How to Make a Mosaic on Your Porch

Power wash the area of the porch where you’re planning the mosaic. Remove any stains, debris or built-up dirt. Let the porch dry completely. Clean your mosaic tiles as well.

Draw an outline with chalk or a carpenter’s pencil around the area of the porch to mark the location of the installation. Score the surface with a utility knife, creating small lines within the surface, if applying to a wall or wood. This helps the tiles to adhere.

Apply a sealant of an acrylic bonding agent to the porch area using a brush. Allow it to dry overnight.

Mix up a batch of mosaic cement, aiming for a consistency similar to cake batter. Use a notched trowel to spread a layer of the cement throughout the outlined porch area. Base the thickness of the layer on the thickness of the mosaic tiles. Aim for enough to press the tile into put not so much that it oozes up between.

Press the mosaic tiles into the cement, in the pattern of choice. Cut the tiles into smaller pieces and shapes if necessary by using tile nippers. Let the cement cure for 72 hours.

Mix up a batch of grout according to manufacturer’s instructions. Scoop the grout onto a spatula and spread it throughout the top of the mosaic, filling in the spaces between the tiles. Let the grout set for 20 minutes and wipe away any excess on the surface of the tiles using a damp sponge.

Buff the finished mosaic tiles with a piece of crumpled newspaper to remove the haze left behind by the grout.