Mosaic Birdbath Instructions

Place old large-sized tiles or broken dishes in an old towel. Fold the towel over the dishes and hit the tiles with a hammer. Skip this step if you purchased small mosaic tiles.

Arrange the tiles in the birdbath's basin. Place a decorative tile in the center and surround it with smaller tiles. Or draw a design on the birdbath with a permanent marker and fill it in with different colored tiles. Draw free-handed or trace shapes from cookie cutters. If you want to decorate the outside of the birdbath, mark it with permanent marker as needed.

Place a sheet of transparent mosaic tape on top of the tiles in the birdbath's basin. Press the tape onto the tiles, then lift the tape and with it the tiles out of the birdbath and set them aside.

Spread bonding agent onto the surfaces that will hold tiles. Allow the bonding agent to dry slightly, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Spread latex-fortified thin-set mortar inside the birdbath's basin, using a notched spreader. Comb grooves into the mortar with the notches on the side of the spreader. Set the taped mosaic tiles on top of the mortar. Press the tiles into the mortar.

Spread thin-set mortar on a section of the birdbath's exterior. Press mosaic tiles into the mortar, following any preplanned design. Continue covering the birdbath in sections. Skip this step if you are not decorating the outside of the birdbath.

Let the mortar cure overnight. Peel off the mosaic tape. Press grout into the spaces between the tiles with a rubber spatula. Scrape excess grout from the tile surface with the edge of the spatula. Let the grout dry slightly, then wipe the residue from the tile surface with a damp sponge. Allow the grout to cure overnight before exposing the birdbath to the elements.