Making Coasters – That Last!
These coasters are inexpensive, easy to make and these are made to last! Homemade coasters are a fun way to preserve family memories and they make a great gift! Please read all the way through this tutorial to learn how to preserve them.
First you’ll need a ceramic tile or coaster. Mine came from the Dollar Tree and I chose it because it already had the cork on the bottom to protect surfaces – you could put sticker felt onto the bottom of a tile from a hardware store.
You will also need to decide what your design decor will be on your coaster. You can use fabric, a photo, or create your own saying, etc. For these projects I used photo paper and printed my design. If you have an ink jet printer, seal the ink by spraying it lightly with acrylic sealer first before moving forward with the project.
Put Mod Podge on the coaster.
Put your photo or fabric on top of the coaster. Carefully center it and press it down.
Put a thin coat of Mod Podge over the top of the coaster. Let dry. Repeat a few coats to protect and seal the project – don’t forget the sides of the coaster and paper. Make sure to let your Mod Podge dry completely before moving on – at least 24 hours.
***Please do not stop here – read on… Before we move on let me explain why we don’t stop with just the Mod Podge. Mod Podge is water and glue based. If water gets on it, it will ruin the coaster. You can gently and quickly wipe it off but you cannot put it in water or it will be ruined. Hot beverages can sometimes make the layer of Mod Podge sticky again from the heat of the cup. You still must protect your coaster.
One of the most inexpensive and easy ways to preserve your coaster is to put on a few layers of clear top coat nail polish letting it dry between each coat. My coaster with the photo (top photo) is preserved with this. I can wipe it off, I have had hot beverages on it, it has had condensation from a cold glass sit on it and it’s still fine. I am not sure I would let it sit in a sink full of water for a long time though. The more layers, the better it’ll be.
The other option, a little more expensive but will last is to use Easy Cast Epoxy. You can find it online or at craft stores like Michaels. The directions are clear and easy to follow. You will need gloves, a craft stick or something to stir with, a couple disposable cups to mix in, a paint brush, and a lighter.
You will measure equal parts of both the epoxy resin and hardener. I made 9 coasters and made 2 ounces Easy Cast – I think I only really needed 1 oz.
Pour both measured resin and hardener into a cup together and mix thoroughly.
Put your coasters on wax paper for painting.
Paint on the resin mixture. Make sure to get the sides as well, and smooth out/off all the drips. I used a foam brush and was careful to smooth out the brush strokes.
After you paint all your coasters, you will see tiny air bubbles in the resin. Use a lighter to gently go over the top of the resin to “pop” the bubbles over the entire coaster. Let sit for 24 hours to harden.
They are done and strongly protected! These you can wipe them off, they are good for hot and cold drinks, and made to last. They have a nice shiny glaze to them.
Now you can make coasters that are made to last with either the Easy Cast Epoxy or Clear top coat nail polish. Kids can get in on this too. If you decide to make some, I’d love to see what you have come up with!
Find out “What Exactly Does It Mean To Repurpose Or Upcycle“, save money, and create the most amazing things.
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Check out some of my other coaster projects!
Chas, these are great! I’m assuming that’s a picture of your family. I can see making these in the future.
Thanks Linda, yep – these are my kids. I made that coaster almost 2 years ago and it’s still going strong. The other coasters I made as a gift for Hometalk and brought them with me to Hometalk Headquarters in NY when they brought me there.
Awwww what a nice thing to do. I’ll bet they loved them!
Hi,
Great easy idea, thanks for sharing.
Have a great day!
Thank you Sherrie, have a great day back at you 🙂
What another great idea Chas, so easy and useful! I love the nail polish suggestion as a cheaper alternative. Thanks for sharing with us at The Blogger’s Pit Stop. Debbie from http://www.debs-world com
Thanks Debbie, I like that option as well. I have made several that way 🙂
This is a cute project. it would be fun to make a set of these for a gift.
Thank you Michele – so true. I love making them for others, and I loved making a set for us too. Preserving those fun memories 🙂
What an important final step; thanks so much for sharing with us at the Virtual Refrigerator. These would make great Christmas presents. Pinned.
Thank you for stopping by and we definitely love these at our house 🙂
I always love seeing what you’ve been up to Chas. You are so creative and talented. The coasters are great and would make great gifts. Thank you for sharing at Party in Your PJs!
Thank you so very much Teresa, and thank you for having a great place for all of us to share ideas 🙂
Thanks for sharing on the Whisk It Wednesday link party at Carrie’s Home Cooking. Tomorrow when this week’s party starts you will be one of our featured links. I hope to see you there again. Merry Christmas! – Carrie @ Carrie’s Home Cooking
Thank you so much Carrie for the feature and having a wonderful place for all of us to share our ideas 🙂
I wish I saw this much earlier! It will be a perfect DIY gift for my mom-in-law. Thank you for sharing this over at the Healthy Living Party. We are back from our break and the party is live tonight at 5pm PST. Hope to see you there.
PS:
I will be featuring you!
Thank you so much Cristina for the feature! I’ll be there, thanks for the reminder and Happy New Year!