Usage
Yes. When looking for the right shower finish for years to come, mosaic is worth considering. These features of mosaic make our realizations often use in the shower:
- glass mosaic does not absorb water (water absorption ≤ 0.1%)
- is resistant to even strong cleaning agents and can be scrubbed if necessary
- our mosaic is dyed in the mass, which ensures color fastness regardless of conditions
- Glass does not react with fungi, molds, bacteria. When epoxy grout is used, it becomes a shower finish for years to come.
- comes in an anti-slip finish, so that the shower floor can not only be decorative, but also safe.
Yes, mosaic in the kitchen is not only a decorative element, but also a very practical choice. The glass does not discolor from splashes of grease or tomato sauce, cleans easily, does not react to moisture and is resistant to temperature spikes associated with cooking and baking. When finishing the mosaic in the kitchen, it is worth using epoxy grout, as it is more durable and therefore easier to keep clean in the long term.
Yes, glass mosaic is suitable for finishing swimming pool basins. The glass does not absorb water (water absorption ≤ 0.1%), and is resistant to pool chemicals (such as chlorine). Our glass mosaic is tinted in the mass, which ensures color fastness regardless of conditions, including in outdoor pools.
Yes, although we recommend using mosaic in a satin finish (6 on the Mohs scale) due to its higher scratch resistance on floors. If the mosaic is to be placed on the floor of a shower or as a cladding for pool stairs, a non-slip finish will be appropriate.
Yes, our mosaic is made of glass, therefore it does not absorb water (water absorption ≤ 0.1%). Among other reasons, it is traditionally used to finish the basins of swimming pools and baths. In addition, it is resistant to the strong cleaning agents used in baths and swimming pools (such as chlorine). The mosaic is dyed in the mass, which ensures color fastness regardless of conditions.
Yes, glass mosaic is a material traditionally used in saunas, steam baths, as glass is resistant to both high temperatures and rapid changes in temperature.
Our glass mosaic is dyed in mass. This makes the glass resistant to UV rays, the color does not rub off, does not fade under the influence of moisture, does not react with fungi, mold, bacteria. The colors of a properly installed mosaic will please the eye unchanged for many years.
Glass mosaic is cleaned very easily with a dishwashing sponge and ordinary household cleaners. Glass mosaic is a resistant material, so in case of heavy soiling it can be scrubbed and strong cleaning agents like chlorine can be used.
Design
The price of a square meter of Trufli mosaic starts at 110 EUR and ends at 180 EUR.
What factors affect the price?
- size of the mosaic – the larger the area of the mosaic, the cheaper the square meter,
- the number of colors used in the design – more color-complex designs are more expensive because it takes longer to design and then produce,
- shape of the cube – a square cube is cheaper than a hexagon
If you have an idea for your own project, send it to us in any form. This can be a photo, visualization, drawing, which will become the starting point for the development of the mosaic design. The dimensions of the surface on which the mosaic will be installed are also important. This allow to design the pattern to scale.
You can send your message to mozaiki@trufle.eu, use the contact form or call us at +48327390215.
Yes, project preparation is free of charge.
After receiving instructions for creating the mosaic, the designer begins work. He prepares a sketch of the pattern and processes it into a mosaic, taking into account the color palette, the size of the cube and the dimensions of the surface on which the mosaic will be placed. This creates a design, which you will receive along with a quote for approval. If you like the mosaic, but want to make some changes, this is the right time to make them. Once the final version of the mosaic is approved, the project goes into production.
Yes, if the design process requires it, we will prepare several design proposals for you to choose from.
The available color palette can be found on the subpage – Technical specifications
Not only is this a possibility, but we strongly encourage you to do so. We try very hard to ensure that our digital designs capture the look of the final mosaic, but nothing can replace live contact with the cubes. Like the design, we will prepare and send color samples free of charge.
Of course. Contact us by email or through the form. We have color kit prepared for architects with the entire color palette. We know from experience that they are very helpful when working together on a mosaic project and improve communication.
Production and shipping
The mosaic is packaged in high-gravity 5-layer cardboard cartons, which protect it during transportation. One carton holds approx. 2 square meters of mosaic and it weighs about 16 kg. Mosaic in boxes is sent by courier, larger realizations are sent packed on a pallet.
The mosaic is assembled in 33 x 33 cm format slices using foil. The film is glued on the face side and is transparent, so the pattern is visible during installation. Each slice is numbered, and the mosaic is accompanied by instructions with the layout of the slices.
From design approval to completion, we need up to 4 weeks to complete the mosaic. It takes us 5-6 weeks to lay out larger projects (dozens of square meters and more). You will get to know the exact time needed to arrange your project at the stage of placing the order.
Yes, we send mosaics by courier to any location. If you are interested in shipping outside the European Union, please contact us. We will investigate customs procedures and, in cooperation with our carriers, look for a cost-effective shipping method.
Assembly
This is possible, but proper installation of mosaics can be demanding and specialized tools (such as a saw with a glass cutting wheel) may be needed.
If you decide to install it yourself, pay special attention to the following points. They often determine the final outcome:
- The substrate must be perfectly even – unlike tiles in larger formats, trying to level out irregularities with more glue will end up with it flowing out between the cubes. It will also be impossible to achieve a flat mosaic face, as the cubes will sink into the glue.
- use white glue – gray will darken some of the cubes
- apply glue with a trowel with teeth of 3mm maximum; larger teeth may cause glue to flow out between the cubes
- try to arrange the interior in such a way as to avoid having to cut the mosaic or hide the cut edges under the adjacent material or trim. Mosaic is not easy to cut and in order to get an even, aesthetically pleasing edge it is necessary to use a saw with a wet glass cutting blade.
- If you decide to use epoxy grout, carefully study the product documentation and tutorials available online. In working with this type of grout, the final result is often determined by time, which is usually in short supply. Therefore, it is important to properly prepare and plan the work. Before you start, prepare plenty of cellulose sponges for cleaning the mosaic, you will need. Very carefully protect the floor and adjacent surfaces. Soiling with epoxy can involve permanent damage to the material (e.g., parquet) and, at best, a lot of work cleaning up the stains. Ask someone to help (one person applies grout, the other immediately washes off the excess and molds). Don’t mix a whole bucket of grout at once – you almost certainly won’t have time to use it up. It is better to prepare grout in smaller quantities while maintaining exact proportions (a kitchen scale will come in handy).
For installation details, visit www.trufle.eu/specyfikacja/
If you have doubts about whether you can handle it, we encourage you to enlist the help of an experienced contractor.
Yes, for each mosaic we pack a set of several colored cubes from which the mosaic is arranged. Just in case.
Small residues can be removed by spot gluing and peeling off the removed film several times, glue to glue. If, despite everything, fragments of glue remain on the surface of the mosaic, the easiest way is to wash it off with isopropyl alcohol and the rough side of a kitchen sponge.
No, Truffles is not in the business of installing mosaics at customers’ sites. For large-scale projects, we can help find a contractor.
As a rule, we recommend using an adhesive of the C2TES1 class – cementitious adhesive (C), with improved performance (2) with reduced runoff (T), with extended open time (E), flexible (S1). Before deciding on an adhesive, especially for demanding environments (facades, swimming pools, saunas), it is worth confirming the applicability of the adhesive by reviewing the product data sheet.
For a good result, it is important that the glue is white. Gray glue can make some mosaic colors darker.
Mosaic can be grouted with both epoxy and cement grout. The choice of grout depends on the destination of the mosaic. In areas where there is contact with water or moisture, epoxy grout is a better choice because of its durability. On the other hand, realizations exposed to frost (outdoor pools, facades) are better grouted with mineral grout. This will minimize the risk of the pavers splintering off during the winter.