How do you make a mosaic floor smooth and safe to walk on with bare feet if I cut the tiles to make the design?
The critical factors are edge treatment of tiles, flatness of tile set in mortar and fullness/flushness of grout. Some people grind the edges of each tile with a belt sander, wet saw or stained glass drum grinder before laying the mosaic. Obviously very laborious, but assures “soft” rounded edges. Taking care to set the tiles scrupulously flat in the thinset will help prevent edges or corners from angling up dangerously. This also helps to avoid a tripping hazard. Whether using direct or reverse method, apply only as much thinset as necessary for the type of tiles you’re using (thick ceramic tiles with ribbed bottoms need more thinset than vitreous or stained glass). Excessive thinset makes it hard to keep tiles on the same plane. They can sink in to different depths. Use a hard grout float or wooden block to beat tiles flat after setting, but while mortar still soft. If grout fills the joints fully it will also bury any sharp edges. This requires some skill and practice. Working as dr
