Painting on Tumbled Tile

Stone tiles, often made from marble or travertine, are tumbled in a machine that abrades the surfaces to create a rustic look with a rough finish. Craftspeople use tumbled tiles for rubber stamping and photo transfers. Tiles can also be hand-painted and used as coasters or made into a backsplash or wall mosaic. The porous nature of marble and travertine encourages absorption of the paint, which may result in a softening of detail and color that many tile artists find appealing.

Things You'll Need

• Dry cloth
• Acrylic gel medium (optional)
• Paintbrushes
• Paint
• Acrylic polyurethane sealer, matte or glossy

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Rinse the tile with water to rid it of the powder coating left from the tumbling process. Wipe the tile with a cloth. Let the tile sit overnight to dry thoroughly

   • 2

     Coat the surface of the tile with an acrylic matte gel medium if you prefer to seal the tile so that it absorbs less paint.

   • 3

     Paint your design on the tile. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly.

   • 4

     Apply an acrylic polyurethane sealer to the tile with a paintbrush. Allow it to dry. Add two more coats, letting the tile dry after each application.