Making A Tile Table Top For Outdoors

Using a 3 16 trowel spread mastic on the table working in small sections to prevent drying and begin arranging tiles image 1.

Making a tile table top for outdoors.

The playful tile treatment atop this diy patio table turns the humble garden accent into a bespoke treasure. Be sure to apply a little pressure to set the tiles. Determine the size of your tabletop. Get your wood and steel at a home center and look for interesting tile at a local tile supplier.

If the table top is made of wood you ll want to make sure that you have a smooth surface to place your mosaic tiles. The lightweight frame of the table comes together with pine boards held up by four. Plus you can customize the top with your choice of any pattern and colors of tile. If a 2 piece is more readily available that is fine allow the excess to project below the bottom of the table top.

To make it easier try to create a pattern that requires no tile cutting. I tiled my patio in 2011 and i absolutely hated the entire experience. For example if your tile is 3 8 thick and your table is 1 5 thick you would need a strip 1 7 8 wide. Tile top patio table overview.

First large clay tiles tend to warp see this post for tips on making flat tile which leads to an uneven top so keep individual pieces small less than eight inches on a tile s longest dimension. Use a pencil to mark out your design. Sand the table top. Tile a table top.

Second the tiles fit together like a puzzle but an excess of undulations causes trouble. Use a hand or belt sander to sand down any rough edges or bulges in the wood. This tiled table is simple to make but it s engineered to hold up in any weather. In the end it came out pretty good but bent over in the georgia sun mixing mortar and cutting tile wasn t very fun.

You can build this table with simple tools and basic skills. Ask to see a porcelain or stone tile or a combination that ll withstand harsh weather conditions. All the materials are available at home centers and you can build this table with simple tools and basic skills. I will probably never do a project like that again.

Use tile nippers to trim tiles to fit as needed image 2.