The glass mosaic backing support is a key element to ensure that the tesserae are laid in a way that results in perfectly installed floors and walls. In other words, it is one of the keys to obtaining a good aesthetic and technical result in mosaic walls and floors.
But… What do we mean by backing support?
The glass mosaic support is the junction point between the tesserae. Thanks to this junction, its transport from the factory and its subsequent installation is much easier. Once the glass mosaic is installed, the support does not have any technical function, since the adhesive is what keeps each tile stuck to the surface.
Therefore, the most convenient thing is that this support does not exceed 20-30% of the surface of the mosaic. This way, 70-80% of the surface of the mosaic is left free for the adhesive, which is the one that will actually do the gluing function.
Types of Onix Glass Mosaic Supports
At Onix Mosaic we recommend the PVC or polyurethane dots support, which offers better technical qualities, as opposed to the traditional mesh backing support. See all its features:
Dots backing support between the tesserae
With this type of support the tesserae are joined together with PVC or polyurethane drops. Among its properties is its uniform thickness, which makes the drops to be completely hidden with the grout giving a perfect aesthetic result.
In addition, it has an almost total adhesion, as it leaves up to 91% of the surface of the tesserae free for adhesive and allows optimum adaptability to any type of surface: corners, curves, irregular finishes… This is why it is considered one of the best glass mosaic supports there is.
Another feature of this support is that, unlike the paper backer, the mosaic remains visible at all times during installation, allowing to create drawings and shapes.
As for its more practical properties, the larger size of the sheet (12 x 18 tesserae) and the fact that it is easy to place, allows a saving of 27% of the time during installation. Don’t worry about storage, this system is resistant to humidity. So it is possible to store it outside while remaining unaltered.
Mesh backing support
The tesserae are joined by a mesh at the back. This system leaves up to 75% of the surface of the tesserae free for adhesive so the area designated for the glue is sufficient to get a good technical and aesthetic result.
Onix Mesh Sizes According to Onix Mosaic Format
Penny Format: circular mosaic: 286×286
HEX XL Format (large hexagonal format): 286×284
HEX Format (hexagonal mosaic): 301×290
Penta Format (large square mosaic): 311×311
Square Format (conventional square mosaic): 311X311
