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My latest project was a table top. I finally got it grouted but now I think that the grout is too light. It doesn't show off the details as I would have liked. If you look close at the picture, you can see that there are flowers in the design, but they barely show up. Is there anything that I can do to fix it? I thought about putting some of my deck stain on the grout and rubbing it in a bit to make the grout look alittle darker. Help. I did too much work on this table to not be able to enjoy the end result.
I think the deck stain would work. You can also paint the grout if you want.
I love the design & I can see the flowers, but I agree that the grout is probably a bit light. But, since I almost always use black grout, that doesn't surprise me.
Beautiful table top, don't forget to post pic after you darken the grout. I too can see all the pretty flowers. Haven't tried a mosaic project like, but willing to try as I see so many beautiful things on DG.
The black didn't make the flowers stand out anymore than the light color grout. I think it is because the color of tile and the color of marbles is too much alike. Here is the table after I painted the grout black. I should have just left it the way that it was but I don't think it looks terrible now. I am sure that I wont paint grout again. I am not very good at staying in the lines. I don't know if you can tell how sloppy it is in the photo. Anyway, thanks for the advice guys.
Ok, I think the black is ok, but it's dull. When I sprayed the grout sealer on it, it was very shiny and I thought it looked nicer. As soon as the sealer dried, it was dull again. Is there anything I can do to make the black shiny?
If I'm not mistaken you should be able to clean up the sloppiness, repainting the grout by applying the paint to the entire surface as you did with the grout and immediatley wiping and polishing the tile. There is no contrast between the detail (flowers) and the field of your design but the way it is now is the source of a pleasant little surprise for those that take the time to look closely. Some artwork is done like this intentionally. I wouldn't make the grout shiny as this would reduce the contrast even more by giving grout and tile the same sheen. Not only do you have a functional piece of art but your project has given you valuable experience, something that you can draw on next time. I love your table.
littleflower,
I agree with Mipii. I like the black background much better than the white. I also don't think making it all shiny would improve it.
I think its stunning. I hope you have a good place to showcase it and use it as well.
Helen
Ok, I am keeping the flat black. Thanks so much for the advice everyone. The table is currently located on my front porch. Everyone that comes to my door must walk right by the table, so it is definately being showcased.
I love the table, and I do mosaic art also, picture frames, birdhouses, flower pots, stepping stones and am currently working on a table top, and to get shine, and to make the outdoors stuff last longer, I use Polyurthane, just make sure it's a clear, I used some and it said Satin, and it turned everything to a yucky yellow tint. Just thought I'd drop a line even though you said you'd keep it as is, I'm attaching a birdhouse i did, which a snake lives in it, but you can see the shine on it from the polyurthane. You may want to give it a try or let it be the beautiful piece it is already!!
jamibad: nice birdhouse. But I would make that snake find a new home. (I hate snakes) Someone else suggested poly and since the table is on my front porch, I have thought of using it. I am not sure the grout sealer is good enough for outdoor use. If I decide to poly, I will post another pic.
Since you said you do alot of mosaics and tiling, I would like to ask you a question. How do you grout when you items aren't the same height? I had a terrible time. Everytime I would try to wipe off the grout, it would come out of the cracks. I ended up taking a garden hose and lightly misting the entire piece to get the excess grout off. It took forever and in some spots, the grout is kind of thin from too much water. I am sure that the way that I did it is really wrong, but I just couldn't get the grout wiped off with a sponge without removing it from the cracks. Any suggestions?
first off, i use the same size glass or ceramic tile depending on what I'm working on, glass is a different thickness, than tile, and than when you start adding beads, half marbles, and other items, I guess grout can be a problem, but in the end, if you can make it thicker in consistencey, and add it to your artwork, wait for it to become semi dry, while misting it with water, grout won't stick to anything if it's not pource (sp) and can be easily removed with a slight rubbing of a wire brush. But the idea is to let it dry for 1/2 a day before trying to remove it. the birdhouse i posted is done in tile, and here is a table I'm currently working on, with glass, and I do cut my pieces to fit the drawing I drew on the table as my outline. Between my gardens, painting my shed with a mural, I'm quite the busy person. LOL, I try to stay busy, and active, in my disabled state. I'll attach pictures of the shed too.
I love how you are painting your shed. We have an old one here which is such an eyesore. DH has been saying he is going to put new siding around it and new roof and then I want to decorate it. I've been waiting a long time, but now I have some ideas how I should paint it. No window, but I could paint one on.
i forgot to add that my shed was terrible looking before adding the base coat of paint, before I started the murual, see the attached picture. Than after I finish each section I coat it with Guess What ?, polyurathane, keeps the murual looking good, living two blocks off the beach, my stuff that I have in my yard tends to get pitted, like all the metal,, LOL, I'm a true believer in this polyurathane. here's my shed prior to painting it a light mint green.
and yes, you can draw a picture of a window, do a " goggle" with the words " shed murals", and switch to pictures instead of web sites, and you'll be amazed at what people do to their sheds, very cheap, and awesome, some look 3 dimensional. Like looking into another world, my shed had yucky stains on it from our sprinkler system, and it had a very sun damaged look, when I painted it , it made it look brand new, this is my craft room, and on the left is my vegtable garden, and the right side is all flowers now, the shed protects my vegtables from the ocean salt air and the winds. here again, see the pics, I'm such a show off, sorry, but I love talking to people that have the same interest, and my friends think I'm a little " out there" content to stay busy with the things I dream up to do, LOl. I think the picture I selected shows the rust stains from the water, and also the starting of the flower garden and pond on the beach side of the shed, i'll see once I up load it.
yep, a foggy picture but you can see the stains, now here is the finished product!! Than I won't bother you again, but I was trying to give you money saving tips on this shed thing. Hope you do well with your project, and keep me posted as to what you end up doing!!
opps and one more, the veggie garden to the left of the shed :) You'll notice the mural hasn't been started on the shed in either of these two pics, but hey, I love taking pictures as I advance in what I'm doing. Hope you enjoyed and don't think I'm too out there. Just excited as in enjoying something that others find interesting. Thanks !!
1 more than I'll stop, look at the last picture, and the bottom of the shed, I couldn't paint there, too many plants in the way, and dirt, so I left it unfinished, see the difference in the color of the shed. OK, I'll stop for now, but will post new pics as soon as I finish the job, good luck with yours, maybe we should start a thread on shed painting ???? Didn't mean to kidnap your original thread littleflower, and if your watching I am so sorry. the excitement got to me. I'll start another thread on this subject. My heart felt appoligies! no pics here! I just realized I hijacked someone elses thread.
Love to see pictures of work in progress. DH wanted to buy another shed, but prices are out of our league and even though this one isn't very big it will have to stay. Always need money saving tips. Entire problem is get rid of junk we don't need, but I don't think that will happen. Love what you have done in your yard, just hoping to get DH going on it soon and when that happens I will post pictures.
jamibad, Beautiful! All I've seen. What talent you have in your painting. LOL I paint too, but it's not the muriel pretty stuff. Mine is making inside and outside houses pretty. Walls, ceilings, trim that kind of painting. Would love to paint like you do.
