Lifting the paper from the mosaic mermaid

Once the adhesive has set completely, it's time to remove the paper that the mosaic tiles were originally stuck to. To do this, soak the paper using a sponge and some water. Let the water soak right into the paper to dissolve the wallpaper paste.

When this glue has loosened, you can peel back the paper and lift it away. As the picture shows, this reveals the mermaid with the smooth sides of the tiles uppermost.

At this stage I discovered that some of the tiles had not stuck down properly. I mixed up some more of the adhesive used to stick the mosaic sections to the board. I used this to stick any loose tiles directly on to the wood. Of course, this meant allowing some extra time for the new adhesive to set.

When all the paper has been lifted away, the mosaic is ready for grouting.