How to Hang a Mosaic Made on Concrete Board

I was reminded today that some details on how to mosaic are quite elusive in books.

What follows is the method I use for hanging my smaller mosaics that I've created on concrete board (Hardibacker). The largest size I've used this on is about 12" x 12". (See comments for some ideas on hanging larger work.)

The hardware must be installed BEFORE beginning your mosaic. I usually obtain the hardware from the specialty drawers at the big-box home improvement stores. I have read lots of mosaic books but only saw this method mentioned online (Sorry, that site no longer exists to link to.).

This is what you need to purchase:

#6-32 size Tee Nuts in 1/4"
#6-32 size 3/8" brass screws
#6 or #8 stainless steel washers
Stainless Steel picture wire




And this is what the Tee Nuts look like. You can get pronged or un-pronged. I get pronged since then they will grip your concrete board and not slip.

Other tools:
Drill with a bit sized for the Tee-nut
Hammer



Drill a hole in the board and, FROM THE FRONT, hammer in the Tee nut.

Picture on the far left is the front of the mosaic surface and the right picture shows the resulting threaded hole on the back. I use thin-set mortar for glue and that helps even out the raised surface of the Tee-nut.





From the back, add the screw and washer. Repeat for the second hanging spot and you are ready to wrap your picture wire around the screws. The washers help keep the picture wire in place and not slip off the screws.

The finished back using this hanging method

I create original design silver jewelry too!! 
https://www.mosaicsmith.com/collections/all   or
https://mosaicsmith.etsy.com

Mosaic Fact: Bits Multiply - Making of a Glass Mosaic Clock

I, and I suspect every mosaic artist, have an bottomless collection of glass bits.

My thrifty nature compels me to save them. Larger bits get tossed in labeled plastic containers by color and small, even tiny, bits get tossed in a shoebox lid. I've had that lid on my work table for a while and have mentioned it before. Still looks much the same even a year later. Weird.

Occasionally I'll set out to use as many of this bits as I can in a mosaic and my 'River Sunset' clock is the result of my latest effort:

That largest red boulder was the inspiration for this entire piece. I found it just the way you see it in the shoebox lid - don't recall what project I nipped it roundish for then rejected it but I think it worked perfectly here. Just was waiting for its time. Ha, lol, didn't intend the pun :)

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This clock is in my personal collection.

See other available clocks in my Etsy MosaicSmith Shop:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MosaicSmith?section_id=18932211 

 

I also create original design silver jewelry:

http://MosaicSmith.com