- 1). Thoroughly clean the countertop using warm soapy water. If there is a greasy or oily residue, go over the countertop with alcohol to remove it.
- 2). Prepare the bottles. Make sure that they are clean and dry. Wrap them in an old towel. Put on your safety glasses and gloves, and use a hammer to smash the glass into chunks. You can snip the glass into smaller pieces with your leps (a two-wheeled mosaic cutter) if desired.
- 3). Make a sketch or plan for your design. Some people may be able to design free form, but you will probably be happier with your final result if you do some planning beforehand.
- 4). Mix the thinset mortar according to the package instructions, and apply it to a small area of the countertop near the middle.
- 5). Arrange pieces of glass in your desired pattern on the thinset. Fill the underside of convex glass pieces with thinset before pressing the pieces onto the countertop. Just remember that if you use chunks of curved glass that the surface of your counter won't be even and smooth.
- 6). Continue working in sections from the middle outward until the countertop is covered. When you get to the edges, you can use your leps to make pieces that will fit against the edge.
- 7). Let the thinset mortar dry for 24 hours, or according to the thinset instructions.
- 8). Mix up a batch of grout according to the instructions on the package, and use a trowel to fill in all the spaces between the glass pieces. Make certain that all the sharp edges of the glass pieces are completely covered with grout.
- 9). Wipe the excess grout off of the glass with a slightly damp sponge when the grout is almost dry but still soft. You don't need much water, and you do not want to get the grout wet.
- 10
Wait for the grout to dry completely, which could be overnight or up to 48 hours. Check the grout packaging for directions. - 11
Apply a layer of grout sealer, and let it dry. For a countertop that sees heavy use, apply up to three coats of sealer, letting it dry completely between coats.
Source...