DIY Photo Coasters

Customized photo coasters have been all the rage on Pinterest lately. Not only is it trendy, but it’s also a great home improvement project that involves the whole family. Every time you set down a drink or gaze at the coffee table, you’ll be reminded of your children, partner, family pet, or memorable vacation spots. Follow the seven easy steps below to make unique photo coasters that will add a personal touch to your home that everyone will love.

Item’s You’ll Need:

1. A small, clean paint brush

2. Scissors

3. Krylon acrylic clear coat

4. White tissue paper

5. Scotch tape

4. Mod Podge (Matte or Gloss works best)

5. Felt for the backing

6. Ceramic bathroom tiles (4 x 4”)

7. A selection of photographs!

Here’s how you do it:

1. To begin, choose a selection of photos you would like to print. You can easily crop them in Word to the desired 4 x 6” measurement. These will need to be printed out on white tissue paper.

2.To print on white tissue paper, cut out a piece that is 8 x 10” and secure it, using the scotch tape, to a piece of cardstock of the same measurements.

3. One the photos are printed cut them down to 4 x 4” to fit on the tiles.

4. Brush a thin coat of Mod Podge over each tile and, while centering, place the photo on the tile.  Let it dry completely.

5. One it’s dry, paint another think coat of Mod Podge over the photo’s surface and let it dry completely. Repeat this two more times to ensure the tissue paper does not rip.

6. Once the Mod Podge is dry, seal each photo onto its tile with Krylon acrylic clear coat.  Apply three coats, making sure each coat is dry before applying Krylon again.

7. To finish your coaster, simply cut out a 4 x 4” piece of felt and apply to the back.

Helpful Tips:

• Be sure to print your photos using a color laser printer, as using an inkjet printer may cause streaks of color. Make your photos black & white for a more sophisticated look.
• Craft stores like Michael’s and Hobby Lobby will often carry adhesive-backed felt that you can use for the coaster backs.
• If you have difficulty smoothing the Mod Podge, it may help to sand the surface when it dries and add a few extra layers.
• You can pick up 9 tiles from Home Depot for around $4.

If you found this project to be inspiring and fun, please write us a post on our Facebook page sharing your experience.  We would love to see pictures of the final product.

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