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Less Expensive Decorative Ceramic Tile!

By: Catherine Pulsifer, Fri Dec 9th, 2005 10:30:52 PM

Last year we renovated our kitchen and installed a back splash behind our counters. We used small ceramic tiles (4" x 4"). The plain tiles we used were very inexpensive, less than $1.00 a piece. But, we needed a bit of color, so we ended up buying a few decorative tiles to place in between the plain tiles.

The problem with the decorative tiles was the cost!! Each tile cost $8.00 a piece!!! Needless to say, we didn't buy many of them. But, they really did make a decorative difference when placed in between the plain tiles.

I was telling a friend of mine about the cost of these decorative tiles and she told me what she had done. She has wonderful decorative tiles, but as I found out, she paid much less than I did.

She bought plain tiles. First, she cleaned the tile and gave it a base coat of water base clear varnish. (the varnish she used is J.W. etc.'s Right-Step water base clear varnish)

Once the varnish dried, she then applied acrylic paint and incorporated a design it. (if you feel you don't have any artistic talent, you could use a stencil)

Again, once the acrylic paint dried, she finished the tile by giving it two more coats of the water base clear varnish. (make sure you allow at least 12 hours drying time between coats of varnish)

In the end, her decorative tile was more beautiful than the one I had bought for $8.00. But, her tile cost under $2.00, and a bit of her time.

All you need to make decorative tiles is plain white tiles, some acrylic paint, a water base clear varnish and some imagination!!!!

About the author: Catherine Pulsifer is one of the editors of Stress Relief by a Simple Life. Find more free craft projects at Stress Relief by a Simple Life.

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