How to Make a Mosaic Hot Plate

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Almost any materials of different shapes, sizes or composition can be used to make a mosaic.Mosaic Swirls image by Towards Ithaca from Fotolia.com

Prepare the work surface by spreading newspaper. Using adhesive and mortar can be messy. Wear gloves to protect your hands from the adhesive and mortar. Rubber gloves will also provide some protection when using pieces with rough edges.
2). Create your design with the tiles before mixing and applying the mortar. It will be more difficult to move the tiles once the tile adhesive is applied, so creating the design ahead can save time and effort. Place the tiles approximately 1/8 inch apart when creating your design. If they are placed too far apart, the mortar can crack. If the tiles are placed too close together, the mortar won't create sufficient bonding between the tiles, which will weaken the adhesion to the underlying tile.
3). Use the scraper to apply a small amount of adhesive to the back of each tile, and place the tile on the base tile, according to your design. Gently wiggle each tile to firmly set it in the adhesive. Use a cotton swab to clean out any adhesive that escapes from under the tiles. The spaces between the tiles need to be clear for the grout. Continue this until your created design is replicated. Allow the adhesive to dry 12 to 24 hours to completely set.
4). Mix the mortar in the plastic tub, according to the package instructions, using the rubber spatula.
5). Use the grout float to spread the mortar over the tiles, being sure the mortar fills the spaces between the tiles. A grout float, available at hardware stores, looks like a trowel or scraper with a rubber bottom. If you don't have a small grout float, use a rubber spatula.
6). Remove excess grout from the surface of the tiles, using the edge of the grout float or spatula. When finished, there will still be a haze of grout on the surface of the tiles. Wait approximately 90 minutes, and use a damp sponge to clean the grout haze from the surface of your design, working carefully not to remove too much grout from between the tiles.
7). Apply sealer to the surface of your design. This will make the hot plate easy to clean and will prevent spills from seeping into the grout and discoloring the mosaic surface.