can be reproduced in many other colours and custom designs.
14. In how many formats are micro mosaics available?
We produce square, rectangular, trapezoidal, triangular, hexagonal and circular mosaic tiles.
15. What is the size of the mosaic sheet?
Sheet sizes vary by collection, generally not exceeding 300 mm.
16. Can micro mosaics be used outdoors?
Mosaicomicro can also be applied outdoors.
17. There’s a minimum quantity to order?
No, there is no minimum order quantity. You can also order a single box containing 10 sheets.
18. How much time elapses from production order to delivery?
Delivery times vary depending on the quantity ordered and the collection. Usually, the products in the warehouse are dispatched within a few days. For customized projects about 20 working days.
19. Where can I buy products for laying?
We can ship the products for installation ourselves. Otherwise, you can buy them in any resale of building materials.
20. Which products commonly used in the home irreversibly stain the mosaic?
Attention should be paid only to strongly acidic products that can stain the joint, while the mosaic has a high resistance to chemical attacks.
21. Does one need specialized installers to install the micro mosaics?
Mosaicomicro should be installed by qualified personnel. Poor installation will affect the aesthetic result of the surface and its durability.
22. How important is cleaning after laying?
After laying, cleaning is very important, as the joint residues, once hardened, are difficult to remove.
23. What is colour shading?
Colour shading means the finishing of the lightest or darkest colour, which varies according to the artisanal method of production.
24. Is Mosaicomicro colour shaded?
Yes, the peculiarity of Mosaicomicro is also in the colour shading of the colour; each tile is a shade of the same tone.
25. Can Mosaic be laid on floors with underfloor heating?
Yes, micro-mosaics can also be laid on a floor with a floor heating system.
26. Are glass mosaics recommended for commercial use?
Yes, recycled glass mosaics can also be used as cladding in commercial environments.
27. Where can I see for myself and possibly buy your products?
Our products can be seen or purchased at selected retailers in Italy and abroad. For information on the sales network, please contact the e-mail address info@mosaicomicro.com
28. Have you got glass fibre mesh mounted mosaic?
No, we produce mosaics glued on silicone net applied by numerical control by a robot (face of the mosaic visible). The silicone net allows us to glue micro tiles of 5 mm, which is not possible with glass fibre mesh. The silicone glue, being very elastic and resistant, allows covering curved and flat surfaces, even in humid environments. The silicone net is suitable for swimming pools; it does not deteriorate when in contact with water.
29. Do you produce mosaics glued to adhesive paper?
No, we do not use this method of glueing.
30. Is it possible to request a supply of mosaic mounted on transparent film?
Yes, for tile sizes over 1 cm is possible, just request a quote. We do not keep in our warehouse mosaic on film because it makes the installation more complicated and longer than silicone glue. The transparent film is less and less breathable than the silicone glue net and therefore the surface has different drying times. Moreover, since the film is transparent, if it is cut into strips in the case of trending laying, it is difficult to detect, and there is a risk that it will not be completely removed.
31. How do I prepare the background?
Before starting the work, carefully evaluate the type of substrate on which it will be laid (plaster, marble, metal, wood, heated floor or other) and remember that each of them requires adequate preparation. In general, the support must have a perfectly smooth, flat and regular surface, must be mature, consistent and stable. If the substrate is made of metal or fibreglass, the substrate must have a slightly rough, flat and even surface.
32. How do I prepare the background in the pool?
T IS RECOMMENDED TO PERFORM A WATER-TIGHTNESS TEST OF THE TANK BEFORE APPLYING THE COATING. Substrates and walls must be suitably prepared, i.e. seasoned, clinging, consistent, free of removable parts, flat and perpendicular. Any irons protruding from the substrates to be covered must be flexed and covered with suitable anti-rust products. Any wood in the wall must be removed. Any burrs or concrete ridges must be removed with the flex. Any residues of release agents or similar products on the substrate must be removed with flex and/or degreasing agents. Seal the structure with suitable products. Before laying, carry out a test on the structure (filling). The levelling (dirtied with white of the surfaces) carried out with Mosaicomicro adhesives is suitable for regularising cement substrates up to thicknesses of 2 mm. Over 2 mm use suitable levelling compounds. In any case, this type of smoothing is not waterproof. The building site must be protected from rain and sun, but above all water must be prevented from stagnating on surfaces laid but not yet grouted for at least 20 days after completion of laying. The temperature of the substrates must be maintained, with suitable coverings and/or other means, between +5° and +30°C from the start of installation and for at least 10 days from the end of work.
33. How long do I have to wait before laying the mosaic?
After levelling to make the substrate white and flat, I have to wait for the surface to be dry before proceeding with the installation. The waiting time is closely linked to the temperature and humidity of the rooms.
34. How much time do I have to glue the mosaic?
The waiting time is closely linked to the temperature and humidity of the rooms. Once mixed with water, the glue has an opening time of 30 minutes at 20°C / +68°F. A good rule of thumb is to mix a little glue at a time.
35. How long do I have to wait before grouting?
The waiting time is closely linked to the temperature and humidity of the rooms. The minimum time is 24 hours. Before grouting, however, make sure that the glue is perfectly dry.
36. How much time do I have to grout the mosaic?
The working time of the putty is approximately 80 minutes at 21°C, after having completely mixed the components. It should be noted that the workability time is subject to many variables including the consistency of the grout compound and the surface temperature and humidity of the environment. High temperatures, for example, shorten the workability time, while cold temperatures extend the workability time.
37. What kind of grout line do you recommend?
Mosaicomicro recommends the Micro Grout epoxy joint, especially for humid environments such as bathrooms or spas. In any case, it is also possible to use the cement grout line.
38. Do I need to use your grout line only?
No, but being a product studied ad hoc and developed with tone-on-tone colours, we recommend it.
39. Can I use epoxy grout to grout products other than glass mosaic?
No. Being an epoxy product, it should not be used to fill natural products such as marble, granite, parquet, etc…
40. What thickness should the glue have?
Usually, the mosaic should be laid with a toothed 3.5 mm spatula that allows you to spread a sufficient thickness of glue to adhere well to the mosaic, but without leaking from the joints, in this case, the glue reaches a thickness of about 1 mm.
41. How long should I wait before using the spaces after laying?
In the pool, you have to wait 7 days before filling the pool. For other rooms, it is important not to cover the mosaic floor before 4 days. In all cases, avoid making dust in the first 4 days after grouting.
42. Glue’s coming out of the grout lines. What do I have to do?
Check the toothing of the spatula; you are probably using an incorrect toothed spatula; or, if the spatula is correct, you are using it with the wrong inclination (the correct inclination is 45°). Or, you spread the glue wrong by concentrating the glue in some areas.
43. How do I clean the mosaic?
During the grouting phase, the grout and the mosaic can only be cleaned with water at the indicated time. For routine maintenance, the mosaic can be cleaned with acid or neutral detergents.
44. How can I make holes in the mosaic?
With a diamond drill.
45. The mosaic surface is not flat, and some tiles protrude, is it correct?
Many stages in the production of Mosaicomicro are artisanal, and therefore the surface is much more irregular, and the tiles may protrude slightly. Any excessive protrusions of the tiles from the surface are due to incorrect installation of the mosaic: lack of beating of the tiles, or uneven support before proceeding with the installation.
46. How come some mosaic tiles are smooth, and others are structured?
The nature of recycled glass and the production process mean that each microtile is different from the others; each of them gives life to a “dynamic” micro surface: brilliant, opaque, velvety, smooth or structured.
47. Is it true that the mosaic can be detached?
It can come off… If you use the wrong glue. The mosaic requires specific glues with zero slip (i.e. the tile when laid on the layer of glue must not slip down) and must be specific to the type of substrate. In fact, the mosaic can also be laid on wood, metal, plasterboard, but you must use the right glue. The choice of glue also depends on the type of mosaic, i.e. whether it is made of glass, marble, mother-of-pearl… in short, it depends on the two materials that we have to glue together (mosaic and support). Major retailers of building adhesives will have no problem in suggesting the most suitable adhesive of one of the most famous brands. The only reason why a mosaic can be detached from the substrate is that it has been installed incorrectly (most of the time using unsuitable adhesives).
48. Can the mosaic be glued to old wall tiles?
Yes. It can be glued on the condition that the old support is stable and well anchored. Otherwise, if the old support were to come off, it would also carry the mosaic with it. Pay attention to the choice of glue!
49. Can I cover a curved surface with a mosaic?
The tiles, joined together to make sheets, can be used uninterruptedly to coat flat and curved spaces, giving the sense of a continuous surface.
50. Is the mosaic slippery?
No, it is not slippery because despite being glass, the joints between the tiles, even if filled with grout are an excellent non-slip, so do not worry about the floors.
51. As it is glass, does it cut?
Although made of glass, the tiles do not cut because they are bevelled and rounded, just enough not to be sharp.
52. Washing it with detergents discolours over time?
No, our glass mosaics have the colours in the mixture, a homogeneous paste so, to be clear, breaking the tile, the colour is inside as well as outside.
53. Do you make crystal mosaics?
No, our production technique is different from the classic method of melting crystal.
54. How can I clean it?
Glass mosaics are not stained; they are cleaned with normal detergents on the market to which they are absolutely resistant. Any limescale deposits can be removed with alcohol.
55. The mosaic absorbs water?
Glass mosaics do not absorb water; they can be used to cover swimming pools and, of course, bathtubs. In this case, the glue and filler must be specific for these constant immersion applications.
56. What glue should I use for laying?
For vertical laying (cladding) it is necessary to use specific adhesives for zero-slip mosaics from leading companies such as Kerakoll, Mapei, Laticrete or Litokol. Your glue dealer will be able to give you the best advice.
57. What grout to use for the joints?
For the filling of the joints, you can use white fillers or coloured fillers as you like. We recommend a ton sur ton grout line. Cement grout can be used in all situations. For extreme applications such as saunas, thermal treatments, Turkish baths and where superior mechanical and chemical resistance is required, the use of epoxy fillers is recommended. For environments such as swimming pools, the use of epoxy fillers is recommended.
58. Can it be laid in public places and outdoors?
Yes, glass mosaics are suitable for use in public places, even with heavy traffic, both on the floor and on the wall; they are wear-resistant and therefore do not deteriorate; they are resistant to chemical attacks, atmospheric agents and sudden changes in temperature. The glass mosaic is almost eternal, although of course it always depends on the use that is made of it.
59. What is the difference between your mosaics and those of Bisazza, Sicis or Appiani?
The difference of our mosaic is in the production technique, in the material used and in the design.
60. Do all the mosaics have the same characteristics?
No. All the above applies to glass mosaics. Mosaics in natural or synthetic materials (marble, stone, mother-of-pearl, wood, aluminium, ceramic) have the same characteristics as the materials themselves.
61. Do you sell pre-engraved mosaic tiles?
No, we don’t market fake mosaic tiles.
62. Do you produce handmade artistic mosaic?
Yes, we have a team of specialized mosaicists that reproduce by hand decorations and edgings inspired by the ancient art of mosaic. The possibilities are endless and allow you to customize each creation taking into account the style (classic or contemporary), the type of material used (glass, stone or marble) and the budget of the customer.