Making a set of mosaic drink coasters is a fun and relatively easy task, which results in a lovely, customized, and highly functional addition to your home’s décor. Best of all, you can cut down on your expenses by using recycled products from around the home as your individual mosaic pieces.

The first thing that you will need for your beverage coasters is a small wooden frame to hold the mosaic pieces. This can either be purchased at a craft store, or recycled from a decorative frame found somewhere in your home. Remove the glass and backing on the frame and then nail a small matched piece of square wood to the back using tack nails. This will serve as the canvas upon which you will create your mosaic. If you like you can also sand the frame down, and stain or paint it to the color of your choice.

Next you will have to find something to use for your individual mosaic pieces. Small glass tiles can be purchased at your local arts and crafts store, but if you want to save a couple of dollars you can also use pieces of old ceramic dishes, broken tiles, pebbles and stones from the garden, or anything that is small, and will easily fit into your mosaic pattern. You also want to use all pieces of roughly the same thickness. This will make it easier for you to end up with a flat uniform surface.

You should start by laying out the mosaic pieces that you have found into the pattern that you desire, outside of the frame. Once you start gluing things down it will be hard to make corrections. If you have dishes or plastic pieces that are too large, break them up by placing them in a strong paper bag, or a pillowcase, and hitting them with a hammer until they are useable.

Once you have the initial pattern set out, it is time to get sticky. Use a trowel to scoop an even layer of tile adhesive onto the surface of the frames interior. The thicker the mosaics you are using for the coaster, the thicker the adhesive should be. Just make sure it won’t spill out over the sides of the frame when the pieces are set.

Using your initial layout as a guide carefully set the pieces into the coaster. Start with the central pattern, and then fill in background color. Be very careful, as it is difficult to move a piece once it has been placed. You should also try and get the various chips to sit at the same height in the adhesive, so that your finished product comes out even.

Allow the coaster to set overnight. The next day when the adhesive has hardened, grout the pieces over to fill in gaps between chips. Then allow the whole mixture to set for a full 24 hours. When they are finished, you will have a beautiful set of unique coasters that you designed all by yourself.