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Make a Splash With Glass

March 15, 2008 · Written by Heather Juma

sicis.jpg One of the hottest trends in home design today is glass tile. Colorful mosaics immediately catch the eye and sparkle like gemstones, adding an exciting new dimension of artwork to your home.

Glass tiles are not new. Artists in the Byzantine Empire (300 B.C.) were famous for their Smalti tile, an opaque glass tile used in mosaics.

One reason more homeowners are opting for glass tile, is that you can use it anywhere your imagination takes you. While designers most often use it as decorative accents in backsplashes and showers, it also works well in pool borders, Jacuzzi installations and fireplace surrounds. With the proper finish, it can even be used on the floor. (Because any crack in glass tile is visible, it should not be installed on a flexible or high-impact surface).

Glass mosaic tiles start in the 1/2-inch range and typically come on mesh-backed sheets or face-mounted on paper. They have become so popular that you can find them at big-box home improvement stores.  Available in an amazing array of colors, sizes, shapes and textures, glass tile allows you to express your personality in a way that stainless steel or stone simply cannot. Yet it looks good alongside those surfaces and with slate and ceramic.

Other pluses: Glass tile doesn’t stain, won’t fade and requires little maintenance. A solution of vinegar and water or commercial glass cleaner does the job. The environmentally conscious, meanwhile, will appreciate that it’s a sustainable material. Several glass tile companies, in fact, make it from recycled bottles.

However, beautiful things don’t come easy. Glass tile can be tricky to work with, and its installation is not for do-it-yourselfers. Installers must lay everything out in advance and with great care to reduce the number of cuts, especially at recessed niches and outside corners. They also must frequently bevel outside corners to avoid sharp edges.

Because grout can change the color of the tile, you also have to be careful about which thin-set you use, especially if the tile is transparent or translucent. Some tiles look completely different once they’re installed, so you always want to see your selections grouted on a board. Glass can look different in a photo, so it’s also wise to get a sample from a showroom.

Although some manufacturers claim highly skilled do-it-yourselfers can take on a glass tile project, architects say it’s best left to a professional. That’s especially the case if you’re looking for an unusual arrangement.

To see an array of stunning mosaic murals created using Italian glass tiles visit: sicis

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