Idea #1: Repost it.
The tile can be laid again, and believe me, it will look good. Refresh the look of your cottage or garage. The installation process should be easier and faster than the first time, since the material has already been prepared.
Idea #2: Break it into pieces.
If the tiles are not in their original form after removal or you have several types of tiles, then it is better to turn them into small fragments. Such eclecticism will look very original.
Idea No. 3: use as a decorative element.
Patterns on tiles can be very pretty and self-contained. Use this to your advantage and turn boring pottery into a work of art.
Now let’s learn more about how you can use old tiles and bring these ideas to life.
How to use broken tiles?
Don't rush to get rid of tile shards, as they can be used in interior design. Here are a few examples of what pieces of tile can turn into:
- abstract painting;
— hot stand;
— frame for photographs, mirrors, paintings;
- tabletop;
— cutting board;
- frames for pictures or mirrors;
- mosaic on garden paths.
Get rid of sharp tile edges. You can also remove the chamfers - this will make the tiles look neater.
A tile pattern looks appropriate on a plain-colored surface. If only small pieces remain of the tiles, then frame them in abstraction and place them in a frame. If the tile is well preserved and has an interesting pattern, you can use it as an independent element of the interior. This way, a color accent will appear on a calm, flat wall.
To make a frame, use plywood as a base on which pieces of ceramic will be glued. They can be crushed and combined in various variations, regardless of shape and color. Glue all the elements well, give them time to attach to the frame - and you can use it in the interior!
Tiles and other materials
The tile looks good with plaster - these materials make beautiful crafts. Place pieces of tiles on the bottom of a split mold for plaster and fill them with mortar. Depending on the shape, you can get an original plate, animal figurines and much more. The main thing is that you don’t spend a lot of time and money on this.
Painting on tiles is now common in the Old World. So if you have artistic talent and some tiles, you can give it a try. You can create on one element or on several, subsequently arranging them into one panel.
Pieces of tiles can revive old pot for flowers or vase. Just stick a pattern on them, and boring objects will sparkle with new colors.
How to use leftover floor tiles? Use when decorating garden paths or tabletops. The latter is decorated as follows: the surface is covered with cement, on which broken ceramic elements are laid. Whether it is an ornament or a chaotic pattern - the choice is yours. After the solution has set, the uneven areas are filled with grout. A similar algorithm of actions is used when designing a path: pieces of tiles are drowned in cement and given time to dry.
Now you're armed with great ideas. How to use leftovers ceramic tiles- your choice!
How to use broken tiles or old whole ceramic tiles.
old tiles can be used in various finishing works, while saving a decent amount of money. And it doesn’t matter - a whole tile, a broken tile or together with the base - you can successfully lay old tiles.
When replacing old tiles with new ones, a lot of debris is generated, most of which are fragments of ceramic tiles and tiles with old mortar, which, apparently, was applied to an unprepared surface. Broken tiles of any size and any shape can be used in a mosaic or mosaic a part of a curved surface, or finish the floor in a bathroom, toilet, closet, garage - anywhere.
In my case, fragments of old ceramic tiles were used to finish the threshold at the entrance to the house. In one place, mosaic finishing changed the perception of asymmetry.
How to choose old ceramic tiles for installation.
We selected it according to size, color, and even came across a tile with a pattern that was aligned in the center. The edges of the threshold and its parapet were finished.
I went to finish the front side of the steps old tiles from the walls of the bathroom. It turned out to be small and it was glazed.
How to choose old tiles to reuse.
Among the piles of so-called construction waste it is necessary to select all old tile and its fragments.
For example: whole, in the amount of five pieces, beige colour- will go to four corners and one to the center of the site.
Twenty pieces of blue and the same size are located at the edges of the site. There are seven pieces of whole tile left, but of different colors and sizes. Let's lay it on the site in a pattern different places. The rest of the surface will be filled with a mosaic pattern made from fragments of broken tiles. Fantasy and imagination are a helper in this case.
How to prepare a surface for ceramic tiles.
A dense surface is prepared for the base under the tiles. In my case it was used cement mortar with unscreened coal slag of medium and coarse fractions in the ratio: part cement (M400) + six parts slag and two parts fine-grained quarry sand. The laid out mortar was compacted with a wooden tamper, starting from the place where the mortar was laid out and, especially carefully, at the corners and edges of the prepared surface. There is a vibrator - even better.
When the solution shrinks, the large fraction goes down, and a cement suspension with sand and water remains on the surface, which is convenient for smoothing and leveling the laid concrete.
How to lay old tiles.
When finishing the threshold of your house, the tiles were laid in an unconventional way, that is, not from the corner and into the corner, but from the middle to the corner. Why? The main reason was the front door, at the threshold of which I wanted to maintain symmetry and a comparison of the pattern on the tile with the dimensions of the door.
Then the tiles were laid around the perimeter of the site, with the completion of the installation at the site of the future imitation rug on the threshold.
They laid it on a hardened concrete base in small areas cement mortar with the composition: one part cement (M400) + three parts fine quarry sand. Slightly leveled and from the middle of the threshold front door We laid our old ceramic tiles. How?
Place a clean solution on top of the fresh solution according to the sides , tiles soaked in water. We leveled it and lightly tapping it with our hand, keeping it level along the horizon, drowned it in the solution until a small amount of water appeared from under the tile. The rest of the tiles were laid in a row on both sides of the first installation. Next, laying was carried out along one side of the site from the corner of the first laid row, filling the entire surface with tiles.
The horizontality of the laid tiles was controlled by a level attached to a level wooden block, length equal to the length of the diagonal of the site. The device with the level was applied to different directions by area to identify uneven areas and tiles that are not flush in level. It is necessary to correct unevenness of the tile immediately after laying it, while the solution still retains viscosity and the tile is mobile. The excess mortar squeezed out between the tiles was removed with a rubber spatula.
What to do with broken ceramic tiles.
On a large sheet of paper (you can use a poster or a calendar), glue the tile fragments with stationery glue on the front side according to the image on the paper (you can use your own drawing) in accordance with the selected color and size. Once the glue dries and everything is glued, we place the glued fragments with the paper facing up on the cement mortar. Lightly compact with a flat board, a rule, or a grater. After a few tens of minutes or when the glue binding the tile fragments has soaked, the paper can be removed, and if everything lies smoothly, then removed paper base possible before wet cleaning finished installation of the entire surface.
You can lay out a mosaic at random without a template drawn on paper, selecting tile fragments that match the pattern and type. Level control must be carried out constantly, without missing this moment.
After filling the main threshold area with tiles, we began finishing the parapet wall. Here the finishing was done in a standard way- from corner to row down and up.
Then the edges of the steps were finished.
The corners were left cement and rounded, since the edges of the tiles are sharp and the tile itself can be damaged by the metal heels of women's shoes or other objects.
During the work process, the cement mortar gets onto the front side of the tiles being laid. The tiles should be cleaned with a dry cloth when they are firmly seated and do not move during cleaning.
The seams between the tiles and the surface between the fragments laid out in a mosaic can be well rubbed down with ordinary putty for interior walls. The result is a beautiful contrasting pattern.
If the surrounding air is dry and hot, the finished surface is slightly moistened with water and hidden from direct sun rays, covering the top with a damp blanket or other material.
The next day, the entire installation is cleaned of traces of the solution, washed and rejoiced at their work.
A cement surface left without installation should be painted with diluted paint two to three weeks after all or almost all moisture has evaporated from the surface.
Here is one of the options how you can lay out broken tiles, which I used five years ago.
Each person has his own approach to decorating a home: some use stained glass, some photo wallpaper, and some gravitate towards various kinds of stencils and sculptures... But of all this, mosaics deserve more attention.
Even as a student, studying at the Faculty of Design and Architecture, I enthusiastically studied the work of the great Antonio Gaudi. It’s my dream to go to Barcelona and see his unsurpassed creations live. But absolutely anyone can create at least a small piece of furniture in his style.
Mosaic cladding- one of Gaudi’s favorite techniques. For his collages, he used fragments of dishes, ceramics, and bottles. Masterpieces were made from trash!
It was these photographs that fueled my desire to create a “piece of Barcelona” at home.
Broken ceramic tiles is an excellent material for creativity. It's great for creating decorative elements both in the country house or in the house, and in the apartment.
Broken tile mosaic
This type of work does not require any special skills, but perseverance will come in handy. And if you, like me, want to try yourself in this field for the first time, then for starters it’s better to choose something not particularly grandiose. As you gain experience, you can move on to more complex fantasy decorative elements.
1. What a magnificent frog! She is somewhat reminiscent of the famous Gaudi lizard from Park Güell
2. Original solution restoration of an old table. An interesting effect can be achieved by adding a layer of glass on top.
3. A wonderful idea for decorating a work area in a country kitchen.
4. Your breakfasts and dinners at such a table will be even tastier!
5. And I just fell in love with this table!
6. This is generally a unique job...
7. Over the decor of such small architectural forms Obviously you'll have to work hard, but the result is worth it!
8. Path made of broken tiles - great solution, if you recently had a renovation and there is a lot of spoiled or unused material left!
9. Amazing magnificence!
10. You not only want to sit on such a bench, but also take a photo!
11. There is something in this!
12. What a wonderful fragment of a snail image made from the remains of broken tiles.
13. You can create such a garden sofa if you wish. Beautiful and practical!
14. Bright and unusual solution for the facade country house or dachas.
15. Thanks to the combination of colors, they look very stylish.
16. There are simply no words... I didn’t expect such a decision!
17. A very interesting and unusual technique. Inspiring!
18. What a magnificent dragonfly. Just a sight for sore eyes!
19. Using leftover broken tiles, you can decorate almost any furniture.
20. Exclusive stands for flowerpots: definitely no one has these!
21. And you don’t have to invest a lot of money in buying expensive tiles for the kitchen. This is just a great solution kitchen apron, which does not require special costs.
22. It’s not at all difficult to create such decor, and the effect is impressive!
23. A very gentle and pleasing combination of colors.
24. An interesting idea plus your perseverance, and a real designer item is ready!
25. Painstaking, but very interesting option solutions for cladding a balcony wall.
Coziness in the house is created with the help of fancy details, chosen with taste. And better - made with your own hands with soul and immense love for creativity. I hope these ideas have inspired you to create your own home decorating solutions.
After all, it’s not at all difficult to find materials to create such masterpieces. Many hardware stores always have leftover tiles or broken ceramics, which are sold as raw materials at a low price. You can also use tiles that you have left over from renovation.
So all that remains is to get excited about a certain idea, find time for it and start doing it. Imagine and create!
If you have recently undergone renovations in your apartment, as a result of which there are “extra” leftovers, do not rush to throw them away - they may still be useful!
This is especially true for old tiles or ceramic tiles - you can lay out a whole mosaic from broken pieces, updating the interior of a house or the landscape of a summer cottage. How? Very simple!
As you know, the real ready mosaic It can be quite expensive in a store, but anyone can create it themselves.
The result is an interesting mosaic design, which will also cost much less than something bought in a store.
Where can it be used?
An old shoe table can be “turned” into a beautiful stand for indoor plants, and or window sills - into a beautiful mosaic field.
If you have a summer house, you can use old broken tiles for decoration. country paths, shower floor in a bathhouse or decorative pond!
Except horizontal surfaces mosaics are also used to decorate panels on walls - just imagine how beautiful a wall in the bathroom decorated with mosaics will look!
Photos: kitchen apron made of broken tiles
How can you get pieces of broken tiles?
Of course, if you still have broken tiles and you don’t want to waste time on additional splitting, then you can use what you have. In this case, the mosaic fragments will look more than natural.
But you want something beautiful, elegant. Then you can independently cut the tiles into fragments of a size that will be convenient for use when laying out the sketch.
The tiles can be cut with a tile cutter, or you can simply prick them with a hammer. In the first case, you will have to handle the tiles extremely carefully so as not to damage the pieces; in the second, before breaking, you should wrap the parts in a bag/rag so that small fragments do not fly away in all directions.
Master class on laying mosaics from old broken tiles
There are two ways to lay mosaics from broken tiles: in an orderly manner (according to a sketch) and chaotically (in a disorderly manner).
First way more difficult in that you will have to lay out the tiles strictly according to the intended pattern, observing not only the technique of “drawing” the patterns, but also the location of the colors. To do this, first prepare a sketch on paper, then you can transfer it to a wall/horizontal surface (countertop, floor, table, and other types of surface). And only then start laying the mosaic.
Second way simpler than the first one - pieces of broken tiles are simply laid out randomly, you can lay them out like puzzles, “adjusting” some shapes - so that some semblance of a single whole is formed.
However, in this case you still have to follow two rules:
- The mosaic should have different colors for adjacent pieces - this way the pattern will not only be bright and colorful, but also more fun and interesting. The fewer shades you use, the calmer your mosaic will be¸ and vice versa - the more different colors present in the image, the more colorful it will turn out. If some element “does not fit” into the overall picture, it can be replaced with another, using a crowbar and picking out the “puzzle”.
- The sizes of adjacent pieces should be different. Of course, you don’t need to put pieces that are completely different in size next to each other, but there should be at least some differences between them. You can take, for example, pieces not only of different sizes, but also of different shapes. In this case, the edges of the pieces should not touch each other - it is better to leave gaps (thermal seams), which then need to be thoroughly rubbed.
Advice: the amount of glue required for gluing pieces of tile is not regulated - one piece may require a thin layer, another - a thick one. Everything will depend on how smoothly the surface is prepared for laying, as well as on the thickness of the pieces themselves. Sometimes you have to apply a little more adhesive solution on a certain piece in order to equalize the height of different pieces of broken tiles - otherwise, grouting can only damage the mosaic.
Decorating a flower bed with broken tiles
Photo: finishing flower pots broken tiles
Tools and materials
- Ceramic tiles, tiles, remains of porcelain stoneware
- Tile (or construction) adhesive
- Grout for joints
- Fine-toothed spatula
- Rubber tile hammer
- A little plaster and primer
- and others Consumables– rags, paper, pencil and ruler (if you plan to lay the mosaic “with a pattern”).
Stages of work
Stage 1. Surface preparation. As mentioned above, it is advisable to bring any surface, if not ideal, then at least as smooth as possible - so that the mosaic pieces lie evenly. To do this you will have to use both and a primer. When the base for the mosaic is ready, you can apply a layer of glue on which the pieces will subsequently be laid.
Important: if you use both floor and floor mosaics wall views tiles, you should remember their different thicknesses - floor tiles thicker than the wall one, and therefore it is advisable to start installation with it, it will be a kind of height guide for the entire mosaic tiles. An additional layer of glue can be applied to pieces of wall tiles to adjust the height.
Stage 2. Laying tile pieces on the surface. If you prefer a chaotic mosaic, you can simply lay out all the pieces in disarray, leaving small gaps between them. If the mosaic involves a certain pattern, then you will have to make a sketch that needs to be transferred to the surface.
Additional lubrication of the surfaces of the tile pieces with glue is done with a notched trowel - this way the glue will be distributed more evenly over the entire gluing surface. After the pieces have been completely laid out, the surface is left for a day until the glue has completely dried and the mosaic has set to the base.
Stage 3. Final work. After the glue has completely dried, you will need to grout the tile joints. As a rule, it is advisable to select the grout in the same color as the pattern itself (however, if you choose a bright mosaic, then neutral grout is ideal - white, gray, light beige). Half an hour after applying the grout, the mosaic can be wiped with a damp cloth, removing any remaining grout material.
If the panel is laid out on the wall and has a certain pattern, then the technology for laying the mosaic is the same: preparing the surface, drawing the outline of the pattern, selecting pieces of tile by color and size, gluing each piece (in this case, it is advisable to apply glue to each piece of tile in addition to applying a layer of glue on the base of the wall), grouting the joints.
From the outside it seems that all this is quite easy and simple; in fact, laying out a mosaic of broken tiles on a wall in a certain pattern is a labor-intensive, time-consuming task, but nevertheless very exciting!