How to Customize Drink Coasters
Drink coasters are a useful item for everyday use and for entertaining. People select coasters as a way of expressing their personal tastes and to coordinate with their interior decorating preferences. Coasters can also be customized for personal use or as party favors for weddings and other special events. Using a few basic materials and simple steps, you can create customized coasters that express your interests and personal taste. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Decoupage medium
- Pictures or images cut out from magazines
- Four cork or ceramic tiles
- Small rubber dots with self-adhesive backing
- Utility knife
- Straight edge or ruler
- Fine sandpaper
- Foam brush
Instructions
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1
Select the material you want to create your drink coasters from. Choose four, 4-inch ceramic squares or larger sheets of cork at your local craft or hardware store. If choosing cork, use a utility knife and straight edge or ruler to cut the cork down to the exact size and shape you want your finished coasters to look like, such as a triangle, circle or square.
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2
Clean the surface of your cork or tile with a soft cloth. Feel the surface of the ceramic tile and smooth out any rough spots using a sheet of fine, 100-grit sandpaper, if necessary. Use a damp cloth to wipe the coaster clean of sanding. Dry the coaster completely.
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3
Choose photos or images from magazines that you want to adhere to the top of your coaster. Use the utility knife and straight edge to cut photos or images to fill the coaster's surface to within 1/4 inch of the coaster's edge. If you prefer, paint your coaster at this point, instead of using photos. Allow paint to dry completely before moving on to Step 4.
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4
Remove the photos from the coaster and use a foam brush to apply a generous layer of decoupage medium to the coaster's surface. Decoupage medium is a combined sealer and glue that can be used on paper, wood, fabric and other porous surfaces, such as cork and ceramic. Decoupage dries clear and makes a tight seal. Lay your photos or images on the coaster's surface and press them into the decoupage. Cover your finger with a tissue and use it to gently smooth away any air bubbles. Allow your coasters to dry completely.
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5
Apply another layer of decoupage glue over the top of the photograph or image-covered coaster and allow it to dry completely. Attach four self-adhesive rubber dots to the back corners of each coaster.
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References
- Photo Credit black coaster image by Sean Arenas from Fotolia.com
