Weekend Project – Tile Coaster Tutorial
May 26th, 2012
Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone! For those of you looking to get some crafting done on this long weekend, I’ve got the perfect project for you! Remember these?
I’ve been getting a TON of comments and questions on my original post recently, so I decided the Tile Coaster Tutorial needed to be revisited. Here we go!
First, gather your materials. You will need:
- 4 – 4″ x 4″ pieces of paper
- 4 – 4.25″ x 4.25″ tiles
- Mod Podge Gloss
- Rustoleum Crystal Clear Enamel
- 3″ foam brush
- 3/8″ self adhesive felt pads
NOTE: I chose these matching scrapbook papers, but you can use photos, wrapping paper, napkins – just about any paper good! Also, if you are making a several sets I recommend buying the 12″ x 12″ scrapbook paper – you can get nine squares from each page!
Using your foam brush, apply a light layer of Mod Podge to your tiles.
Place your paper in the center of the tiles, and run your finger over top to get out any bubbles. Wait fifteen minutes to allow to dry.
Apply 3 coats of Mod Podge to over top of the paper – allowing 15 minutes dry time in between each coat.
Wait at least an hour after you applied the third coat to apply the Rustoleum Crystal Clear Enamel spray. In a well ventilated area (preferably outside) apply 2 or more light coats (within minutes of each other) of the enamel spray – spraying in a steady back and forth motion, slightly overlapping each coat. Wait at least 30 minutes to fully dry.
Final step – add a felt pad to the four corners of the bottom of the tile. And you’re done!
I made these coasters for game prizes for my friend’s baby shower last weekend. They were a big hit! I had extras leftover, so if you’d like one of the sets pictured below, please visit my Etsy store!
And if you’ve made any tile coaster, please send me pics! I’d love to share them on my Facebook Page.
Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone! Tune in next week, I’ve got a new fun tutorial on how to make your own fabric labels! Until then!
I am so sorry I keep having to add new posts but this is very important. I also make my own mod podge. 1/2 elmers glue and 1/2 water mixed well. MUCH cheaper than what it costs to buy actual Mod Podge. I bought a gallon jug of Elmers Glue at Lowe’s for $12.97…Genius I must say, Love to save that money
Thanks for the updates, Lezie! I’m going to share you pic on my facebook wall now :)
thank you JOrdan. You like? I have tons of ideas, I cant wait to get started again, I am now removing all the hours of work i did last night. I have the tiles laid out on the kitchen floor (over 60 tiles) I have found that if you put mod podge on them again it loosens what is there and it comes right off.
Lezie, I don’t like, I LOVE the wedding themed coasters!! Such a great gift :)
These are so cute…Can you use fabric in place of paper?
These are designs that I have created to print off to go on the tiles. There are poems, flowers, wedding themes etc… http://lucky7crafts.blogspot.com/2012/08/tile-coaster-designs.html
This is totally off the subject of the tile coasters but this is something else that I make. I think they are awesome. Mason jar oil paintings. I just cant seem to get the word out about how cool these are.
http://lucky7crafts.blogspot.com/2012/06/just-completed-new-mason-jar-oil.html
http://lucky7crafts.blogspot.com/2012/06/dallas-cowboys-mason-jar-oil-painting.html
http://lucky7crafts.blogspot.com/2012/05/mason-jar-oil-painting-featuring.html
http://lucky7crafts.blogspot.com/2012/05/new-mason-jar-oil-paintings.html
http://lucky7crafts.blogspot.com/2012/04/here-is-my-latest-craft-adventure-i-got.html
oh the links above are to my mason jar oil paintings, they are photos in oil with a theme for each one
Janet – yes you can! Just follow the same instructions :)
Hi, I found your link on Pinterest. Thanks for the updated instructions! I love these and would like to make some for gifts. Can you tell me where to find the self adhesive felt pads?
Judy – I got them at Lowes!
Update on being able to print images from your at home printer to use on your coasters:
I was using card stock and yes the colors ran. so, I tried printing off the images using gray ink (not black) and it worked very well. the mod podge will turn them a nice bluish color and when they dry and it doesnt look like the colors have ran at all. now after doing this for awhile your foam brush will start to transfer more of the blue and you will need to change your foam brush, but if you keep adding more mod podge it stays a very very light blue.I worked a very long time creating images to use for the coasters and even though I also have a lot of scrapbook paper I wanted to try to use some of my own creations. Hope this helps!
I just started doing the ceramic tile coasters this past week and I love it. Im so glad that there are others out there to help those of us starting out. Oh and I gave the personalized sunflower coasters to the co-worker that is getting married and she loved them so much she cried-no better feeling in the world than giving a gift that comes from the heart.
Here is a link to my completed coasters. Note the Gray and white coasters of the dog, snow covered barn etc. are my images printed from my printer. I am very pleased:)
http://lucky7crafts.blogspot.com/2012/08/more-ceramic-tile-coasters.html
I made twelve of these this weekend. After 24 hours of drying time, I stacked them. My felt pads stuck to the surfaces and left ugly spots on my beautiful tiles! I don’t understand! I followed everything to a “T”! My mod podge is a little old, but should that matter?
Tracy – sometimes this happens if you apply too much mod podge in between layers. I’ve found you can avoid this by applying thin layers and using a hair dryer to expedite the drying processes in between coats. Hope that helps!
I loved this! I made 5 using pictures for my friends birthday this week. I can’t believe it is so simple and I am NOT a crafty person so they are so easy!! Thank you thank you thank you!
Sara – I would love to see pics of your tiles! If you send them to me I’ll be happy to share them on my facebook wall :) jordan@blueprintcrafts.com
I want to make these for Christmas gifts. I am wondering if you could add letters for “monogramming” using the stick on letters that are in the scrap booking section.
Michele – I bet you could! If you try it please let me know :)
Can regular Mod Podge be used when using fabric instead of paper?
Becky – I’ve not tried it, but have heard it works the same way! Best of luck :)
My sister just went to university, so I made her 4 of these to add some color to her dorm room. They’re drying right now, so I haven’t given them to her yet, but I’m hoping she likes them! This is a such a great and easy idea, I’ll probably do more in the future! After I’ve given them to my sister, I’ll upload a picture to your Facebook page. :)
Thank you for sharing your creative ideas!
These may be silly questions, but I’m wondering if these coasters are just decorative – or can they be used as a trivet for hot food items, (I’m assuming not) or for sweating glasses etc? If I use an actual photograph – will it change the way I can use them?
Sorry – I should have read the comments on your first post before asking my questions. I just found the answers to my questions. Can’t wait to make these!!
Sarah – sounds great!
Kay – glad you found the answer you were looking for!
Jordan
I have been making these like crazy and selling a lot. someone asked on an earlier post if you can add letters from scrapbooks and the answer is yes. you can also add stickers. I just got done making 12 sets for a lady for christmas gifts. What I have been doing is creating designs with lettering etc and taking the designs to walmart and making photos of the designs and putting them on the coasters. I will load a few to
your facebook page…thanks
I am interested in doing this project with pictures and noticed you said to use ones printed through Walgreens vs. a home computer. Should I use a regular picture that is kind of glossy? I’m excited to get started. Any advice is appreciated!
Lezle – I just got your photos! They are beautiful! I will share one a day for the next few days on my facebook page. Thanks for following me :)
Danielle – Yes! I recommend using a glossy picture. Only because I can guarantee it won’t bleed when you apply the Mod Podge :) Please send me pics when you’re finished so I can share them on my facebook page!! jordan@blueprintcrafts.com :)
I make a lot of these tiles using natural stone and ceramic. Instead of using the acrylic spray (which I used to use), I coat the tiles with a layer of polyurethane and they come out very shiny! Also a great protector against moisture if you use them as coasters.
Any suggestions as to where and how to sell these coasters? I have them up on several sites and was doing pretty well for awhile, but then sales took a nose dive. :o( Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Karen
Karen – have you tried doing craft shows or etsy?
Hey Jordan! I do have an Etsy shop, but I can’t seem to get people to actually look at my items. “Views” are low on that site for me. Some people get hundreds of views right off the bat … I don’t get it. I’m thinking of trying the craft show circuit again. Did it a few years back when the economy really took a dive and no one was selling much of anything. I’ll keep trying! Thanks for the suggestions!
Perhaps you could try promoting your products on Etsy? I’m not sure how much that costs, but it might be worth it to try!
These are fantastic! I have been having a lot of fun making them. I bought the Rustoleum crystal clear enamel as suggested and it worked well for the cold cup bought I tested it for the hot cup and it melted the finish. Can I fix this by spraying another coat of Rustoleum over the tile? If I give this away as gifts do I let people know they are for cold cups only… that seems kind of silly.
Ashley – you should be able to spray another coat on. Just don’t use too much. I’ve never had this problem before, so I’m not sure what to recommend!
Thank you for your quick response! I will try and see what happens. I am obsessed with these! I will email you pictures when I am all done. Thanks for the great idea. I love your site.
I am no pro at this but I have been using a clear coat polyurethane from the start, it goes much further than a can of the spray and it will definitely resist heat and water. I buy it by the quart and it lasts a really long time, I have done over a hundred tiles on the one can and it is just now about out.
Just brush it on and done
I printed pictures of my guys fav football teams onto white card stock. Unfortunately, the red bled when I applied the top coat of mod podge :(.
Beth – I don’t recommend using images printed at home, for exactly that reason. Try getting the images printed as a photo at Walmart – you won’t get any bleeding then!
do you think that you could use spray adhesive intead of mod podge? I bought spray adhesive for making wall hangings out of scrapbook paper and shelving board and it worked awesome! no bubbles, and it has never peeled!
Kylie – yes! Let me know if you use it for tile coasters!
I used the foam brush to paint the mod podge on and my finished products with rustoleum crystal clear enamel spray on it has faint lines from when I brushed the mod podge on. Did you get this with the foam brush you used? I dont know how to fix it.
Juliana – I do get faint lines. It’s just part of the project!
Jordan, I made some trivets with 6 x 6 tiles that were left over from a bathroom remodel. They look great. I was told that the acrylic spray I used is flammable and cant be used for hot items. Is this true? If so, can you recommend a sealer so these can be used for trivets? Thank you so much for your idea. I also got smaller tiles and am making magnets with my grandchildrens pictures on them.
Debbie – I used Rustoleum Acrylic spray. I’ve also heard that epoxy or polyurethane works as well!
Made 3 sets of these tonight! Normally my husband comments about wasted $ on all my “Pinterest projects,” but this time he said, “you should make more & still them!!” They turned out great! Thanks for the great tutorial :)
Rachel – that is great! Email me pics and I will share on my Facebook wall! jordan@blueprintcrafts.com
Just tried these (as I LOVE the idea) and the paper keeps bubbling/wrinkling. Suggestions?
Paige – that happens sometimes if your paper is too thin. You might also be applying too much mod podge. Try expediting the drying process by using your hair drier! Hope that helps :)