inlaying stone in wood- a question

[andy Needles]

Hello all,

I have three custom tables that I'm working on, and the client wants me to inlay open faced ammonites (essentially stone tiles) into the table surface.

I have already cut the hole/mortises for them, and the look great. My thinking was I should finish the furniture, and then lay the tiles in a bed of that wood putty that remains flexible, and is used for nail holes, etc.

I have a bench that I bought in colorado that has fish tiles in it. It appears that they used this substance. I assume you would need to use something that is flexible as the wood will move a slight amount and the tiles will not.

:confused: SO THE QUESTION IS: What flexible material should I bed the "tiles" with? It has to clean up easy, as the furntire will have already be finished, and it must be close to the color of claro walnut. :confused:

I'll post the pieces when they are done- I have to say they look great so far!:D

[John Miliunas]

Andy, you may want to consider one of the Silicon-based caulks out there. The silicon will remain flexible and often available in various colors. I've used clear "silly seal" to adhere assorted items to differing materials with great success. :) :cool:

[Lee DeRaud]

Silicone, John, not silicon.:p

But yeah, that's the right answer, and it's available in several colors as well as the usual clear/white/black.

[John Miliunas]

Silicone, John, not silicon.:p

But yeah, that's the right answer, and it's available in several colors as well as the usual clear/white/black.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooops!!! :o You're right, of course, Lee. My bad. :o BUT, you still get the idea.... :) :cool:

[Lee DeRaud]

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooops!!! :o You're right, of course, Lee. My bad. :o BUT, you still get the idea.... :) :cool:I normally don't correct anyone's spelling, especially since Murphy's Law pretty much forces a spelling-correction post to have a spelling error of its own.:cool:

But there's always that 1% chance that the guy at the store actually knows what "silicon" is:
he'll think you're trying to make your own semiconductor chips or something...or else just sell you a big bag of sand.:eek:

[Charlie Kocourek]

When I tiled my bathroom floor I realized that genuine silicone has a shiny finish and does not look like grout. If you want it to look like grout then buy the caulk at the floor tile dept of the Borg.

[Josh Goldsmith]

The silicone sounds like a good idea but what about the silicone reacting with your finish? I think you use polyurethane finishes for your stuff and i believe that poly reacts to silicone. You might get some fish eyes around your stone. Someone here might be able to shine in a little more light. If i am wrong i appologize.

On another side note Andy remember my jointer and that loud noises when you started it up. I think i fixed it. The pully that spins the cutter head was loose. The key to the pully fell out and all that time we were using it the pully was barely on. I ordered a new pully and it should be in a couple days!:D Talk to you later

Josh

[Lee DeRaud]

The silicone sounds like a good idea but what about the silicone reacting with your finish? I think you use polyurethane finishes for your stuff and i believe that poly reacts to silicone. You might get some fish eyes around your stone. Someone here might be able to shine in a little more light. If i am wrong i appologize.Hmmm, didn't think of that: I was assuming the wood would get completely finished and then the stone would get "glued" in.

[John Miliunas]

Silicone is indeed one of the worst enemies if trying to finish anything touched by it. However, once a finish has been applied and properly cured, the silly seal should no longer cause any reaction. Leastwise, I've not had such issues. :) But yeah, Josh, you're absolutely right in keeping and surfaces to be finished completely clear of any silicone! :) :cool:

[Bruce Volden]

Andy

First- Welcome!! Second, I would offer RTV (room temperature vulcanized) a very strong, temp resistant, flexible silicone based? material to adhere the tile to the wood. I have used this and had great success, also I had no interaction between the finishing, (mayhaps it is not silicone based??) so what say you guys/gals?? Bruce

[Dev Emch]

Silicone, John, not silicon.:p

But yeah, that's the right answer, and it's available in several colors as well as the usual clear/white/black.

When I worked as an engineer, we used microsoft word to write docs. One guy i worked with was middle eastern and his name was Farzan. But microsoft's spell checker automaticlly replaced his name on a proprosal with Frozen Rasberry. I did not see this until the proposal was presented. Opppppppppppppppppppppppppppppps!

[Dev Emch]

Andy

First- Welcome!! Second, I would offer RTV (room temperature vulcanized) a very strong, temp resistant, flexible silicone based? material to adhere the tile to the wood. I have used this and had great success, also I had no interaction between the finishing, (mayhaps it is not silicone based??) so what say you guys/gals?? Bruce

All silicone based caulk is RTV. Normally vulcanization needs high temperatures and sulfur (I recall) to achieve the cross linking needed to solidfy the goop. Think about rubber tires. But RTV can do this a room temperature using a chemical reaction involving acetic (sp?) acid. This is the stuff that gives vineger is unique smell.

[John Miliunas]

When I worked as an engineer, we used microsoft word to write docs. One guy i worked with was middle eastern and his name was Farzan. But microsoft's spell checker automaticlly replaced his name on a proprosal with Frozen Rasberry. I did not see this until the proposal was presented. Opppppppppppppppppppppppppppppps!

ROFLM..... :D :D :D Yeah, I learned a long, long time ago that, one really does need to proof read even after spell checking!!! :) I guess, being in IT, I'm so danged used to seeing "silicon" that it didn't even phase me! :o :) :cool:

[andy Needles]

Thank you for all of your thoughts! I will fully finish the tables with a water based finish before laying in the stones. Also, that Silicone sticks to everything, and I was looking for a clean mortar line. can I apply a wax resist around the surface of the wood? can you clean up wet silocone w/ a rag and solvent?:confused: :confused: :confused:

Sincerely

Rustic Andy

[Lee DeRaud]

Also, that Silicone sticks to everything, and I was looking for a clean mortar line.Yeah, but it doesn't stick that hard: apply it like any other caulk, smoothing with your finger or other tool of choice. Clean up the bulk of the excess and then, after it cures, run an Exacto knife along where you want your line to be and peel off the silicone on the outside.

[James Stokes]

If it was me, I would use liquid nail to hold the stone. Then use a brown latex caulk on the edge.

[Ted Jay]

Yeah, but it doesn't stick that hard: apply it like any other caulk, smoothing with your finger or other tool of choice. Clean up the bulk of the excess and then, after it cures, run an Exacto knife along where you want your line to be and peel off the silicone on the outside.

Many years ago I took two old end tables and routed out an area in them to put in mosaic tile. I applied the tile with mastic and a toothed trowl and then I actually grouted the tile in. (It was a dark blue tile with black grout, hey... I said it was many years ago... my tastes have changed since.) Those end tables lasted for 6 years until I gave them away to buy new. I just taped off all the exposed wood, to protect it from the grout, and them added the finish to the wood.

[John Miliunas]

Yup, Ted has the right idea, regardless of what you settle on for the mastik. Blue tape off the perimeter, cut it in with an "Exacto" and slop away! Just be sure to peel the tape off before whatever you use set up. :) :cool:

[Bill Lewis]

Durn it, John you just said what I was going to say. blue tape is the way to go. Tape it, caulk it, peel it.

BTW, to make it easier to remember

Silicon Valley is near San Francisco
Silicone Valley is near Los Angeles