How do I hang a mosaic art work in a secure way?

[Matazoha]

Hi there

I'm a created a mosaic work made out of glass tiles on a mesh. My plan is to glue that on a 4.5mm thick cement sheet and then screw at the back of it aluminium French cleats an hang it on a bathroom wall. It is not going to be above the bath, but at the wall next to it.

An consultant at Bunnings advised me that it is not a good idea because I can't screw into cement sheet because though it is hard board, it is also brittle and won't hold the weight for the long term. Also, it would be to flexible to carry it on during the hanging process and it might snapped.

I'll appreciate if you can advise me about a better method to do so. The size of the artwork is 2m X 40cm (approx.). the overall thickness of the mosaic artwork is 3.5mm.

[EricL]

Hello @Matazoha 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question hanging your mosaic artwork.

Have you considered a timber base such as pine or Tasmanian oak for your artwork? This will make it much easier for you to use the aluminium French cleat at the back as it will allow you to screw it in. The timber can be protected by sealing it with a varnish or water-based clear sealer. Another method is to screw and glue the cement sheet onto the pine board before transferring the artwork. With a timber base at the back, you can use almost any hanging mechanism you want. 

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Matazoha]

Thank Eric

I considered your advise but I'd like the backing to be as thin as possible. I thought about gluing it with grout (I/N: 6820063) on Denshield Water Proof Wall Board (I/N: 0208945). 

The method I had in mind is similar to what is shown on the following video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofiViPoY3wE&t=2s starting from the 10th minute. However, I couldn't find similar fasteners set on Bunnings website. The French cleats that I'm using are exactly the same as shown on the video but along the whole artwork (1.95m).

Let me know if it is the right approach.

[Dave-1]

Good Evening @Matazoha 

I do like your artwork That is a fair amount of work so it deserves to be hung correctly.

I watched the video and saw what you were refering to with the french cleat. That would be a nice solid way of hanging something heavy .

I see the same problems as @EricL and my solution was to head towards a timber backing over a cement sheet type deal as well. The more I thought about the artwork piece and the ridgility that would be needed for something 2m long the thicker the backing will have to be.

10mm will still want to flex over that length and I am heitant of suggesting the mterial. 

I really like the dark timber benchesMondella 610mm Merbau Rococo Vanity Top and even tho are timber the 26mm thickness comapred to the 10mm makes me a lot happier. Problem is I dont think you like the timber as a backing due to thickness....

So option C

When I first saw the piece I was wondering what would be best to mount it on to best show the detail...

Now this is a professional solution as I would say its outside most of our skill levels but it would look beautiful (and probarly be a little wider then the timber 😕

So the mosaic is mounted to a sheet of glass about 50mm wider then the width and length of your tiles. This is mounted in a made picture frame box either set in the base on its own or set inthe base with a covering of glass over it. The Framer will make sure that the picture frame will be strong enough to carry the weight of the mosaic and glass. 

I like the idea of mounted on glass as it would display it in the nicest way, even with lighting in the frame.

Option D that came to me as I was typing.

Mounted on glass alone (finishes so the edges are smooth) and hung on the wall via a timber moulding such as Porta 40 x 15mm 3.0m Clear Pine Dado Rail Sheet  One upside down for the pane of glass to rest in and the other at the top to clip over the sheet of glass. (Glass because i think it will flex less then that concrete sheet) but in reality you could use those rails to hang the concrete sheet as well, just need to be cautious lift the concrete sheet if you go that path due to flexing.

Dave

Dave

[Matazoha]

Thank you Dave.

Just to make sure, option A is to use Denshield Water Proof Wall Board (I/N: 0208945)? I'm incline to utilise this method following the video link I shred with you. I was in Bunnings to check how flexible it is and it is not too bad, yet I need to be careful because the artwork ratio is quite narrow.

As for option C & D, how could I mount the artwork on a glass surface? is there a special adhesive I should use?

[Dave-1]

Good Early Morning @Matazoha  

Option A is the concrete sheet, I am still not confidant that hanging it will hold up over time. When that type of sheet is attached to walls its glued and nailed/screwed in multiple places so the force down is distributed across the whole sheet. With the the rail you want to use (I like the way the rail works) all the downward force will be on what ever you attach the sheet to the rail in several locations across the length of the rail. So those points will have to carry the sheet and the glue plus mosaic. Thats why I like the rail idea for it to sit on and then the top rail to secure it from falling forward.

For option C & D I would figure there would be an adheasive to do so, @EricL may know of one. I was thinking of what you would use for the concrete sheeting would also be used for glass as both have a smooth surface.

Dave

[Matazoha]

Thanks @Dave-1

What if I'll put 2 french-cleat rails at the back of the Denshield Water Proof Wall Board? On Bunnings website they compliment this board over cement sheet, that's where I got the idea from. 

The gluing method I had in mind is similar to the method shown on this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up7tdm11AkE&t=11s but I plan to do it horizontally and then hanging it on the wall vertically.

Let me know what your thoughts are. I'm not an expert, so it is quite challenging task.

[Dave-1]

Evening @Matazoha 

Two rails would definently give it ridgility Now to how to fix the rails to the concrete sheeting, I like the idea of liquid nails but really I dont know enough of what glue would be best. I would suggest to wait for @EricL , @MitchellMc or @JacobZ as they have more knowledge on glues.

Id almost be tempted to try a long pop-rivet to secure the rail on the rear of the board. No glue needed.

Dave

[MitchellMc]

@Dave-1,

Construction adhesive would be the most suitable adhesive and something like Sika 290ml Sikaflex®-118 Extreme Grab would be a good choice.

Mitchell