Ceramic Mosaic Trivet

YOU NEED

Scrap pieces of ceramic tile
Plastic lid (a coffee can lid works well for a trivet, while potato crisp can lids or peanut container lids work well for coasters)
Tile grout
Mat or towel to cover the work surface
Heavy paper or cloth bag
Hammer
Piece of felt
Scissors
Craft glue

If you have any leftover ceramic tiles from a recent home remodeling project, you can use them to create an interesting set of trivets or coasters. All you need is scrap pieces of tile, a plastic lid, a piece of felt, and some tile grout.

Step 1: Start by breaking the tiles up into small irregularly shaped pieces. To do this, place the tiles in a strong bag, tie securely, and hit with a hammer. Be sure to wear plastic goggles or other eye protection, and only hammer the tiles on a surface that cannot be damaged. You don't want to completely crush the tiles, just break them into smaller pieces.

Step 2: Trace a circle shape onto the felt using the plastic lid as a pattern, and cut out.

Step 3: Place the plastic lid upside down on the work table. Then, using the broken tile pieces, fit them into the shape of the lid, using different colors and shapes to create an interesting pattern. You can keep rearranging the pieces until you find an arrangement that you like. If you are trying to create a matching set of coasters, you might want to do this step for all the coasters at the same time.

Step 4: Once you have a pattern you like, use craft glue to affix each tile piece to the inside of the plastic lid. Allow to dry completely.

Step 5: After the glue has dried and the tile pieces are firmly attached to the plastic lid, you can mix up the grout according to package directions. Again, following the directions on the package, spread the grout on top of the tile pieces, working it down into the spaces between the tiles. You can use a sturdy piece of cardboard for this step, or a small tile float. Try to keep the grout contained inside the plastic lid, wiping the outside edges of the lid if any grout gets on the plastic edge.

Step 6: Allow the grout to dry according to package directions. Then, using a damp sponge or rag, wipe off as instructed to reveal the surface of the tiles. Take care not to wipe so hard that you remove the grout from the cracks between the tiles.

Step 7: Again, following package instructions, let the grout dry, then wipe off any surface haze with a rag.

Step 8: When the trivet or coaster is completely dry, carefully flip it upside down and use craft glue to attach a circle of felt to the bottom. This will protect the furniture from any possible scratches when the coasters or trivet is used. The felt will also help to provide additional traction so that it doesn't slip and slide on the table or countertop surface.