One look at Gaudi's extraordinary mosaic sculptures in Park Guell, Barcelona, or a stumble across a 1930s tiled courtyard in the Californian or Mexican desert, and you'll want to know how to mosaic. It's a timeless craft that you can make as modern or as traditional as the materials and patterns that you choose

A table is a good place to start. It's a contained area (and therefore easy to plan) and a little like doing a jigsaw puzzle at Christmas, only you're making the pieces to fit. It's fun to do with friends or family and the finished design, with all its quirks, will bear the 'signature' of the makers - a physical reminder of time spent creating, gossiping and bonding with loved ones. My mother, however, who worked with me until the early hours on a few nights on this particular table, may beg to differ on these points.

As a table requires a flat surface, you will need to use the indirect method. This means that you will create the design in reverse on some brown paper and then transfer it onto the tabletop. This method has advantages over sticking the tiles straight on: you'll see the pattern develop as you go along (giving you more time to rectify mistakes), and the final surface will be completely flat - a necessity if you ever want to place a glass on it.

Start by finding a table to mosaic on - perhaps revive a piece you already have - the only requirement is a smallish flat surface. Then work out a design. As long as you steer clear of the usual motifs, such as anything you see in DIY shops, mosaic is perfect for making a statement piece. Think of things you'd like in your garden - insects, tropical fish, birds of paradise or an abstract pattern - but don't rush the design process.

I used a table that my mother had bought years ago. We spent months discussing a Missoni-like zigzag but never got round to buying the tiles. Two years passed and she decided on a dragonfly. Then my father produced a book of jungle scenes by Henri Rousseau. Perfect for adding punchy colours to my parents' increasingly tropical-looking conservatory. Half the fun is enjoying the natural pace of the creative process, so don't just go with your initial idea.

This table took us three days. We worked at quite a pace and my normally genteel mother swore fruitily on three occasions. So, if this is your first attempt, choose a simpler design or an abstract pattern using mainly whole tiles, for example - or use a smaller table.

On the subject of size, large projects don't require more skill, but they take longer and are marginally more complicated when fixing the tiles to the adhesive, as you need to cut the pattern into pieces, because the tiles will be too heavy to flip over in one.

You will need...

You will need

1. Small table (revamp an old one or make one using marine ply)
2. Copper rim 1-2cm deep and the circumference of your table, copper nails and a hammer
3. Mosaic tiles (Venetian glass tiles are your best bet. They're easiest to cut and come in every colour under the sun.)
4. Heavy-duty tile nippers
5. Tile grout (use different colours to accent parts of your pattern, or stick to a light sand and darker natural shade, such as charcoal)
6. Firm plastic grout spreader
7. Roll of brown paper and scissors
8. Masking tape, pencil and black marker pen
9. PVA glue and an old jar
10. 1cm-wide paintbrush
11. Adhesive (if you are working on a wood surface, ask for a flexible adhesive, as wood expands and contracts)
12. Safety goggles and a dust mask
13. Sponge
14. Yacht varnish (if your table is wooden)

The next step is to start filling in your design. The order to work in is as follows: stick an outline of tiles all the way around the edge first, then fill in the main pattern, and finally get to work on the background. (3) To stick the tiles down, paint the flat side of each tile with a little of the PVA mixture. Don't use too much glue - you'll need to peel the paper off eventually to reveal the finished mosaic. Once the glue is dry, the paper and mosaic sheet is very robust.

Whole tiles should suffice for the outline, but when you get on to your main pattern you'll need to cut the tiles into shapes. Practise this first, before you get stuck in. To cut the tiles in order to create shapes other than squares, just place the edge of the tile a few millimetres into the jaw of your tile nippers and squeeze. (4) Placing your hands further down the nipper handles gives more leverage. The tile will break in line with the nipper jaws. The more tiles you cut, the easier this will become.

Continue cutting tiles and sticking them right side down until your pattern is complete. (5)

Nail a copper rim around the edge of your tabletop. The depth of the rim needs to be 1-2cm (deep enough for the adhesive and tiles). Nails should be hammered in about every 2cm.

If your table is wood, seal the surface by painting it with three coats of waterproof yacht varnish, letting it dry between coats. This stops the wood from warping when you place adhesive on it (which will leave you with a bumpy surface). Alternatively, you could make your own tabletop using marine ply, which is pre-treated and perfect for mosaic.

If your design is large, the paper will tear under the weight of all the tiles and grout, so snip the design into sections before you start grouting. Use natural breaks in the pattern for cutting lines. You can scribble numbers on the back of the paper to help you position the pieces correctly on the tabletop.


The following needs to be done quickly, as grout and adhesive are only workable for about forty minutes. Mix up the grout and adhesive separately, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Then, using a plastic grout spreader or your fingers, spread grout over the tiles. (6,7) Aim to grout between the tiles only, and wipe the backs clean with a damp cloth once you've finished.

Continue in this way until you have grouted all of the various sections of your design. I used two different colours of grouting - light sand and charcoal - to highlight different parts of my design and add another decorative dimension. (8)

Spread an even layer of adhesive on the tabletop. Go right up to the copper rim. (9) The next step is to flip your tile design over and place it on top of the adhesive, so the brown paper is facing up. Make sure you lay each section of the design in its correct position and place it down firmly, but don't squash it hard. (10)

When the adhesive has fully set - leaving it overnight is fine - wipe over the paper with a wet sponge. (11) The water will soak through the paper, dissolving the glue, so the paper can be pulled away to reveal the mosaic underneath.

Peel the paper off really carefully, as any stubborn glue will pull tiles up with it. (12) The tiles will now be embedded in the adhesive, but there will be a few gaps in the grouting between the separate sections of the design. Mix up some more grout and fill these in on the right side of your mosaic. Wipe away any excess grout from the surface with a damp cloth, then leave to dry thoroughly.









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Excerpted from House Proud by Danielle Proud, priced £16.99, published by Bloomsbury.