NUMBERING TILES: With large designs the tiles are numbered on the back so as to make putting the design together quick and simple. On the back of each tile there is a number and letter and they begin at the bottom left hand corner, this is because the builder always starts with this tile The first number and letter A1. The letters go up and the numbers along. Mark them before firing with a strong dark color so it is permanent.

1) MOUNTING TILES ON WOOD: A picture made up of separate tiles, must be supported from behind, with wood which should be the size of the picture plus ½ in (1 cm), this leaves ¼in (½ cm) of wood all the way round, this allows it to be framed, with wood made for framing, without overlapping and cutting into the design of the tile. Small pictures can be hung by putting hooks in the wood but for large pictures this insufficient, you must follow the instruction in section 4.

WORKING SEQUENCE

• Cut the wood to the size needed.
• Cut pieces of newspaper the right size to cover one side of the wood. Cover this side with carpenter's glue and stick on the newspaper, it does not matter of they over lap. Flattening it out as much as possible and then leave it to dry.
• Lay the wood on a table, showing the side with newspaper and put the tiles on top, placing them correctly, to allow the ¼in of wood all round. Weigh the tiles down with a heavy object, so they do not move.
• Lift up a corner tile and with carpenter's glue, cover its back and where it is going to be placed, then put it back. Do this with all the tiles until the whole design is glued down.
• Wipe and clean off all the glue from its face, lay it on a flat surface, cover it with newspaper and with some large flat objects, weigh it down and leave it to dry. The paper is use incase some of the glue is left then tiles stick to the paper and not what is weighing it down.
• Carpenter's glue is very strong, if you have to dismount a picture leave it covered with water for a long while.

Remember: The ¼in (½) cm is left when using professional picture framing materials. The following methods, when using ordinary wood, a lager space has to add.

2) FRAMING TILES WITH WOOD The following is a simple and economical way for framing tiles. The two photos show tiles framed in the same way. The first shows only one tile and the other six and they are separated by bars of wood. The wood for the back is prepared as explained before and the proportion of the wood round the tiles is the width of the frame.

Frame Cutter: If you make simple frames for your tiles, a frame cutter is needed. It is an instrument that cuts the wood at 45º in both directions; left and a right at the same time. The sizes of the wood to be cut must be the size of the tiles plus the width of the frame wood.

WORKING SEQUENCE

• Cut the wood for the back the size required, tiles plus frame and glue newspaper to it,
• Cut the corners of the frame wood, which is 1in (3cm) wide at 45º.
• Put the wood on a flat surface and lay the tiles on top. The wood is prepared with newspaper as explained
• Lay the frame round the edges to check that they all fit together correctly. Remove the tiles.
• Apply strong, quick-drying glue to the back of the wood cut for framing and on to the edge where it is going to be glued. Put it into its place, hold it until it is firmly stuck, then continue with the other sides placing them correctly.
• In the same way as shown in the second photo, add the wood that separates the tiles. When glued turn it over and hammered, through the back, into the different of the frame very short, thin nails.
• Paint or varnish the wood with the substance required and when dry, glue on the tiles as explained.

3) FRAMING TILES WITH WOOD MADE FOR FRAMING PAINTINGS There are two ways of framing a & b so the frame does not overlap the tiles and distort the design. Cut the wood the size of the design plus the width of the part of the frame that will overlap it. Glue on the tiles leaving this margin all the way round.

(a)The frame is then attached so the bottom is level with the top of the tiles and looks exactly the same as a framed painting.
(b)The frame can overlap and rest on the wood that supports the tiles.

4) HANGING PICTURES

- SMALL PICTURES:

Small pictures can be hung like a normal picture with hooks screwed into the back.

- HANGING BIG PICTURES:

If a picture has a large amount of tiles it becomes very heavy so care must be taken in the method used for hanging it up, ordinary hooks in the back is not safe enough .The following is very good.

METHOD OF FRAMING

• Cur the wood and prepare it with paper as explained.
• Calculate how many flat-hooks are needed to safely hang the picture.
• Mark the points where you want to put the flat-hooks on the side with out paper.
• For each flat-hook you need two flat-ended screws and nuts. The length of the screws is the width of the wood plus the plate and nut.
• Drill right through the wood at these points, making the holes the correct size for the screws being used.
• On the side with the paper, file down the sides of the holes to 45º, deep enough so the head of the screw is lower than the wood.
• Put in the screws, add the flat-hooks at the back, screw on the nuts and tighten them very firmly.
• Glue the tiles to the wood, the side with the paper.
• Frame the tiles. At the back, the edge of the frame that overlaps the wood should be wider than the perturbing part of the flat-hook, so the frame lays flat against the wall.
• With pliers bend the top of the flat-hooks out wards
• Insert strong hooks into the wall, where the picture is going to hang.
• The picture can be lifted and hung, just slipping the flat-hooks over the wall hooks