Glass Mosaic Tiles for kictchen backsplash

Sephora

What do you think would be easier to install? The galss mosaics on mesh or face-mounted on paper?

Also, I assume I would need to remove the current wallpaper backsplash and make sure the wall is free of any glue residue. Other than that I then can put on the thinset right on the wall itself?

toocheaptohire

I've only used mesh backed glass mosaic tiles and found them easy to work with. If you have to leave the paper up on the paper-faced tiles until the thinset/mastic dries, I'd be afraid I wouldn't have a chance to pick out excess thinset/mastic that ocassionally squeezes up between the tiles before it dries (but perhaps you can take paper off before adhesive sets up). Also, best bet for installing glass tiles for DIYers is to get the kind that has the color "painted" on the back of the tile -that way, you won't be able to see any grooves/bumpiness in the thinset/mastic if your technique isn't perfect.

Sephora

What do you mean by color painted on the back of tile. I think I want to use a fog/smoky black color anyways.

toocheaptohire

From what I understand, some glass tile is "colored" all the way through the tile and the back (that goes against the wall) is the same as the front. So, if you had blue glass tile, the color is throughout the tile. With the tile I bought tile, if you held it "sideways (cross section), it would look clear - the light green color comes from the color on the back side (that goes against the wall) of the tile that is light green. So, you can't see through the tile (appears opague from the back side). I think if you go to a tile store you may be able to find examples of both. That being said, there's also glass tile that isn't "clear" or "translucent" at all and isn't meant to be in which case you don't have any problems with having the thinset/mastic showing through - just something to think about.