How to Make a Beachy Mosaic Arrow Sign Without Grout

Hi Kenarry readers! We’re Jennifer and Kitty, the O’Neil Sisters, from RunningWithSisters.com. We’ve got a super fun and fast project that’s perfect for summer – a Beachy Mosaic Arrow Sign! We love to make mosaics, and this sea glass and shell mosaic is particularly great for beginners because we don’t use grout!

We’ll show you what kind of adhesive to use (instead of grout!), then we’ll show how to apply the sign letters, the sea glass, and the crushed shells. It all goes together so fast, you’ll be amazed! And the result is a gorgeous mosaic arrow sign that looks like it came from an art fair!

We made a video showing exactly how to make the Beachy Mosaic Arrow Sign. Follow along while we make the sign, then use the step-by-step instructions below to make your own!

How To Make A Beachy Mosaic Arrow Sign

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Materials

Wooden arrow sign with hanger, 5″ x 27″
Wood or MDF letters spelling “BEACH,” white, 2.5″
Outdoor Mod Podge
100% Silicone, white
Sea glass
Crushed shells
Sand
Large scallop shell
Large craft sticks
Paper towels

Steps

1. Weatherproof the sign and letters with a layer of outdoor Mod Podge. Let dry.

2. To start the mosaic, squeeze out a generous amount of silicone on the center of the sign. (We recommend working on the mosaic in three stages, doing the center first, then each end.) Use a craft stick to smear the silicone onto the sign like you are frosting a cake. Make the layer about 1/8th of an inch thick. Clean up the edges with the edge of the craft stick. (The silicone will stay sticky for about fifteen minutes.)

Ordinarily to make a mosaic, you do a layer of mastic adhesive, arrange the tiles, and then add grout. For this mosaic, we are using a silicone adhesive that has enough body to act as both the bottom layer mastic and the grout. We chose white silicone, so if it shows it looks beachy. But we have enough sea glass, crushed shells, and sand to cover up all the silicone. So no grout is needed at all!

3. Press the B-E-A-C-H letters down into the silicone. Start with the “A” in the center, then build the word out from the middle.

4. Next sprinkle the sea glass all over the exposed silicone. Some will land perfectly, but you will need to reposition other pieces to fit. Make sure some sea glass is in the centers of the letters “B” and “A”.

5. The sea glass is chunky so some silicone will remain exposed. To cover this, sprinkle on the crushed shells. Make sure to get it all the way to the edges. Press the shells into the silicone.

6. Finally, sprinkle sand all over the mosaic. Press it down. At this point the mosaic will look messy. But not everything piled on the sign will stick, so don’t worry!

7. When the silicone has dried, turn the sign over and tap it to remove the extra sea glass, shells, and sand that didn’t stick. You can use a craft paintbrush to brush off the letters.

8. To decorate the point end of the arrow, layer on the silicone as before. Press the large scallop shell in the center. Then repeat the process of sprinkling on the sea glass, crushed shells, and sand. Let the silicone dry and brush off the extra sea glass, shells, and sand.

9. Finish the end of the arrow by layering on the silicone. Then adding the sea glass, crushed shells, and sand the same way you did for the rest of the Beachy Mosaic Arrow Sign. Let the silicone dry and shake off the extra sea glass, shells, and sand.

We think this Beachy Mosaic Arrow Sign turned out super cute. And the process is really fun! We hope you’ll try it. And remember while you are working on your mosaic sign, we’re here to help. If you have any questions or comments, just leave us a note in the comments and we’ll reply. We love hearing from you!

Happy Crafting,
Jennifer & Kitty

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Breezy Shell Mobile

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While you’re here, be sure to check out some of these other fun craft ideas from the O’Neil Sisters on Kenarry: Ideas for the Home. You might especially like these Broken China Mosaic Pots, this Mosaic Tile and Shell Wine Bottle or this Sea Glass Candle.

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Jennifer and Kitty O’Neil are sisters and authors of several books including Steampunk Chic: Vintage Flair From Recycled Finds. Their crafting, decorating, and flea market articles have appeared in Woman’s World, Craft Ideas, and Create and Decorate magazines and on the web sites of Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, and HGTV. Their detailed craft videos can be found on Curious.com and YouTube. The O’Neil Sisters share their enthusiasm and their fresh approach to crafting and decorating on their blog, RunningWithSisters.com.