Thursday, April 24, 2008
When you were a kid, your mom probably had to remind you to use a coaster. But are you using them now? If not, here’s a simple yet creative way to make your own.
Find these supplies at Michaels, 3106 Iowa St., or Hobby Lobby, 1801 W. 23rd St.:
Make your own mosaic coasters
• Plastic coaster mold
• Cork coasters, set of four
• Glue
• Sanded or unsanded grout, depending on the shape of your tiles
• Tiles, stones or broken china
Complete kits are also available, but it can be fun to pick your own stones and tiles. For a more interesting coaster, look for old plates or saucers that you can break in pieces to use in your mosaic. Antique or thrift stores have plenty of old dishes.
Place a cork coaster in the mold. Put newspaper underneath the mold to avoid accidents.
Plan the pattern for your coasters by setting out the tiles on your first coaster. Think about what tiles you want to use for the other coasters.
Glue the tiles to the coaster.
Once the glue is dry, it’s time to add the grout. If your grout lines will be larger than 1/8 inch, you’ll want to use sanded grout. Otherwise, unsanded grout will work. Mix the grout according to the directions on the package. Mix enough grout for only one coaster at a time.
Smush the grout into the spaces between your tiles. I found it easiest to use my fingers, despite the messiness.
Wipe the excess grout off the top of your coaster using a damp sponge. Don’t worry about the thin film that will remain.
Let one coaster dry for a couple hours, then take it out of the mold. Now you can grout the next coaster. Continue in this manner until all of your coasters are grouted. I found it easiest to use a cookie sheet covered in tin foil as a drying rack.
Once your coasters have dried completely, use a wet paper towel or sponge to wipe off the thin film of grout.
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