Q&A / 

Fairy Garden Ideas

Donna Hirsch is about to build a fairy garden at her home in Worth, IL. She needs some creative ideas about how to make a patio. Let her tell you:

Hi Tim,

This is a much smaller scale than you're used to, but I know you'll know the answer.

I want to make a fairy garden patio using little tiles. Is there some kind of cement or joint filler (preferably powder) that I can use to fill in between the tiles after I get my pattern laid out and just spray water on it to get it to set?

I thought I read about something but - well, mental pause strikes again.

Thanks!!

Here's a photo of a fairy garden that Donna sent me after I asked her what she was trying to do.

Here's a photo of a fairy garden that Donna sent me after I asked her what she was trying to do.

Here's my answer for Donna:
Donna, if this is going to be outdoors in the IL climate where it gets darn cold, you're going to have to take into consideration frost heaving.
If you just make your fairy garden on soil as in the photo you sent me, Mother Nature will ravage the tiny tiles and filler that you put in between them.
If you want this work of art you're about to create to last, you need to do the same thing I'd do if I was building a big patio for you at your home in IL.
For the fairy garden, I'd like to see you pour a small concrete slab under the areas where you will have buildings and the patio. It can be 2.5 inches thick. Put some cut up metal coat hangers in the concrete to make it strong.
Use ceramic tile thinset to bond your patio tiles to the slab and fill in between the tiles with sanded grout. Make the joints about 1/8-inch.
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