Shortly after I started ChessQuest, I was asked if I would build a chess table for my local community garden, the Cranbrook Community Food Garden.
I believe in building things to last, so I figured a reinforced concrete top with tiles for the board, on a brick plinth was the best method. I did the same for the seats on a smaller scale.
During the design stage, I happened across a book on Mosaic techniques in the local library, and realised that that would be an excellent way to make the whole thing a little more decorative.
I made up some forms from some old melamine faced chipboard wardrobe doors, and sealed the corners with decorator's caulk. It's cheap, and results in a nicely rounded corner on the finished slab.
The local branch of Topps Tiles let us dig through their skip of broken tiles, and we pulled out some nice colourful ones. We then broke these up and used a tile file to even out the edges. Then we made the mosaic designs for each seat top, and carefully transferred them face down into the forms, sticking them down with water soluble PVA.
I then poured a cement slurry over the back of each design, and let it set, raking the back of the cement when it had begun to harden.
