Decoupaged Tile Coasters

I’m loving these new coasters I made recently. I was getting sick of the lightweight ones sticking to the bottom of my water glass because of condensation. So I made some heavy duty ones. The best part? They are fun and easy to make!

To make these coasters, you’ll need 4″ square travertine tiles, self-adhesive cork backing, paper napkins with fun patterns, Mod Podge, and Dixie Belle’s Gator Hide sealer, a sanding block, and a couple of small paint brushes or sponge brushes.

The designs on the coasters are from paper napkins, and there are a million different ways you can go with these. One cocktail napkin will make four coasters (as long as it has the design on the whole piece and not just one side). I like Etsy to source these because there are lots of shops that sell individual napkins or two or three of a pattern at a time, and you don’t have to buy dozens with the same design. Start by cutting pieces of napkin about 4.5″ square. This will give about 1/4″ overhang on all sides.

Most paper napkins are two or three ply. You’ll want to peel off the extra layers so you are left with one very thin layer with the design on it.

Use a small brush to spread Mod Podge just over the edge of the top of the tile. The design will stop here, so you want it to fold over onto the sides of the tile, but not very far. Now spread a layer of Mod Podge over the entire top of the tile.

Carefully lay the napkin over the top of the tile. Smooth out any large wrinkles with your fingers. Tiny wrinkles are okay because they will blend in over time. Be gentle when smoothing because the napkin is very thin and can rip easily. Allow it to dry completely before moving on.

You’ll use the sanding block to remove the excess napkin. I find that short, small swipes from the top tend to tear the napkin at the edge of the glued section, right where you want it.

Continue sanding until there isn’t anymore loose napkin. Once you’ve removed the excess paper, you can sand back and forth to smooth out the edges.

Cover the top and just over the sides with a thin coat of Gator Hide. Let dry completely. Repeat until you have four coats total.

Allow the tile to dry overnight before continuing.

Cut the corners of the cork backing so they are slightly rounded. Hold it up to the tile to make sure the size is right. Sometimes you need to trim the edges a tiny bit. Its better if the backing is smidge small rather than slightly too big.

Peel the backing from the cork and stick it to the back of the tile.

If your tile has any wonky spots or broken corners, cut the cork to match.

The blemishes in the tiles get filled in by the layers of sealer, and they look great in the end.

These coasters make great gifts, and you ca make sets for different seasons and holidays so you can change them out throughout the year. The possibilities are endless!