Clear Glass Tile is one of the most popular tiles among homeowners and interior designers who are working on a kitchen, bathroom or pool backsplash project. Because clear glass mosaics are translucent, you can see through them, they have a shiny, rich look that opens up limitless possibilities in terms of design.
Although the definition of clear/translucent glass is “to allow light to pass through partially or diffusely”, it does not mean that all clear glass tiles are transparent so that you can see, for example, an object or your hand behind it. of the. . Clear glass is the material used to make these tiles, but they may or may not be colored.
There are basically three types of clear glass mosaics: back-colored, tinted, and plain or uncolored.
Back colored clear glass mosaics are by far the most popular on the market. Tiles are made of clear/translucent glass, usually 4mm to 8mm thick, and are back-coated/painted during manufacturing, which is what gives the tile its colour. They are typically available in mesh mounted on a fiberglass sheet or as field tiles, such as subway 3″x6″, 4″x4″, 6″x6″ and even 12″x12″.
Clear Stained Glass Tiles are made of clear/translucent glass that is stained during its manufacturing process and then cut into multiple pieces. In this case, you can fully see through it, even if it’s a dark stain color, and that’s why they don’t have mesh backing; otherwise you would see the mesh through the glass even after you installed it. Instead, they are mounted on transparent or paper-faced sheets.
Plain or colorless clear glass mosaics are made of clear/translucent glass and are colorless. Although the word “simple” is used to describe these types of tiles, they are extremely stylish and easy to use if you want to give your kitchen backsplash, bathroom, shower or pool a “touch”. Because they are colorless and fully transparent, they match any color from granite countertops to kitchen cabinets and blend easily into the environment.
Stained and smooth clear glass mosaics require more attention when installing. Because you can see what is on the other side of the tile, you may end up seeing the path the trowel made when the installer was butting the wall. Therefore, it is recommended to use a white adhesive such as putty and also to grease the back of the tiles. Be sure to press the tiles firmly against the wall with a grout trowel and check for air bubbles after each piece is laid so you can correct the problem before the adhesive dries. Definitely, this type of glass mosaic takes more time to install, but the result is worth it.
Stained glass mosaics are the richest and most complex looking mosaics available.
