How to Make Bookends With Tiles

Tiles are useful for flooring, wall coverings or even backsplashes.

Leftover or recycled floor tiles are an economical way to create decorative bookends. Since tiles are available in many colors, textures, styles and patterns, they are useful in making bookends that coordinate with any decor. Creating tile bookends requires little time or expense and adds complementary colors and texture to your bookcase.

Things You'll Need

• Liquid dish washing detergent
• Scrub brush
• Soft towel
• Eight ceramic tiles (8 by 8 inches)
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Wire cutters
• Silk flowers
• Objects to use as embellishments (optional)

Instructions

1. Clean your tiles with a scrub brush and warm soapy water if you are recycling them from another project. Rinse them well and dry them with a soft towel.

2. Glue two tiles back to back with the hot glue gun and repeat this with the other tiles until you have four sets of two. This allows the decorative sides to show on your bookends. If the books on your shelves are thick, heavy volumes, glue three or four tiles together to create the thickness and weight you desire.

3. Attach two sets of tiles together with the hot glue gun so they form an "L" shape. Do this by standing one set of tiles up and attaching another set at a 90-degree angle with the glue gun. Hold them together until they are dry. This only takes about 20 to 30 seconds.

4. Form another "L" shape with the other two sets of tiles. Use the bookends as they are if you don't want to add embellishments.

5. Cut the blossoms off two silk flowers with wire cutters. Choose flowers that coordinate with the colors in your room. Daisies, mums, carnations and other flat flowers work well for this craft.

6. Glue the flowers on the outside of the "L" shape, either on the side standing up or the top bottom section of the tiles. Allow the glue to dry. This adds a whimsical touch to the bookends that looks attractive in a living room, den or a girl's bedroom.

Tips & Warnings

• Form shapes, such as a flower, geometric design or even your initial out of faux gems and glue them to the outside "L" shape of the bookends to give them pizazz. Other objects useful in adding a decorative touch to the bookends are a rock from a rock collection, a miniature figurine, a small vase or other small items you can glue in place. Use any size tile you desire for the bookends, although tiles that are at least 6 to 12 in. square work best.

References

• World Floor Covering Association: Ceramic Flooring Styles