Mosaic instructions

I) General notes and information

When purchasing, please check the application label to ensure that the mosaic is suitable for the intended use. We cannot be held liable for complaints in the event of unsuitable installation. Make sure that the mosaic always comes from a production batch / firing color.

Only use products suitable for the mosaic, the intended use and the substrate for laying, grouting, protecting and cleaning. Consult the respective manufacturers or seek advice from specialist personnel.

Before you start laying, always check the quality and the mosaic for color deviations, dimensional deviations, discoloration and damage. Slight variations are possible due to the material and production process. Detached mosaic tiles can be re-glued to the mosaic mesh with superglue.

Please note that natural stone mosaic is a natural product with natural coloration and with small depressions, ore inclusions and water veins. Material flaking is possible with tumbled natural stone mosaics.

Always read all instructions for the manufacturer's materials used before each work step. Always carry out a test installation - including grouting - with a mosaic mat to check the compatibility of the products. Only continue laying the mosaic if the results are good. Complaints must always be made before laying. Complaints will not be accepted for goods that have been laid and any resulting follow-up/installation costs will not be accepted.

For processing, we recommend storing the mosaics and construction chemicals in a dry place in the room to be processed for approx. 24 hours prior to installation. This allows them to adjust to the optimum processing temperature of 20°C.

II) Substrate and cutting

The substrate must be firm, smooth, level, load-bearing, dry and dust-free. Always fill uneven areas, prepare white substrates with a white Flex adhesive - and sand with a sanding stone after approx. 12 hours (vacuum up any sanding dust). Roughen smooth and extremely dense substrates. Substrates on a cemented / mineral basis (screed, plaster, plasterboard) must be primed in advance with a primer, although this is not necessary for hard foam support elements.

Use tools suitable for the mosaic material for cutting to size. Tip: Reduce the amount of cutting by careful planning (see also 3. Laying), as there is a risk of material damage / material breakage. Only use "non-permanent pins" for markings during cutting.

Aluminum / stainless steel and copper mosaic

Glass mosaic

Use mosaic pliers for the individual mosaic tiles and an angle grinder with diamond wheel or wet cutter with diamond saw blade for the entire mat. First mark the desired cutting lines with a pencil on the paper (or directly on the mosaic if the sheets are glued to the back). Use the diamond cutter to cut the mosaic step by step in several passes. Smooth the cut edges with sandpaper.

Artificial / natural stone and natural stone combination mosaic

Cut the mosaics using a wet cutter or angle grinder with a diamond wheel/cutting wheel for stone.

III) Laying

Select a suitable starting point, taking into account the dimensions of the mosaic stone and mosaic mat, as well as the visual appearance. Always start with whole mosaic mats and add sections towards the end. Take the mosaic thickness and mat shape into account when laying the mosaic together with other materials. It is advantageous to lay out the mosaic mats on the floor or hold them against the wall in advance. Pay attention to the distance between the mats. The joint width of the mosaic tiles should also be maintained between the mosaic mats. It is helpful to mark out lines on the surface to be laid to make it easier to position the mosaic mats correctly.

The consistency of the laying mortar/adhesive should not be too runny to prevent the mosaic sheets from slipping. Only apply the laying mortar / adhesive to small areas using a suitable notched trowel (rectangular notch 2.5mm wide and 3.5mm deep or square notch 4x4mm or 6x6mm (outdoor or permanently wet areas (facades, terraces, swimming pools)). Then smooth to ensure a void-free installation so that the adhesive ridges and grids do not show.

Remove the mosaic mat from the individual packaging / box. Always lay the mosaic by mixing several boxes. Place the mosaic mat on the prepared surface, then slowly roll and press the mat into the laying mortar / adhesive. Tap the mosaic mat with a rubber board and level the tiles.

Keep the surface clean during the entire laying process and remove the laying mortar / adhesive pressed into the joint chambers. Please use only white-based laying mortar / adhesive (to prevent the color from showing through) that is suitable for the respective mosaic / application / substrate.

Glass / aluminum / stainless steel and copper mosaics

Lay these mosaics with a white laying mortar / adhesive (polymer-modified and hydraulically fast-setting C2FT or C2FTE according to EN classification) for non-absorbent materials. For a uniform appearance, adhere to the line direction.

Artificial / ceramic / natural stone and natural stone combination mosaic

Lay these mosaics with a white laying mortar / adhesive suitable for natural stone (polymer-modified and hydraulically fast-setting C2FT or C2FTE according to EN classification) for absorbent materials.

Permanently wet areas

Only lay mosaic in permanently wet areas with a chemical-resistant reactive resin adhesive (2-component reactive resin binder, R2T in accordance with EN classification). Please also contact the manufacturer to find out about additional or other materials. Ideally, glass mosaic should be laid in the pool as a front-side paper-bonded mosaic. Allow the laying mortar/adhesive to dry for approx. 24 hours before you start grouting.

IV) Grouting

Grout the mosaic over a small area with a suitable grout. The grout edge and the substrate must be dry and free of any components that could prevent adhesion. Scrape out any adhesive residue in the joints to an even depth before laying. The joints must not be wet during grouting.

Apply the grout to the joint chambers using a rubber squeegee and / or rubber board. Remove excess grout with a sponge board or hand sponge. Clean the mosaic covering promptly with a dry cloth. The grout must be allowed to dry for a day before the entire surface can be thoroughly cleaned with suitable cleaning agents (see also 6. Cleaning).

Some mosaics have indentations for visual design or material-specific reasons. When grouting, residues of the grout may remain in the recesses and give the mosaic surface a "streaky" or "streaky" effect. This effect can only be reduced by thorough cleaning immediately after grouting and the use of clay-like grout. A strong color contrast emphasizes the effect.

Aluminum / stainless steel and copper mosaics

After the laying mortar/adhesive has dried, grout these mosaics with a polymer-modified grout for non-absorbent materials. We recommend Racofix RF-X fine grout. A grout containing quartz sand can cause surface scratches if used with the wrong tools. Grout with unsuitable ingredients can damage sensitive mosaic surfaces. Do not attach or glue any adhesive products / materials to the surface that you intend to remove later.

Glass mosaic

After the laying mortar/adhesive has dried, grout this mosaic with a polymer-modified grout for non-absorbent materials. A grout containing quartz sand can lead to surface scratches if used with the wrong tools. To avoid light refraction, fill the joint chambers completely with grout.

Artificial / ceramic / natural stone and natural stone combination mosaics

After the laying mortar/adhesive has dried, grout these mosaics with a polymer-modified grout suitable for natural stone and absorbent materials.

Aluminum / stainless steel and copper mosaics

Cut the mosaics to size using a wet cutter or hacksaw. Smooth the cut edges with sandpaper or a metal file. Do not attach or glue any adhesive products / materials to the surface that you want to remove later.

Permanently wet area
Only grout mosaics in permanently wet areas with a chemical-resistant reaction resin grout.

V) Protection instructions

Natural stone and natural stone combination mosaic

Impregnate the natural stone mosaic for stain and color protection after laying and before grouting with a stain protector suitable for natural stone. If a colorful surface is desired, the surface should be treated with a color enhancer suitable for natural stone after grouting.

Unglazed ceramic mosaic

Apply stain protection to unglazed ceramic mosaic if you want to protect the surface.

VI) Cleaning

The mosaics can be cleaned with warm water and a cloth and no waxes, oils or acids may be used. Never use scouring agents / abrasive sponges or cleaning agents with strong chemical additives for cleaning, as they can attack and scratch the surface of the mosaic.

Aluminum / stainless steel and copper mosaics

Clean the mosaic with a soft sponge and warm soapy water or alcohol. Do not use acidic or alkaline abrasive cleaners.

Artificial / glass mosaic

Clean the mosaic with commercially available, non-alkaline glass cleaners without abrasive components.

Natural stone and natural stone combination mosaic

Clean the mosaic with commercially available grease-free, non-alkaline natural stone cleaners from the same manufacturer as the impregnation/color supplier. The impregnation does not protect against the effects of acids. Under no circumstances should natural stone mosaics be treated with an acidic "gray haze remover" or alkaline, acidic or corrosive cleaning agents. For natural stone combination mosaics, follow the cleaning instructions for the other materials used.

Abbreviation explanation of the short form:

AEM = Aliminium / stainless steel / copper mosaic
ASM = Artificial mosaic
GM = Glass mosaic
KM = Ceramic mosaic
KMU = Unglazed ceramic mosaic
NM = Natural stone mosaic