leftover tiles projects

DIY – how to reuse leftover tiles after remodeling

We’ve all gone through at least a major remodeling in our homes and we know what this means. Most of the time, as a result of this process, there are leftover materials such as parquet or tiles that you no longer need. If you have some spare time during the weekend, for example, we suggest you a creative exercise, like DIY projects, to reuse the leftover tiles. Here’s what you can do with them.

Make some useful objects for your home

You could make a beautiful flower pot for example. Mosaic tile leftovers (those small squares that can be of different colors) can be glued to the outside of a basic flower pot and thus you will obtain a new customized flower pot for your plants.

On a similar principle, you can use the leftover tiles to decorate the mirror in the bathroom. If the mirror is square, you can create a mosaic frame to upgrade the decor in the bathroom, especially if you didn’t use any other bold colors in this room. This is a type of project that you can do even if you don’t have any leftovers, by purchasing just a few tiles in the colors or patterns you want.

If you have a terrace or a patio, you certainly have a table or a chair that you use to place your flower pots. So, if you don’t like the way the table looks or if it’s old and it could use some work done, you can use some tiles. You can simply glue entire tiles or small pieces together on the table board to obtain a new look.

Patterned tiles can decorate a wall. How? By installing those like you would want to create a painting. If you have four tiles that make up a certain pattern, glue them on the wall and frame them. If you’re talented, you can create your own design (for white tiles) or use a pattern or stencil.

A large tray you use to serve your guests’ drinks can also obtain a new look with mosaic tiles. Choose a pattern you like and stick them on the inner surface of the tray.

For all these DIY mini-projects you will need special ceramic tile adhesive that you can find in most DIY stores.

How to apply tile on surfaces

  1. The surface you are working on must be clean and smooth. Rub the surface with a piece of glass paper. Arrange the tile pieces on the surface, trying to match them as shapes, so as to make a more appealing design. During this procedure, you can tear apart the edges of the pieces to make them fit.
  2. Prepare the adhesive. Take one piece at a time and spread the adhesive on its back, then glue it into the right place. Move the pieces in one by one, taking them out of the design and putting them on the surface you will decorate. Work from the center by going to the edges and fit the pieces a few millimeters apart to allow the space between them to settle down later on. Finally, smooth the surface with a plate to level the mosaic pieces. They will arrange themselves due to the joints left between them. Allow the adhesive to dry (in most cases it may take up to 12 or 24 hours).
  3. When the adhesive has dried, make the grout paste. Apply it on the entire surface with a rubberized spatula, without worrying about the residues that go on the tiles. Bring the paste as close as possible. Wipe off immediately with a damp cloth or a sponge the surface of the tiles without pressing. Wipe with a dry cloth, put on some rubber gloves and carefully press the grout paste between the joints to give it a smooth look. Allow for the adhesive to dry.

Quick DIY projects for leftover tiles

– Larger tiles can be reused in the kitchen, as a trivet for hot dishes.

– Tiles or pieces of all sizes can be broken into smaller pieces and reused as a mosaic. With this type of mosaic, you can decorate a table, you can frame a mirror or you can use it to decorate the front door.

– If the tiles are already broken down into smaller pieces, they can be used to create pedestrian alleys in the garden or to fill the bottoms of flower pots so that water flows gradually between them.

– Larger tiles can be used for a colored fence in the garden, if they’re stuck in the ground, using a predetermined pattern.

These tips are meant to help you if you want to do something useful and creative with your leftover tiles. If you plan a kitchen remodeling, a bathroom remodeling or any other type of remodeling project, the Good Remodeling team is here to help. Feel free to contact us for a free estimate.