How to Make Miniature Roof Tiles Out of Clay
Intro: How to Make Miniature Roof Tiles Out of Clay
I've been trying to make miniature houses lately, and one of the things I love the most about miniatures is trying to make them as similar as possible to the real big ones.
For this reason, I wanted to give a realistic look to the roof of my miniature houses using these little roof tiles sold in hobby stores. The problem about them though, is that there are not many tiles in a single package and I can never know for sure how many I need...
Luckily, my problem didn't last long because I immediately had the idea of making them using clay...so why spending money when you can create your own tiles?
You can make as many as you want and, believe it or not, they are very fast to make!
For this reason, I wanted to give a realistic look to the roof of my miniature houses using these little roof tiles sold in hobby stores. The problem about them though, is that there are not many tiles in a single package and I can never know for sure how many I need...
Luckily, my problem didn't last long because I immediately had the idea of making them using clay...so why spending money when you can create your own tiles?
You can make as many as you want and, believe it or not, they are very fast to make!
STEP 1: What You Need
- I used white air-dry clay but you can use terra cotta air-dry clay instead, so you don't have to paint it later.
- rolling pin
- brown acrylic paint (if your clay is not brown already)
- paint brush
- (empty) soda can
- cutter
- scissors
- ruler
- scotch tape
STEP 2: Prepare Your Soda Can
The fastest way to make identical tiles is to use a clay cutter, just like cookie cutters.
I didn't have one (and I didn't even want to buy one) so I thought I could easily make one using a piece of soda can!
The first thing you should do is washing your can and let it dry, this way you won't find drops of soda when you cut it.
Once your can is dry, cut both the top and bottom using a cutter.
Finally, open the cylinder you obtained cutting from one side to the other and flatten the strip.
Be careful when you handle the can, the edges are sharp!
What you have now is an aluminium sheet you can work with!
I didn't have one (and I didn't even want to buy one) so I thought I could easily make one using a piece of soda can!
The first thing you should do is washing your can and let it dry, this way you won't find drops of soda when you cut it.
Once your can is dry, cut both the top and bottom using a cutter.
Finally, open the cylinder you obtained cutting from one side to the other and flatten the strip.
Be careful when you handle the can, the edges are sharp!
What you have now is an aluminium sheet you can work with!
STEP 3: Make Your Clay Cutter - Part 1
Cut a rectangle 4,8 x 2,5 cm (1.88 x 0.98 inches).
This is all the aluminium you'll need for your clay cutter, you can use the rest to make others if you want.
Now, working on the colored side of the rectangle, trace a line at about 5mm (0.19 inches) from one of the longest sides and bend the aluminium following that line.
This will be the top of your clay cutter and you won't hurt yourself while you use it this way.
This is all the aluminium you'll need for your clay cutter, you can use the rest to make others if you want.
Now, working on the colored side of the rectangle, trace a line at about 5mm (0.19 inches) from one of the longest sides and bend the aluminium following that line.
This will be the top of your clay cutter and you won't hurt yourself while you use it this way.
STEP 4: Make Your Clay Cutter - Part 2
Keep working on the colored side and divide the rectangle in 4 sections tracing the lines with a pencil.
Each section has an exact length, in this order:
As you do this you'll notice that the rectangle will start to close by itself in a perfect "roof tile" shape!
Secure the rectangle with pieces of scotch tape both on the inside and outside, joining the two ends together.
Your clay cutter is done!
Each section has an exact length, in this order:
- 8mm (0.31 inches)
- 1,5 cm (0.59 inches)
- 1 cm (0.39 inches)
- 1,5 cm (0.59 inches)
As you do this you'll notice that the rectangle will start to close by itself in a perfect "roof tile" shape!
Secure the rectangle with pieces of scotch tape both on the inside and outside, joining the two ends together.
Your clay cutter is done!
STEP 5: Cut Your Tiles
Cut a piece of clay and flatten it using a rolling pin, making it about 2mm thick (0.07 inches).
Place your clay cutter on the clay and press on it.
Do this many times to cover the whole surface of the clay and cut as many tiles as possible.
When you are done, remove the exceeding clay (you can reuse it later).
Place your clay cutter on the clay and press on it.
Do this many times to cover the whole surface of the clay and cut as many tiles as possible.
When you are done, remove the exceeding clay (you can reuse it later).
STEP 6: Give the Right Shape
Now you have to give the classic round shape to the tiles.
To do this, take something that has a thin, circular shape like a pencil or a stick and place your tiles on it, pressing a little with your fingers.
Do this to all your tiles so that they won't be flat anymore and let them dry over night.
To do this, take something that has a thin, circular shape like a pencil or a stick and place your tiles on it, pressing a little with your fingers.
Do this to all your tiles so that they won't be flat anymore and let them dry over night.
STEP 7: Paint Your Tiles!
Now, if you used clay of the color that you want for your tiles, you can skip these steps because you are done!
In case you used white clay (or different color) like I did, you can proceed in 2 different ways.
One of them is to paint your tiles one at a time with acrylic paint. The only problem about this method is that it takes quite a long time because they are so small and hard to handle...you'll end up with your fingers full of paint!
But the result will probably be more accurate this way.
Once they are dry you can finally glue them to the roof of your miniature house or use them for whatever you want.
In case you used white clay (or different color) like I did, you can proceed in 2 different ways.
One of them is to paint your tiles one at a time with acrylic paint. The only problem about this method is that it takes quite a long time because they are so small and hard to handle...you'll end up with your fingers full of paint!
But the result will probably be more accurate this way.
Once they are dry you can finally glue them to the roof of your miniature house or use them for whatever you want.
STEP 8: Glue and Paint
The other method is to glue them to the roof first, then paint them all at once.
It will be much faster and easier even though some spots will be harder to reach with the brush.
Well, it doesn't really matter what way you choose, what is important is that your miniature roof tiles are done!
Aren't they cute? :)
If you liked this instructable, I would really appreciate your vote :)
It will be much faster and easier even though some spots will be harder to reach with the brush.
Well, it doesn't really matter what way you choose, what is important is that your miniature roof tiles are done!
Aren't they cute? :)
If you liked this instructable, I would really appreciate your vote :)
49 Comments
AmyCat59 10 years ago
If you can't get terra-cotta-color clay, and since you're air-drying rather than kiln-firing, try mixing terra-cotta-color tempera paint with the clay before molding the clay into tiles. You can thus tint ALL your clay to the right terra-cotta color, and then you just have to form it into tiles. If you have the clay pre-colored, it can also be used for things like floor tiles and bricks in other parts of your miniature houses, and will match the roof-tiles (which is authentic: places with terra-cotta-tile roofs would use the same clay for other construction too).
dinyardalal 3 years ago
lindarose92 10 years ago
dinyardalal 3 years ago
НатальяМ5 4 years ago
Lethrwolf 10 years ago
Cool, though... I love miniatures. I carve would and stone into miniature cars, trains planes, animals, what ever.
LegoSurvivor 6 years ago
you spelled the word wood like would.
Lethrwolf 10 years ago
Keep craftin
Lethrwolf 10 years ago
lindarose92 10 years ago
This was the first time I made roof tiles like this so I didn't think about all that, but I really want to try to do what you said, it sounds really nice and realistic, thank you! :)
Lethrwolf 10 years ago
I put roofs on houses for almost 20 years so just something I notice,
Most people don't think of 'pans and barrels' for roof tiles unless you have put them on a roof.
But they look great and really rustic the way you have them. Buon lavoro.
You don't have to make the one end smaller, but that is how you get the old style tile roof look. I like the 'tile cutter' you made and it can easily be modified to make these tiles, also. Using your measurements, one end would be 8mm, the other end you should start at 6.5mm and see how that looks. Making them thinner would also help. If you make them this way, make them maybe .5mm, but no more than 1mm, thick, if you can.
Once you have the tile cutter made, it will be just as fast to make them as it does now.
Good luck with that and would like to see how it comes out if you do it.
And, that WOULD be "I carve WOOD and stone..."
I don't have any pics of the carvings due to a computer crash and lost them, but I do have a couple projects I could take pics of. I do mostly Leather goods, but the carvings are what I do in miniature. You can see some of my leather on my Facebook page 'One Horse Town leather company'.
I keep would like to an instructible, but don't think about it till I am reading what others do here.
Tenere lavorazione
lindarose92 10 years ago
I've just looked at your leather work and it's amazing! What you make is really, really good. I hope you post the instructions for those things soon, it would be nice to see how you make them and I'm sure that many people would love them :)
Lethrwolf 10 years ago
Since most all my projects are custom made for customers, I never seem to have the camera around when I do them.
I have thought about doing a short series on tooling leather, or maybe a small leather project. Just haven't found the right project and the camera at the same time.... hahahaa.
But, thanx again and good luck with the tiles.
Tenere lavorazione
Lethrwolf 10 years ago
lindarose92 10 years ago
ClaudiaR48 6 years ago
RozW1 8 years ago
I checked you measurements of the tiles and I think this scale is 1:24, and not 1:12.
RozW1 8 years ago
This method is great! What is your scale?
sborja 9 years ago
I'm thinking about making these as well.
Thank you for the tutorial!
lindarose92 9 years ago
Oh that would be wonderful, so much more realistic! Please post a picture of your work here if you can, I would love to see it! :)