DIY Hand Painted Decorative Tiles

Everyone likes to personalize their space, be it at home or work. A great way to do this is with easily created custom hand painted ceramic tiles. Useful sizes are the 4" x 4" up to the 12" x 12". I find the under 4" x 4" tiles to be too small for display, and the larger 18" x 18" too large for displaying on a plate easel. The 18" x 18" tiles would work display nicely framed and hung on the wall, or inserted as a end table or coffee table top, with a glass cover.
The best tiles I've found to use are the ones that are unglazed. If you use glazed tiles you have to roughen the glaze enough so that the primer will adhere to the surface.
The supplies you'll absolutely need are:

• Tiles, preferable unglazed
• Acrylic or oil paint. Acrylic is faster drying and easier clean up, oil may be more durable over the long term but is much slower drying. Acrylic latex indoor/outdoor paint also works.
• Clear polyurethane appropriate for the paint you've chosen. I prefer the water based over acrylic paint.
• Something to paint with, as simple as your fingers, sponges, brushes or any other creative tool you can think of.
• Work space where you can work without having to finish everything in one sitting, preferably with good ventilation.

That's it! Told you it would be simple. So what are you going to paint? That's up to you, and should be something you're comfortable with as far as skill level goes. I personally prefer to do abstract paintings, as they are personal and unique to myself. Others prefer to do floral renditions, wild life, or whatever else may take their fancy.
Remember, tiles are an inexpensive canvas on which to paint. I can purchase the unglazed ceramic tiles (12" x 12") where I live for less than $1 each. Even considering the cost of paint, brushes and polyurethane, I can have beautiful custom painted tiles for less than $5 each, and can sell them for around $30 or more each, when I wish to part with them. They also make great gifts for giving to family and friends. So what are you waiting for? Go grab some old clothes, set up a table with a plastic drop cloth, grab your paints and tile and get started!
If you need inspiration for ideas, do a search on google for "acrylic painting on tile" and then click on images at the top. If you do a lot of image browsing on google you should consider downloading and installing cooliris. I use it all the time! Oh, and best part, it's a free download.

Thank you for reading my article - I hope you found it informative and helpful. I always welcome feedback from my readers, listeners, and viewers, and you can get in touch with me by visiting my website or by Googling my name, Donald "Hawkaye" Hill.
Just like anything else, creating your own hand painted tiles isn't difficult when you know what to do, and you have the right tools to do it. For detailed information, resources and examples of custom hand painted ceramic tiles, as well as other DIY creative projects, be sure to visit http://www.YourCustomeArt.com where you will find more ways to save money and personalize your home and office every month!
Sincerely,
Donald "Hawkaye" Hill

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Limestone Tiles - How it is Useful For Us?

There are many industries like agriculture that use limestone rocks to decorate their flooring. Due to various natural properties, limestone rocks have maximum usage. Stone is also found in crushed form that is used in building material as concrete. This supplies an array of cobble stone, wall rocks, boulder outcropping rocks and supplies and a large assortment of garden stones. Mostly it is seen that a range of rocks are made up of mixture of different minerals, while in the construction of the limestone only one material i.e. Calcite is used. This rock falls under the category of soft and fragile rocks that are present in the earth. As these are sedimentary in nature there are some amount of fossils attached with these rocks.
Limestone is found under the sea or ocean. Thus, the composition of these rocks includes dead creatures and some shells. These shells generally get assembled at the bottom of the ocean. In this regard, some experts believe that some other sediment get attached to these decayed substances. After passing a long period of time, they form a cemented layer which later forms a hardcore rock due to immense pressure on these substances. When used in pure form, it is used in surface re-facing, paving, floors and counters.
There are many countries like Europe and North America where they use natural stone for architectural purposes. It is also used as base material for the roads and foundations. Scientists also use it in the laboratories for various scientific purposes like purification of glass. This stone is also useful in removing impurities from the molten form of iron. Portland cement is also produced with the help of this precious stone. In daily life, stone products are used as filler and abrasive in toothpaste. It can also be used in the production of slaked lime and quicklime.
Now-a-days limestone tiles have also become so popular that a large number of people are tending to use them as a flooring material. Having a fragile appearance, they bring a natural feel to your household and commercial projects.

Mathew Hogard is an experienced tile dealer and advisor. Him articles provide informative data on maintenance and installation of limestone tiles, Marble tiles, ceramic tiles, travertine tiles [http://www.tileslimestone.co.uk/tiles-travertine.html] etc. These tiling basics would clarify your doubts and provide an easy guide to invest your money in the right material.

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Glass Mosaic Tile Art - Important Safety Tips

When making mosaics, your safety is of paramount importance. You must understand, observe, and apply common-sense safety practices when working with mosaics. It's just good common sense to apply safety practices when working with sharp glass, caustic grout, finishing materials, and various glass cutting tools. Never take shortcuts when safety is a concern. The following are some basic--but important-- safety tips you should follow when making mosaics.
Wear eye protection when cutting or breaking materials for your tesserae, especially when working with glass. Tiny shards can fly in multiple directions when cutting. They can also bounce off nearby objects and fly into your eyes. Eye protection is especially necessary when prying up tesserae to correct mistakes. If the adhesive has cured, the tesserae material sometimes shatters instead of coming up clean when prying it away from the base material. When it shatters, lots of tiny shards fly everywhere. If you wear vision glasses, putting on a pair of goggles or protective glasses over them can be an annoyance, but don't skimp on safety. Find a type of eye protection (i.e., goggles or safety glasses) that fit over your vision glasses and feel comfortable. Once you get used to them, they'll no longer be a nuisance and your eyes will love you for taking safety seriously.
When using adhesives that emit harmful fumes (e.g., solvent-based adhesives), always work in a well-ventilated area. Don't sit cooped up in your work space with an open container of solvent-based adhesive. Open a window and use a fan, or better yet, do your adhering in an outdoor environment, such as an open and ventilated garage or porch. Read and heed all safety warnings on the product label.
Wear a protective mask when mixing grout. This is just as important as wearing eye protection. Don't ignore it! Grout is a cement product. Cement hardens without air and in wet environments. If you breathe in grout particles (i.e., the dust that clouds up when you pour dry grout from the bag into your mixing container), those particles will harden in your lungs. Not good! Protect yourself by wearing a dust mask. They're cheap and you can get them at any thrift or home improvement store. A 5-pack of white dust masks costs about two bucks, and a single mask can be used many times before clogging. Two bucks is a small price to pay to protect your lungs.
Wear protective gloves when working with grout. Cheap rubber or plastic gloves are adequate. Grout is mildly caustic and can cause skin irritations. A box of 200 of the plastic gloves typically used by food handlers costs about five bucks at the local bulk superstore.
Don't allow children or pets access to tesserae pieces, which can be cutting or choking hazards. Teach children and train pets to stay away when you're working your mosaic magic. If your child is creating the mosaic, always provide close supervision and don't leave them alone for a second.
When handling cut tesserae, especially glass, be careful not to cut yourself on the sharp edges or pointy points.
Follow proper safety precautions when making mosaics. Don't dismiss the importance of never taking shortcuts with your safety.

Bill Enslen has created lovely glass mosaic art and mosaic table art for 30 years. While browsing his gallery, you may think, "I wish I could do that." Well, you can! It's easy, fun, and you don't even have to be artsy. Have you ever read a mosaic book or website and thought, "Okay, so now what?" or "How am I supposed to do that?" or "What does that mean?" You're not alone. To solve this dilemma, Bill wrote a new ebook, Mosaic Pieces: Essentials for Beginner and Professional Mosaic Artists. It gives you step-by-step details for creating your own mosaic masterpieces. It's jam-packed with color photographs and illustrations that make the process extremely easy to understand. Let him show you just how easy it is to make mosaic art. With Bill's help, you can do it. Yes, you can!

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Shower Tile Cleaning Tips and Solutions

Shower areas are very different to clean than other areas of the home because most are wet or damp a majority of the time. The market is full of shower tile cleaning products including do it yourself sprays, automatic sprayers, and even steam machines. There are many ways in which to clean the shower area but you can greatly decrease how often you have to clean your shower by simply keeping it dry. Keep a squeegee near the shower are so you can squeegee the water down to the drain after each use. Using a squeegee will also reduce the appearance of water drop stains on your tiling. It only takes a few seconds to squeegee an entire shower area and it can easily reduce the amount of time you spend cleaning your shower area each month by at least half.
When you do have to clean your shower, you can opt to use regular household tile and grout cleaning products like Mr. Clean, Tilex, and even bleach based products. You should however, never use abrasive products and brushes to clean your shower tiling because they could cause damage to your tiles and grout. If you are having trouble keeping your grout clean, try using a toothbrush to clean it with a baking soda paste or with a bleach product. Baking soda paste consists of a little bit of baking soda mixed with water. The paste works well for white grout and stubborn stains on tile. If all else fails, the market is full of stronger or commercial strength cleansing products which are intended for tough cleaning jobs. If you do choose to use a commercial grade product, make sure you follow the packaging instructions fully because many require that you use protective gloves, mask, and even glasses in order to apply safely.
Today's market is also full of steam machines which also work well with cleaning tough tile stains and grimy grout. The machines tend to be pricey but they are very effective and worth investing in if you find yourself constantly cleaning showers, tubs, countertops, and even floors. A small steam machine can greatly reduce the amount of time and labor it takes to accomplish even the largest or dirtiest shower tile cleaning project. Larger machines are great for periodic or big cleaning projects. You don't have to purchase one of these big machines because many cleaning equipment rental companies offer reasonable rental rates. Check the yellow pages in your local area to find cleaning equipment rental companies near you.

To learn more, please browse these additional recommended resources on tile cleaning products including grout cleaning tips.
Copyright 2009 Dessie Campbell. All Rights Reserved.
Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.

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Types of Cheap Tiles

Are You confused in design of the floor? Here are tips for selection of tiles. As we know tile is the most suitable material for the floor of the house for some reason.
Did you know that tile has been used since Roman times, and until now because of the reasonable price, many choices in the market, making the tiles as a choice of all. As we know that the ceramic is a material that can be durable, easily cleaned and treated. Ceramic tiles are available in many sizes, textures, shapes, the color is easy to match.
In addition, they are very easy to install, where almost every home builders can do it neatly.
Types of Cheap Tiles:
Ceramic. Generally, there are ceramic tiles which are sold in Glazed, mosaic, Quarry and porcelain.
Glazed Tiles. There are several types of surface that is glossy, matte, and anti-slip. Glazed are glossy is not suitable for bathrooms and kitchens because it will become slippery when there is wet.
Mosaic. Available in a variety of materials and finishing, from glass to ceramics, and is also available in various patterns and images with vivid colors.
Quarry. These are a made of a mixture of clay and are usually have natural color: gray, red, brown. The color comes from clay and color depending on the temperature of combustion. These are not suitable for kitchen.
Porcelain. It has a stronger hold when compared with other tiles because the burning process at high temperature, cell density in the tile is also very good. Suitable for frequently traveled places.

Denny really loves his home and family and lives life to the full and has been writing about his knowledge and experience. Feel free to see some of his material at Types of Cheap tiles and Cheap Tile.

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Kitchen Backsplash Tile - Give Your Kitchen a Complete Makeover

If you are the one who cooks at home then you know just how important the kitchen backsplash is. Cooking delicacies in the kitchen can be a lot of fun if you have a beautiful and well-equipped kitchen. While cooking delicacies for family and friends one little problem that everyone who works in the kitchen faces is the cleaning up. Splashing while cooking and ingredients spilled at times can really make the kitchen messy. The backsplash tile is the ideal pick for a clean and neat kitchen that is easy to maintain. The kitchen backsplash is both cost effective and makes maintenance quick and easy.
Cleaning up can take a long time if the kitchen is not designed accordingly. With backsplash tile on the wall just wiping them with a wet wipe or cloth can bring back the new clean look. Cooking can be fun however, if you have a kitchen that makes life easy for you, it would be easy cooking yummy food for the family and you still don't have to toil in the kitchen the whole day long.
The kitchen needs to look good, organized and neat all the time. This is important from the view of working in the kitchen and also the hygiene aspect. Cooking delicious dishes requires a neat and clean kitchen. The kitchen tile can make cleaning very easy and add a bright new look to the place.
With a variety of kitchen backsplash tile available in the market today, finding one that suits your specific needs and preferences would be easy. The backsplash tile can be chosen to match the rest of the décor in the kitchen. You could decide to match the flooring and the kitchen backsplash tile or even match them to the wall color. Some of the popular backsplash tile includes materials like marble, granite, glass, porcelain and even mosaic. With a little creativity, a mix and match can be done to give spectacular effects with the kitchen backsplash. You could decide to have plain kitchen backsplash tile. These tiles are easy to fix and the kitchen is ready for work in a short while all new and nice. However, putting on your thinking caps can means a little more effort but a fabulous kitchen where you would love to spend your time.
Adding a personalized touch to the kitchen backsplash is possible and that too without adding to the cost aspect. A beautiful design of your choice can add a personalized touch to the kitchen. This can be achieved by combining tiles of different colors or having a mosaic artwork. There is so much possible with the kitchen backsplash tile. Give your kitchen a complete makeover!!

Find out more useful information on http://www.kitchenbacksplashtile.org/

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Subway Tile Backsplash - The Time Tested Choice to a Beautiful Kitchen Backsplash

If you are looking for a beautiful, smart and cost effective choice to create a kitchen backsplash then the subway tile backsplash is a good choice. The subway tile is one that is a time tested formula and has proved time and again that it is a wonderful choice for your kitchen renovation plans. It has been a popular choice as it combines beauty with functionality and is a solution that provides real value for money.
The kitchen backsplash is of utmost important if you wish to keep your kitchen sparkling and also have a bright and beautiful kitchen that inspires you to dish out those delicacies. The kitchen backsplash tile must be one that is easy to lay and also reduces the maintenance required. With low maintenance being an important characteristic feature of the subway kitchen backsplash tile, it is one that is popular with a number of people. To create the subway effect make sure that the tiles are cut perfectly. With so many designs, colors and styles to choose from the wide range of subway backsplash you can now have the kitchen you dreamt of without exceeding your budget.
When it comes to renovating the kitchen, all you wish to do must first be laid down in detail on paper. With the plans in place on paper, make a beginning to procure the required material. Make sure to take the measurements correctly as this would determine the number of tiles and other materials that you would need. Buy the tiles with some extra that would cater for breakage or loss. With all the cutting done it is time to fix the tiles. Subway tiles are available in glass, ceramic and other material to suit every need and preference.
For the laying of the subway tile backsplash it is important to prepare the area well and mark out the spaces clearly so that you get the desired effects with minimum effort. Give the tiles enough time to set after the fixing is done. It is best to have some patience and not try to hurry up the process. A little patience can ensure that your subway tile backsplash turns out into a beautiful and useful piece of work. The kitchen backsplash is one that defines a kitchen space and makes it look bright, swanky and stylish. With just a little effort and some creativity you can turn your kitchen into a space that provides you the right ambience to work and enjoy your time.

Find out more useful information on http://www.kitchenbacksplashtile.org/

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