China Mosaic
A terrace finish of broken glazed ceramic tile pieces set in waterproofed cement mortar, laid glazed face up.
On an actual building
Its reflective white surface measurably reduces heat gain into the slab, which matters directly to the comfort of the top-floor flat below. It also protects the waterproofing beneath from UV and foot traffic.
What we most often have to correct
That it waterproofs a terrace. It is a protective finish; the joints between pieces are not a barrier and the layer beneath does the work.
Where this comes up in our work
Terms that come up alongside this one
- Brick Bat Coba
A traditional Indian terrace treatment of broken brick pieces bedded in waterproofed cement mortar, laid to a fall and finished with china mosaic or IPS.
- Shahabad Ladi
Dense natural limestone slabs quarried near Shahabad in Karnataka, traditionally used across western India as a terrace and flooring surface..
- IPS (Indian Patent Stone)
A cement-concrete topping laid and floated to a hard monolithic surface, typically 25 to 50 mm thick, used as a screed or wearing course..
China Mosaic — questions we get asked
What does china mosaic mean in waterproofing?
A terrace finish of broken glazed ceramic tile pieces set in waterproofed cement mortar, laid glazed face up.
Why does china mosaic matter on a real project?
Its reflective white surface measurably reduces heat gain into the slab, which matters directly to the comfort of the top-floor flat below. It also protects the waterproofing beneath from UV and foot traffic.
What do people commonly get wrong about china mosaic?
That it waterproofs a terrace. It is a protective finish; the joints between pieces are not a barrier and the layer beneath does the work.
Have a building showing this?
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