Since these tiles are fairly thin, you can cut them with most mosaic cutting tools, including: hammer & hardie, tile nippers, and wheeled nippers.

The size of the cut depends on how you plan to use the stone in a mosaic. Cutting the stone in half and then each piece in half again will give you smaller squares. You can also cut the tile in thirds and then each piece in half to give you rectangles which are slightly longer than a square.

If using nippers, hold them so that the blade is at a right angle to the stone. I've found that when using wheeled nippers, you get the cleanest cut if you position the nippers in the center of the stone instead of the edges.

Unlike glass, stone has a mind of its own and will cut with its veins. Softer stones may crumble when cut. Fortunately, these stones are thin and are fairly even in consistency, so you are likely to get an even cut.

When cutting smaller pieces, it is better to cut on the side of the stone with the tumbled surface.

You will find that some stones cut easier than others. Green marble is notoriously hard to cut, whereas the whites and browns are softer and easier to cut.

It's not as easy to get a straight perpendicular cut with stone as you can with glass. If the bottom is slightly longer than the top , you will get a gap when you try to place the pieces close together.

You can cut a little from the bottom so that the stones fit closely together.

It doesn’t matter what the bottom looks like, as long as there is enough of a base to adhere the stone to your substrate.

Laying Stones & Adhesives

These stones can be used for both direct, indirect, or double indirect mosaics. Adhesives that are used with other mosaic materials can also be used with stone.

Use Thinset for outdoor mosaics and/or ungrouted mosaics in which the Thinset can provide a self-grouting look.

You can use clear glues like Weldbond and DAP-Kwik Seal Plus for indoor mosaics.

If you are grouting your mosaic, use only the tumbled surface - not the raw stone - and seal the stones with a couple of brushings of stone sealant before grouting. Stone is very porous and you should expect that the grout will stain the stone. The better sealed it is before grouting, the less risk of staining.

If grout does penetrate the stone, try removing it by using a Q-tip dipped in white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide.

Do not grout mosaics which use the raw, rivened surface of the stone.