DIY Concrete Coasters

After making the concrete planters I had some concrete mix left but they weren't enough to make another planter so I had to come up with an idea to use them. As soon as I saw the small flat bowl set in the kitchen I thought of making a concrete bowl but ended up making 3 concrete coasters!

You can make these coasters easily in no time, even if you're not an expert in concrete and casting.

Step 1: Materials Needed

To make concrete coasters you'll need:

1. Concrete mix or cement (and sand),
2. Mold - small flat round object,
3. Bucket for mixing the concrete or cement,
4. Rubber gloves,
5. Polythene paper,
6. Fabric paint and paint brush.

Step 2: Mixing Concrete or Cement

Measure 2 parts cement and 3 parts sand.

Mix them very well,

Pour a small amount of water into the sand and cement mixture and mix them well with the water,

Pour more water if the cement mixture is too thick. But keep in mind not to make the mixture too thin or too thick.

Step 3: Preparing the Mold

I used small flat bowls for casting but you can use any shape or object as the mold. You just have to keep in mind that the thickness of the coaster should be between 1-2 cm.

To prepare the mold you'll need the flat object (with depth between 1-2 cm) and polythene sheet,

Cut a piece of polythene sheet, double the size of the flat object,

Place it on the flat object. Using polythene sheet will make it easier to remove the dry concrete, more precisely the polythene sheet will work like a mold release.

Step 4: Filling the Mold

Carefully pour the concrete/cement mix into the mould,

Make sure to fill 1-2 cm (depth of the mold) of the flat object.

Less than 1 cm thickness might crack and more than 2 cm thickness will make the coaster too heavy.

Allow the concrete to dry overnight (for at least 24 hours).

Step 5: The Concrete Coaster

After the concrete or cement dries you can easily get it out of the mould.

The flat surface of the concrete is the bottom of the coaster,

You can use sand paper to get a smooth bottom and it'll be better if you add a layer of felt on the bottom of the coaster.

Turn the moulding upside down and remove the polythene sheet.

Step 6: Designing the Coasters

You can use fabric paint to design the coasters.

I used black, red, white and golden fabric paint and did tribal designs on them.

After painting allow the paint to dry.

There, you have a set of artistic handmade coasters ^_^