Bathroom tiles

Hello friends. I have lots of bathroom tiles. Some of them are still in the original package. I have no use for them but I'd like to do something with them. I loath Craigslist, plus I'd rather do something productive with them. I'm just drawing a blank. Any thoughts?

Scott Stiller wrote:Hello friends. I have lots of bathroom tiles. Some of them are still in the original package. I have no use for them but I'd like to do something with them. I loath Craigslist, plus I'd rather do something productive with them. I'm just drawing a blank. Any thoughts?

Break them and make mosaics. Use them as heat-proof coasters. Save a few to replace broken tiles in the bathroom. Use them as cleanable paint or epoxy glue mixing palettes. Tile an outdoor table top or any other thing that could use a facelift. Add color and decoration between concrete pavers on a patio. Use a Sharpie or paint pen on them to mark vegetable rows in the garden. There are so many ways to use these... put on your thinking cap and brainstorm.

Almost forgot... use them as soldering "pads".

Pretty interesting set of suggestions Deb. Thank you.

You're welcome! Hey, I just had another great idea -- well, to me anyway, because I love to dry flowers. If the tiles are large enough (at least 4-in x 4-in), you could make a nice pressing set for plants out of them. Just cut pieces of thick paper the same size as the tiles and arrange flowers or leaves on those between the finished sides of the tiles. Stack the paired tiles on top of one another and secure the whole stack with a buckled or velcro strap. Beats sticking flowers in books to flatten and dry. That can leave stains and is a real mess when you forget they are there and open the book.

Oh, I just had another idea. If you have anyplace where you have stairs -- especially outdoor concrete stairs -- you could face the risers with tiles as a pretty decorative accent. Also, you could mortar 5 of them together to make an open box for potted plants, pencils, note pads, etc. (Even mortar large tiles, like 12-in x 12-in, together directly on the ends of concrete steps to create built-in planters for flowers.)

Or for something really wild, stencil patterns on them and make a giant Mahjong set for playing outside.

Isn't coming up with ideas fun?!

Deb, you have such great ideas!

I really like the tiled planter idea, maybe it should be tile on the outside of a wooden or other planter, so it's nice and sturdy; or used as edging for a raised bed. How about decorative tiled stepping stones in the garden, or maybe even tiled roofing on a shed, chicken coop, or other small outbuilding? Certainly a tiled coop (floor and/or walls) would be super simple to disinfect, especially where mites or other parasites are concerned. If the tiles are shiny perhaps they could be placed strategically to reflect more sunlight onto a fruiting plant or tree, to ripen quicker/earlier.

Galadriel Freden wrote:Deb, you have such great ideas!

I really like the tiled planter idea, maybe it should be tile on the outside of a wooden or other planter, so it's nice and sturdy; or used as edging for a raised bed. How about decorative tiled stepping stones in the garden, or maybe even tiled roofing on a shed, chicken coop, or other small outbuilding? Certainly a tiled coop (floor and/or walls) would be super simple to disinfect, especially where mites or other parasites are concerned. If the tiles are shiny perhaps they could be placed strategically to reflect more sunlight onto a fruiting plant or tree, to ripen quicker/earlier.

Galadriel, I have a very dingy chicken coop that has me wondering how many old tiles I can scrounge... great idea! (By the way, were your parents Tolkien fans? I LOVE your name -- one of my absolute favorites from the "Lord of the Rings".)

Deb, if you tile your chicken house, please do post photos! Now I'm picturing a chicken-y mosaic on the outside of our rather run-down coop, with big red hens and sunflowers on a green and blue background

Yes, my dad's favorite book is LOTR. He's really hard-core--he absolutely hated the Peter Jackson trilogy (I liked them)!