How to Make a Mosaic Picture Frame

Start with a plain wooden photo frame that has a flat face rather than a sloped or curved one. Flat is easier to tile around. You will also want square mosaic tiles in a few colors, tile nippers for cutting, PVA glue, grout, sandpaper, and a bowl and spoon for mixing. Lay it all out so you can work without hunting for things mid-project.

Lightly sand every part of the frame where a tile will sit. Any grit of sandpaper is fine here. You are just roughening the smooth wood so the glue has something to grab. If you are only tiling the outside like the video does, you can leave the inner edge alone. Skip this and your tiles are far more likely to pop loose later, so it is worth the two minutes.

Before you start placing anything, nip a batch of tiles into halves and quarters with your tile nippers. Getting a pile ready up front means you are not stopping every few seconds to cut a piece to fit. Keep the full squares handy too. Having a good pool of mixed sizes to pick from is what keeps the whole project moving and your spacing looking natural.

Corners are the trickiest part, so tackle them first while your eye is fresh. Place the first tiles so the top-facing ones hang over the outer edge by the depth of one tile. That lets the border wrap right around the side and keeps the corner a sharp right angle. Play with the pieces until the top and side edges line up flush and flat.

Put a little PVA glue on the wood and spread it thin with a finger. Letting it dry for a moment makes it tacky, which stops the tiles from sliding around on you. Press each tile down as you go, keeping even gaps and straight lines. Work in small sections so the glue does not skin over before you get tiles onto it.

Keep placing tiles fairly randomly but neat, filling one color area before moving to the next. When you switch colors, drop in the odd tile of the previous shade so the two blend instead of meeting in a hard line. How much of the frame each color gets is up to you. Do not forget the sides. Once the whole front is covered, set the frame aside to dry completely.

Once the tiles are firmly stuck, mix your grout. For a pale gray, use about three parts white grout to one part black, then add just enough water to make a thick paste. It will look dark now and dry much lighter, so do not worry. Work the grout into every gap and corner with your fingers, pushing it into all the little nooks so no holes are left behind.

Use a damp cloth to lift off the excess grout. You will not get it fully clean yet, and a light film over the tiles is fine at this point. Set the frame aside to dry, then buff it again with a damp cloth to clear the last of the haze. Take your time here since this is the finish you will see. Pop your glass and photo back in and it is ready to display.