AU2020223705A1

AU2020223705A1 - Method for finishing a glass tesserae surface

Info

Publication number: AU2020223705A1
Application number: AU2020223705A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Donald Andrew Stuart Macdonald
Original assignee: Sacred Symmetry Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Sacred Symmetry Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2020-08-26
Filing date: 2020-08-26
Publication date: 2022-03-17

Abstract

A method is described for finishing the exposed surfaces of glass mosaic tiles. The tiles are fixed to a surface - such as a splashback on a wall or the vitreous enamel of a bath tub - with an epoxy adhesive. Any voids in the tesserae, any joints between adjacent tessera and any gaps between the underside of any edge tiles and the surface to which they are affixed are filled with an epoxy grout which is allowed to cure. While passing water over the tiles, the exposed surfaces of the tiles are successfully ground with 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500, 3000 and 8000 grit abrasive. The final finish of the mosaic tiles is a continuously smooth polished glass surface.

Description

METHOD FOR FINISHING A GLASS TESSERAE SURFACE

Technical Field

THIS INVENTION relates to the finishing of glass surfaces and has a particular, but not limiting, use in the finishing of mosaic glass tiles.

Background Art

Throughout this specification, unless the contrary is expressly stated, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was, atthe prioritydate, publicly available, known to the public, part of the common general knowledge, or known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.

Glass mosaic tiles - small pieces of glass of different colors, known as tesserae, fused together at high temperatures - have been known for centuries. Traditionally, such tiles have been for creative artwork or applied to walls and floors of buildings for decorative purposes. The tiles are very thin, typically in the range 4-10mm. Further, in the commercial production of glass mosaic tiles today, the edges of the tiles are bevelled to facilitate easy release of the tile from a press during manufacture which results in the tiles being as thin as 1-2mm at these edges. By their nature, the exposed surfaces of the tesserae are irregular and unsuitable for use as a decorative feature, for example, on the interior surface of a household product such as a bath as these exposed surfaces of the tesserae would be uncomfortable for skin contact and would also be difficult to readily clean. Using prior art attempts to grind the exterior surfaces of glass mosaic tiles to a smooth finish fail because the heat generated during the grinding action renders the tiles prone to cracking and breaking, especially at the very thin edges of modern mosaic tiles. Consequently, the use of mosaic tiles has been restricted to artistic or decorative purposes and has not been used in more practical products such as bath tubs, vanity sinks, chairs, and the like where body contact would result when using such products and/or when regular cleaning of the tesserae surfaces would be necessary.

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to overcome, or at least ameliorate, the above discussed disadvantages and provide a method to finish the exposed surfaces of tesserae and the like to a continuously smooth polished glass surface.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for finishing a surface comprised of one or more glass tessera, said method including:

filling any voids in each of said glass tessera and sealing any joints between adjacent said glass tessera on said surface with an epoxy grout;

allowing said grout to cure;

while continuously passing a cooling fluid over said surface:

grinding said surface with a first abrasive sufficiently for said surface to be substantially flat;

removing any grinding slurry from said surface;

grinding said surface with a second abrasive of a grade finer than said first abrasive sufficiently for said surface to be substantially flat;

removing any grinding slurry from said surface;

grinding said surface with a third abrasive of a grade finer than said second abrasive sufficiently for said surface to be substantially flat; removing any grinding slurry from said surface; if necessary, filling any consequently exposed voids in each of said glass tessera and sealing any consequently exposed joints between adjacent said glass tessera on said surface with additional epoxy grout, allowing said additional epoxy grout to cure, grinding said surface with said third abrasive, and removing any grinding slurry from said surface; and repeating said grinding of, and removing of said grinding slurry from, said surface with further successively finer grades of an abrasive to a required finish of said surface.

Preferably, said cooling fluid is water.

Preferably, said first abrasive is of 50 grit grade.

Preferably, said second abrasive is of 100 grit grade.

Preferably, said third abrasive is of 200 grit grade.

Preferably, said successively finer grades of an abrasive are of grit grades 400, 800, 1500, 3000 and 8000.

A second aspect of the present invention is the provision of a decorative or functional article which includes a glass tesserae surface wherein said surface has been finished by a method as hereinbefore described.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said decorative article is selected from a group which includes a mosaic tile, ornament, sculpture and other artworks.

In another embodiment of the present invention, said functional article is a building or household fixture including walls, floors, furniture and furnishings.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

The necessary number of commercially-available glass mosaic tiles of the type well known in the art are fixed to the required surface - such as a splashback on a wall or the vitreous enamel of a bath tub - using any suitable epoxy adhesive known in the art. Any suitable epoxy grout known in the art is used to fill any voids in the tesserae and to seal any joints between adjacent tessera and also any gaps that may be present between the underside of any edge tiles and the surface to which they are affixed. The epoxy grout is allowed to cure. Using a slow speed water fed polishing machine of the type well known in the art, a 50 grit disk is used to remove high spots from the surfaces of the tiles until the surfaces are substantially flat. The grinding slurry is removed and the grinding of the surfaces is repeated using a 100 grit disk until the surfaces are again substantially flat. The grinding slurry is removed and the grinding process repeated using a 200 grit disk until the surfaces are substantially flat and the grinding slurry is again removed. If any voids in the tesserae and/or any joints between adjacent tessera or between the underside of any edge tiles and the surface to which they are attached are consequently exposed, the process is halted until the existing grout and tesserae have fully dried and subsequently the exposed voids and joints are filled with additional epoxy grout. The grout is allowed to cure and the surfaces of the tiles are again ground with a 200 grit disk until the surfaces are substantially flat, and the grinding slurry is removed. This grinding of, and subsequently removing of the grinding slurry from, the surfaces of the tiles is repeated with further successively finer 400, 800, 1500, 3000 and 8000 grit disks. The final finish of the mosaic tiles is a continuously smooth polished glass surface. Although not wishing to be bound by theory, it is considered that by using epoxy grout in this method its strength provides a stable and inert support for the tesserae which significantly reduces the likelihood of cracking of the glass during the finishing process.

By using the present invention, the use of glass mosaic tiles is no longer restricted to artistic or decorative purposes and can be used in more practical products such as bath tubs, vanity sinks, chairs, and the like where body contact results and/or when regular cleaning of the tesserae surfaces is required.

The terms "comprising" or "comprises" as used throughout the specification and claims are taken to specify the presence of the stated features, integers and components referred to but not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other feature/s, integer/s, component/s or group thereof.

It will be appreciated that the above described embodiment is only an exemplification of the various aspects of the present invention and that modifications and alterations can be made thereto without departing from the inventive concept as defined in the following claims.

Claims

A method for finishing a surface comprised of one or more glass tessera, said method including:

filling any voids in each of said glass tessera and sealing any joints between adjacent said glass tessera on said surface with an epoxy grout;

allowing said grout to cure;

while continuously passing a cooling fluid over said surface:

grinding said surface with a first abrasive sufficiently for said surface to be substantially flat;

removing any grinding slurry from said surface;

grinding said surface with a second abrasive of a grade finer than said first abrasive sufficiently for said surface to be substantially flat;

removing any grinding slurry from said surface;

grinding said surface with a third abrasive of a grade finer than said second abrasive sufficiently for said surface to be substantially flat;

removing any grinding slurry from said surface;

if necessary, filling any consequently exposed voids in each of said glass tessera and sealing any consequently exposed joints between adjacent said glass tessera on said surface with additional epoxy grout, allowing said additional epoxy grout to cure, grinding said surface with said third abrasive, and removing any grinding slurry from said surface; and repeating said grinding of, and removing of said grinding slurry from, said surface with further successively finer grades of an abrasive to a required finish of said surface.
2. A method as defined in Claim 1 wherein said cooling fluid is water.
3. A method as defined in Claim1 or Claim 2 wherein said first abrasive is of 50 grit grade.
4. A method as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein said second abrasive is of 100 grit grade.
5. A method as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein said third abrasive is of 200 grit grade.
6. A method as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein said successively finer grades of an abrasive are of grit grades 400, 800, 1500, 3000 and 8000.
7. A decorative or functional article which includes a glass tesserae surface wherein said surface has been finished by a method as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 6.
8. A decorative article as defined in Claim 7 selected from a group comprising a mosaic tile, ornament, sculpture and other artworks.
9. A functional article as defined in Claim 7 selected from a group comprising a building or household fixture.
10. A functional article as defined in Claim9 wherein said building or household fixture is selected from the group comprising walls, floors, furniture and furnishings.