by Juanita Canzoneri
If you're just getting started in mosaics, you might think you need to buy boxes of expensive mosaic tile before you can make anything.
But you don't always.
One of the best things about mosaic is that tesserae—the pieces you use to make your mosaic—can come from all kinds of places. And some of the most interesting materials may be things someone else considers scrap, leftover, broken, or even trash.
In this edition of Mosaic on a Shoestring, we're looking at one of the easiest materials to find: ceramics.
Ceramics are materials made from clay that have been hardened by firing. That includes ceramic tile, pottery, dishes, and plenty of other things you may already have around your house.
Start with ceramic tile
Broken or leftover tile is one of the easiest sources of inexpensive mosaic material.
Do you have some old bathroom or kitchen tile sitting in the garage? Maybe you remodeled a room and have a few pieces left over. Don't automatically throw them away. They could become your next mosaic.
You can also look for:
- Broken or leftover bathroom and kitchen tile
- Discontinued tile
- Remnant boxes at tile stores
- Tile samples from flooring or design stores
- Leftover pieces from remodeling projects
- Architectural salvage stores
- Habitat ReStore and similar reuse stores
Another great source is tile installers and contractors. If someone is installing tile in your area, they may have broken pieces or partial boxes that aren't useful for the job anymore.
It never hurts to ask.
Watch the thickness
There is one thing to keep in mind when you're collecting commercial ceramic tile: it can be much thicker than traditional mosaic tile.
That's not necessarily a problem. Thick tile can be used successfully in mosaics, but it may require a different approach to cutting, mounting, grouting, or finishing your piece.
If you're making a mosaic that needs all of the tesserae to sit at roughly the same height, mixing very thick tile with thin mosaic tile can create some challenges with grouting.
These issues can be resolved by using wider grout joints to allow for the grout to bevel from the higher surface to the lower. If you’re working with thinset or construction adhesives you can put more adhesive behind the thinner pieces to raise them closer to the thicker ones. Or you could always work indirect by temporarily adhering the face of the tile to paper, contact paper, or tape.
For a wall piece or other project where the finished surface doesn't need to be perfectly level, though, different thicknesses can add some interesting dimension.
Look at construction and remodeling leftovers
If you're willing to think beyond the traditional idea of "tile," remodeling leftovers can be a treasure trove.
For example, keep an eye out for:
- Marble or granite countertop samples
- Stone tile samples
- Backsplash samples
- Flooring samples
- Broken pavers
- Leftover mosaic sheets
- Samples from flooring and tile showrooms
- Pebbles or rocks
Countertop and stone samples can be particularly interesting. A small piece that isn't large enough to be useful to a contractor may be plenty big enough for a mosaic artist.
Flooring and tile showrooms may also have old samples they're no longer using. These can be worth asking about, especially when a product line has been discontinued or the showroom is updating its displays.
You may also be able to find limited colors/shapes from old sample boards.
Again, thickness matters. A piece of flooring or countertop material may be considerably thicker than the tesserae you're accustomed to working with.
But if you're looking for inexpensive material—and aren't afraid of a little experimentation—those differences can be part of the fun.
Don't overlook pottery
Broken pottery is another wonderful source of ceramic tesserae.
A cracked cup, broken bowl, damaged mug, or chipped piece of pottery doesn't necessarily have to go into the trash. Break it into smaller pieces and you may have some beautiful mosaic material.
Try looking at:
- Broken plates and bowls
- Flowerpots
- Mugs
- Thrift-store pottery
- Damaged pottery sold at a discount
- Pottery studio scraps or glaze samples
- Ceramic artists' seconds or unusable pieces
Local potters and ceramic artists can be especially good people to ask. They may have pieces that didn't turn out the way they wanted, test pieces, kiln cracked or broken work, or scraps that aren't useful to them anymore.
What isn't useful to the potter may be exactly what you're looking for.
Check the porosity
Pottery can vary quite a bit in how porous it is. If you’re getting it directly from the potter they can tell you the temperature it was fired to.
If you're planning to use your tesserae outdoors or in a wet location, porosity is important. Some ceramic materials absorb water, which can create problems when they're exposed to freezing and thawing.
A simple way to get an idea of how porous a piece is is to put a drop of water on the unglazed back. If the water quickly soaks in, the material is porous. If it sits on the surface, it's typically not porous.
This isn't a complete test for whether a material is suitable for outdoor use, but it can tell you that you've got a material worth investigating further before you use it in an exterior mosaic.
And, just like commercial tile, pottery can come in a variety of thicknesses. A chunky piece of handmade pottery can be beautiful in a mosaic, but it may need to be treated differently from a thin piece of ceramic tile.
Thrift stores are full of potential
Another good place to look for inexpensive mosaic material is the thrift store.
And not necessarily looking in the craft section.
Look at the dishes.
A mismatched plate or serving dish might be practically worthless as a complete set, but it could have a gorgeous color, pattern, or texture for a mosaic.
Try looking for:
- Teacups and saucers
- Serving platters
- Vintage china
- Mismatched dishes
- Interesting bowls
- Damaged or chipped dishes
- Dishes with unusual colors or patterns
You can even shop specifically for a particular color.
Maybe you need some deep blue pieces for a sky. Or you're looking for green and brown ceramics for a landscape. Instead of buying new mosaic tile, take a trip through the thrift store and see what you can find.
And don't forget to look at the bottom of the piece.
The underside of a plate or bowl can have interesting textures, markings, or colors that you wouldn't notice from the front. Some vintage pieces have particularly interesting marks or finishes on the back.
What about your own kitchen?
Sometimes the cheapest tesserae are the ones you already own.
Have you broken a plate?
Save it.
Have a mug with a chipped handle that you're never going to use again?
Save it.
Did a favorite bowl break?
Before you sweep it into the trash, take a look at the pieces. They might become part of a mosaic that gives them a whole new life.
Of course, use some common sense here. Sharp broken edges can be dangerous, and some ceramic pieces aren't worth the trouble of cutting. Wear appropriate eye protection and gloves when you're handling or breaking materials, and dispose of anything that isn't suitable for your project.
Ask before you buy
Here's one of my favorite Mosaic on a Shoestring ideas:
Ask around.
There are businesses all around you that may generate small amounts of material that aren't worth selling to their regular customers—but could be wonderful for a mosaic artist.
Try asking:
- Tile installers
- Flooring stores
- Glass shops
- Stained-glass studios
- Countertop fabricators
- Pottery studios
- Sign shops
- Remodelers
- Contractors
- Cabinet shops
- Interior designers
They may have broken pieces, samples, discontinued materials, offcuts, or other scraps sitting in a box somewhere.
You don't have to walk in and ask them to give you their entire dumpster.
Instead, ask if they have small scraps or samples they don't have a use for. You may be surprised by what people are willing to set aside for you.
And remember that relationships matter. If someone regularly saves scraps for you, thank them. Bring them a finished piece (or a box of cookies, bakery or homemade) once in a while. Let them know how you're using the materials.
A little appreciation can turn one box of free scraps into a long-term relationship and source of tesserae.
Think like a mosaic artist, not a shopper
That's really the heart of Mosaic on a Shoestring.
Instead of asking, "Where can I buy inexpensive mosaic tile?"
Start asking:
"What materials are already out there that I can turn into mosaic?"
A broken plate isn't necessarily garbage.
A discontinued tile isn't necessarily useless.
A countertop sample that's too small for a kitchen may be just the right size for your next mosaic.
And the scraps sitting in someone's back room might be exactly the colors and textures you've been looking for.
You don't need a huge budget to make mosaics.
Sometimes you just need to look at ordinary materials a little differently.