Shabby Chic Tile Coffee Table – An Easy DIY Project
To make this mosaic Shabby Chic Tile Coffee Table you will need to spread it out over a couple days, so working over the weekend will probably work best. While you won’t be working on the craft project all day long, you do need to allow for time for materials to dry.
Be sure to buy your glass table top first and built your shabby chic tile coffee table to fit it. This will save you a lot of time and money!
To Make a Shabby Chic Tile Coffee Table You Will Need:
4 sheets of plywood or MDF cut to the same size
8 L brackets
Grout
Tile Adhesive
Tile, mirror, old plates
Primer
Paint
Paint brushes
The first step is to measure your piece of glass table top. Everyone will have a different size, so I can only give you tips on how to know how large to make your Shabby Chic Tile Coffee Table.
Make it slightly smaller than the glass table top. Now, measure how wide the table top is. If you have a circle table top, then mark out a square on it with painter’s tape. Measure this to get the dimensions for your tile table base.
Have your 4 pieces of MDF cut to size. A good height for a coffee table is 2.5 feet tall. You can make the square to fit your table top.
Now, the first step is to primer the front and back of your sheet of MDF or plywood. Let this dry, and then paint on a coat of paint in any color you wish.
The front of the Shabby Chic Tile Coffee Table will be covered in tile, but the back (or inside) will be visible. You will want to paint this side of each piece.
Now, lay all four pieces out on a flat work surface on their back.
Now, use a pencil to draw out your pattern. I personally like to start by tracing out a two inch border around the table. Make sure these lines up on all four pieces.
Now, if you are intimidated by creating a design in the middle of your mosaic Shabby Chic Tile Coffee Table then you can rely on other sources. You can lay out stencils and trace them. You can also blow up designs and almost any image and trace them onto the coffee table pieces.
Once you have your pattern established you need to start working on your tiles. You have quite a few options for creating the mosaic tiles on your Shabby Chic Tile Coffee Table.
You can buy pre made tiles at the local home improvement store and break them yourself into smaller pieces. Old china and plates can also be broken into small tiles. I find great pre made and pre cut square mosaic tiles at the arts and craft store all of the time. These are pricey though.
Buy some glass snips so you can shape your own tiles if you want. They are sold at home improvement stores, art supply stores, and arts and craft stores.
Now, to start applying your mosaic tiles I recommend working in sections. This means, add some glue to the back of your individual tile and then place it in the correct location on the 4 pieces of MDF. If you slip on glue and then try to tile, then you will not be able to see your design on the coffee table.
Now, once the mosaic tile pieces have dried in place on the coffee table you can grout. Be sure to read how long your specific tile adhesive needs to fry before you grout.
You can use pre made grout or mix your own to save money.
Use a trowel to apply the grout liberally over each screen. Let it dry to a haze, then wipe a way with a sponge until clean and clear.
Now, once the grout has dried on your mosaic tiles flip the four coffee table pieces over and lay them face down.
Install an L bracket to hold the four pieces together in a square. Install an L bracket at the top and bottom of each corner. The mosaics should be on the outside.
You are finished. Stand the Shabby Chic Tile Coffee Table up and place your piece of round or square beveled glass on top.
