Four Methods for Shaping Wedi Board with Tami Macala

In this Mosaic Arts Online tutorial, you will learn to make your own shaped substrates using Wedi Board. Wedi Board is a wonderful material. It is a high-density polystyrene with a cementitious mesh layer on each side. It is waterproof, so it is excellent as an exterior grade substrate. In this video we will be working with the 1/2" width, which is easy to cut. You will learn four methods to shape the Wedi Board using a typical carpenter's knife and the electric hand jigsaw. In this tutorial, you are guided through all the steps starting with cutting your first square shape, transferring a design, and then cutting a curved shape. Next there will be a section on transferring a design onto another piece of Wedi board, and instruction on using an electric hand jigsaw for cutting. In the fourth section, you will learn how to create a 3-D shape out of Wedi board. Lastly, this tutorial concludes with a lesson on how to install the proper hanging hardware. This online course includes a printable PDF with a full resource list of all the tools and materials necessary to complete the project. You will also have the option to buy the kit that goes with this tutorial through Santa Barbara School of Mosaic Art. The kit includes five pieces of Wedi board similar to those used in the tutorial. The pieces included are: a 12"x6" board to learn your straight cut, a 13"x6" to do your curved shape, an 18"x18" board to cut with the electric hand jigsaw, a 14"x6" board, and a 6"x6" board to create the 3-D shape. It also includes a roll of alkaline resistant two-inch fiberglass mesh tape and a 16-ounce tub of thin set. Click here to purchase this kit.