Tips for Creating a Mosaic Coaster Set

Coasters are a great way to show off your mosaic skills and beautify your home. Coaster are very functional as well and combining beauty and functionality is a win-win.

Our Skeewbacker Coaster sets contain four mosaic backers and four 3" cork pads. Pick a variety of designs and make for your home and give as gifts. No more water rings on your furniture or drops from your favorite drinks sitting on your tables. Your drinks will look fabulous on your one-of-a-kind coaster set you make.

The cork pads help to prevent scratches on your table and keep your drinks from sliding on slick table surfaces.

Here are some tips for making your coasters.

1) Make your designs simple. It's fun to have a theme such as "beach" so you can create a starfish or sea shell or whatever you want. You can make them all the same or each one different. Just use your imagination.

2) Draw your design onto each one with a pencil - this is helpful.

3) Use smaller tiles on these small size backers for a good fit. NippinGlass works great for this. Just use your nippers and cut each NippinSquare into 4 smaller squares and you have the perfect size! Check them out.

4) Creating a border around the front first will help keep the grout from being chipped during use.

5) Be sure to use a waterproof adhesive - thinset is a good one. Glasses sweat, so moisture will drip down onto the coaster.

6) Treatment options for edges:

     a) you can paint the edges and back with paints that do not contain solvents of any kind as they may warp the board due to the foam core center. Preferably use acrylic paints.

     b) you can thinset the edges and then if you wish, also paint over the edges and the back for a nice finished look.

     c) you can also spread grout on the edges and then also paint over the edges and the back for a nice finished look.

7) After everything is dry (glues, grout, and paints), glue the cork pads to the back with weld bond glue.

8) Use a penetrating grout sealer and seal the top of the coaster after the grout has cured - usually 24 hours later. Sealing will help reduce staining from spills (for our wine lovers).

9) Hand wash only with mild soaps if needed.

Are you inspired? If you want to make your own coasters, here are the sets. Have fun and give some for gifts, too!