b'TECHNICAL open for full contact with the bondHow are mesh and face mount coat. Paper or plastic can be appliedmosaics installed?tothefaceofthetileleavingtheFirst, examine your substrate. Is it back open for full contact with thefl at? If not, stop the installation and bond coat. start the conversations that lead to It is important to note that whenmakingthesubstratefl Isthereat. mesh is applied to the back of theamembraneinplace?Thiswill tiles it will become an integral andaffect cure time, especially for glass permanent part of the tile installa- mosaics and plastic face mounted tion. There must be suffi cient open- mosaics.ingsinthemeshnettingtoallowProperbeddingprocedures:For for adequate, direct contact of thean outstanding description on how bond coat to the back of the tile. Ifto properly bed mosaic tiles (set into mesh mount tiles are to be installedmortar),pulloutyour2019/2020 inanexterior,wetorsubmergedNTCA Reference Manual and read installation, the mesh must be suit- pages 108110.able for exposure to water.A common concern with install- Mesh and face mount mosaic ers is how straight or crooked theinstallation instructions:mountedmosaicsare.Itcanbe1.Check the substrate for fl atness.tedious work to straighten crooked2.If the substrate is not fl at, make itat. tiles that are stuck to a sheet. Forfl (AttendanNTCARegional readersinterestedinacceptableTraining program to learn the skills, variations of mosaics mounted to atools and materials to do this.)sheet, open up your copy of ANSI3.Checktheareatobetiledfor A137.1, study Table 6 and read sec- squareness.tion 9.5 Test Method For Mounting4.Calculate the best, most defen-Variations. siblelayoutandconsiderthe primaryfocalpointanduse. (AttendNTCAvirtualandin-person workshops to learn how to do this. For more information, readthe Training&Education story in this issue.)5.Apply a grid system for the lay-out to follow.6.Clean the substrate.7.Dampen dry substrates.8.Mix the mortar, following man-ufacturer instructions.9.Keythemortarintothesub-stratewiththefl sideofthe Typical mixed media mesh mount mosa-at icsfront and back. trowel.58 TileLetter | September 2020'