DIY Coasters

What You Need:

• Reclaimed tile or wood squares
• Washi tape, various widths, colors, and designs
• Scissors
• Water-resistant or waterproof lacquer, glue, sealant, varnish, or an epoxy resin
• Paintbrush

What You Do:

1. Help your child choose some reclaimed tiles or wood squares (available at hardware stores, craft stores, or recycled from your own home projects).
2. Provide your child with washi tape in various widths, colors, and designs. Washi tape can be purchased at craft stores and is a printed, colorful masking tape frequently used in crafts. Washi tape can be peeled and repositioned more easily than other kinds of tapes or stickers.
3. Your child can plan a design for the coasters, considering the colors, widths, and designs she has on her washi tape. She may want to do stripes with alternating colors or sizes, or place tapes across the square diagonally. She can use scissors to cut the tapes at appropriate points.
4. She will probably want to cut a little extra tape to wrap around the underside of each coaster, so that ends won’t show on top and to help the tape stay in place.
5. When she has finished her coaster design, help her mix and/or pour a waterproof or water-resistant lacquer, glue, sealant, varnish, or an epoxy resin. She can use a paintbrush to lightly brush the sealant over her design. Let the coasters dry overnight. The sealant will provide a waterproof coating so that drinks left on coasters won’t wet the tape. Give the coasters time to dry.
6. After drying, you can safely use the coasters. When it comes time to clean the coasters after a few uses, make sure to wipe them gently by hand: Even after waterproofing them, the tape can be delicate.
7. Make more coasters and enjoy using them around the house, or give them as handmade gifts!