Mosaics are usually assembled by us in the workshop either by gluing the top side of the tile to paper, or by attaching the bottom of the tile to a fiberglass mesh.
Smalti, for instance, are almost always produced by placing the face down on paper with a small quantity of flour-based paste. In this way, they must be created with a mirrored pattern, so that when they are laid in place, the paper can be easily removed, leaving the mosaic behind in perfect form. The last of the paste is then easily removed and the final layer of grout is applied. Of all the mosaic techniques, this is the most effective at compensating for irregularities in the thickness of the tiles, since they are attached on the front. The other method involves gluing tiles onto a fiberglass net which can then be laid as a single unit at the site. This requires less on-site labor, and especially effective with tiles that are of uniform thickness like our natural stone mosaics.
For more artistic mosaics, in which an uneven surface is desired, the stones can be glued in segments directly to a fiberglass net with an elastic adhesive mortar. These can then be laid on site and may then be sealed, although this is not a necessity.
We also use support plates, on which we can glue our tiles to produce a finished, transportable mosaic. The plates can be made out of whatever material is required, such as natural stone, concrete, aluminium honeycomb panels, synthetics, composites, or sealed wood.