Attaching tile to vertical surface

I know that title doesn't sound applicable to this forum, but bear with me...

I have a 24"x24" laser engraving tiled onto four 12"x12" granite tiles, and I'd like to hang it on my back garden wall. Fairly dry climate (southern California) but we do get some rain, although taking it down during "rainy season" is an option if absolutely necessary.

My original concept was to epoxy (or whatever) the tiles to a piece of exterior plywood and wrap with a redwood frame, but I thought I'd pick the brain pool here for easier/better/more-durable alternatives. Anybody?

Lee,

You could use epoxy I suppose but I'd be more inclined to use thinset mortar.

For maximum durability I'd use .063 or .08 aluminum as a backing, adhere them and caulk the edges with 100% silicone. You can then do the frame which will be the weak part but easily replaced. The aluminum runs $75 for 4x8 sheet, some sign supplies or sheet metal shops will cut to size and sell by the SF.

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Originally Posted by Joe Pelonio

For maximum durability I'd use .063 or .08 aluminum as a backing, adhere them and caulk the edges with 100% silicone. You can then do the frame which will be the weak part but easily replaced. The aluminum runs $75 for 4x8 sheet, some sign supplies or sheet metal shops will cut to size and sell by the SF.

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Suggestions on adhesive for granite to aluminum?

The silicone should work, probably better is E-6000. Naturally you'd let either set up flat on a table before mounting on the wall.

Lee....check out this website.... www.thistothat.com

In the unlikely event anyone was wondering how this came out...

Got a 24"x48" chunk of 0.22" Lexan from Home Depot, plus a tube of the GE silicon glue/sealer made for it. Since I only needed 24"x24", I doubled it up, giving me a very stiff substrate almost 1/2" thick. Glued the tile to that, then framed it up in 2x2 redwood (rabbitted and glued to the sandwich). A couple of L-straps gave me a place to attach wire, a couple of block anchors gave the wire a place to hang from, and the rest of the silicone added some security to the whole mess:
Attachment 70886
(And yes, that crack in the wall was there before I started drilling...this is earthquake country you know.)

I'm glad you posted the results, Lee. It came out really nice. Did you have to grout them at all or just butt them up to each other?

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Originally Posted by Joe Pelonio

Did you have to grout them at all or just butt them up to each other?

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They're just butted up tight: the edges on that tile are truer than the wood coming out of my jointer. :p

Thanks for sharing Lee, it looks very nice. What's the image Lee, if you don't mind me asking? Looks like the Aztec calendar from a distance.

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Originally Posted by Scott Shepherd

What's the image Lee, if you don't mind me asking? Looks like the Aztec calendar from a distance.

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Yup, the vector version that was floating around here a year or so ago...I just kicked the line width up to 2-3 points and let it raster anyway. Works better at these sizes than the bitmap I use for smaller sizes.

Edit: it's from this thread, I think.

"(And yes, that crack in the wall was there before I started drilling...this is earthquake country you know.)"

Yes, and I just LOVE the HAPPY COWS Commercials especially the Earthquake one.... Lived in San Diego 13 years... Retired Navy.

AL in PA

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Originally Posted by Lee DeRaud

Suggestions on adhesive for granite to aluminum?

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3M VHB tape. People that sell engraved granite photos for attachment to outside cemetery monuments are using it. It will adhere to metal and the stone, so using Joe's idea with the VHB would be very durable.