Instructions on how to make a mosaic tile tray

You need

• a wooden tray but it doesn’t have to be new
• glass mosaic tiles from a handicrafts shop or from a DIY store
• liquid glue
• grout from a handicraft shop or DIY store
• a trowel, though an old knife or some stiff cardboard will do
• and paint if you want to paint the tray on the outside

Instructions

If you use an old tray remember to sand down the surface a bit before you begin painting. Paint  the edge of the tray. 

Let the paint dry for 1 to 2 hours.

Now it’s time for the tiles.

Glue the tiles onto the tray. Make sure to leave a little gap between them.

If you don’t want to improvise, you can lay the tiles onto the tray without glue beforehand and take a photo.

If you prefer improvising, you can rearrange some of the tiles before the glue sets. After you have arranged all mosaic tiles, let the glue dry.

Now prepare the grout, following the instructions that came with it.

Spread it over the tiles and into the gaps.

The edges of the gaps have to be filled out properly. Use your fingers if necessary. Make sure you leave the grout to dry completely. Just follow the instructions.

Then use a wet sponge to remove excess grout. You need to rub pretty hard. You can use a chopstick to remove grout from the inside of the tray.

Finally polish it with a damp cloth and your tray is ready to use.

Tip:

• instead of mosaic tiles, you can also use ceramic tiles, or pieces of broken dishes. Make sure the pieces are nice and flat, so the tray is also flat.