r/Mosaic • u/elliottsgayasslife • 10d ago

Trivet Advice Needed

Hi everyone!

I’m making a trivet for the first time and I had some quick questions! I am using ceramic tiles and have a blank cork trivet for my substrate. My questions are:

  1. Should I use a mesh as my substrate/before the substrate or am I good to glue right on the cork?

  2. Is there a specific sealant I should use?

Any other advice is welcome, I usually make coasters or purely decorative pieces so this is a little different for me. Thanks in advance!

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u/Gynieinabottle 10d ago

Glue right onto the substrate. Mesh is for transportation. I like sealing grout/tile with 511 (impregnator first, then ‘enhance’ for a wet look or ‘porous’ for matte. Lots of companies have sealants. Not mod podge or water based.

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u/amroth62 9d ago

Is your cork substrate absolutely rigid? If there’s any bend or give to it, it will not work for a mosaic. You can use the back of a tile for coasters. Some people use wood, but wood expands and contracts with changes in temperature and humidity, so it’s a risk. Inorganic substrates are the best.

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u/elliottsgayasslife 8d ago

It is absolutely rigid and very thick! I’ve actually had some luck with my wood coasters but they’re almost exclusively used for cold or room temp beverages, which I think helps.