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Mon, Sep 12, 2022

How To Make A Mosaic Boot

how to make a mosaic boot

 

This amazing Mosaic Boot, created by Caroline Freeman, is a beautiful feature for any garden. Its an advanced project and definately one to aspire to make.

 

Materials

 

  • Tiles
  • Old dress boot
  • Newspaper
  • Fibreglass
  • Permanent marker
  • Barrier Flex (adhesive)
  • Black grout
  • Grout Additive
  • Tools for applying adhesive & grout

 

Directions

 

1. To prepare the boot for mosaic work, first stuff with newspaper so it holds its shape. I used a leather dress boot. Then cover the outside of the boot with fibreglass. This will not only give a firm surface to work on, but if done carefully, will create a waterproof boot. Allow the fiberglass 24 ? 48 hrs to dry in a well ventilated area (it develops a very strong smell if left indoors). Once dry, use a grinder to smooth the edges and cut away any sharp fibre points.

 

2. Collect Your Tiling Materials Together, I used a selection of:

  • Mini tiles (brights, blues, green)
  • Ceramics (circles, leaves)
  • Millefiori
  • Glass gems
  • Mirror glass (inside heel)

 


 

3.Planning Your Design.

 

Layout your collection of tiles out in the different flower shapes you can create - get a photo of each to remember them. Select which you want to use and with a permanent marker, mark where you want to place them on your boot. Once you decide on flower placement, draw a curving line to connect the features on the boot. This is where your green tiles will go. Draw a life sized image of your boot and begin to plan your tile layout.

 

materials for mosaic boot project
plan for mosaic boot

 

4. The glue I used was Barrier Flex (a two part waterproof glue suitable for ponds and available from Beaumont Tiles). It is a very messy glue which goes off relatively quickly so I recommend only making up small amounts at a time. Alternatively you could use glass silicon which is just as messy but easier to work with.

 

Glue the easy bits first:

  • Blue collar borderFlowers
  • Green line
  • Background (The only tile cutting needed was for the background. I cut these in half diagonally as I went along).

 

5. Grouting

Allow the glue 24 hours to dry before grouting. Mix the grout booster 1:1 with water then proceed as normal to mix grout. Many thanks to Caroline for generously preparing these instructions and allowing me to share them with you. I'm sure this project will be enjoyed by many people.

 

Beginners Guide to Mosaics

 

how to make a mosaic boot

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