DIY Mosaic Table Top

This is probably the longest craft project I’ve ever had in the works. You see, it all started about five years ago when I was living in an apartment complex of…ahem…lower standards…

Many people at this apartment complex would move out in a hurry, and instead of disposing of their furniture properly, they’d just leave it all by the dumpster. So that’s how I got a dining room table, some chairs, and this table. Of course, at the time the table had a dark brown wood finish. The wood was chipped and peeling in several places, but I, my friends… I saw potential in it.

I really wish I had pictures of the original table, but like I said, I first started on this project about five years ago, which was also about two cameras and one computer ago. Who knows where those pictures of the original table have gone? Up to digital heaven, I imagine.

Anyway, I stripped the top layer of the table, sanded the bejeezus out of it, and then painted it black. And then, it sat. And sat. And sat some more. I moved to another apartment. Then I moved to a condo. Then to a house. Then back to an apartment. All the while, the black table moved with me. The whole time I had been planning to do a mosaic-type tile effect on the top, but I was scared. I knew once I started gluing it all had to be done at once. And the margin of error was very slim.

Well, I’m happy to say that since I’ve started this blog, I’ve gotten a lot more impulsive and willing to try things I’ve never done before. Sure, it could’ve been pretty easy to mess up the top of the table, but you know what? That’s what sand paper is for. So I gathered up a HUGE amount of black and white scrapbook paper in all different types of patterns and designs. (Petey helped with that step.)

One piece of scrapbook paper in particular stood out to me, and I decided to make it the basis of the whole table design. I used the center of the paper as the center of the tabletop, the corners as the corners, etc.

Once I had punched out a bunch of squares of the scrapbook paper and figured out the design, I got to the hard part. I slathered the portion of the table I was working on liberally with Mod Podge.

I then put the squares in my desired configuration and sealed the top with more Mod Podge. I considered sealing it with something more substantial like resin, but I decided to just get some glass cut to put on top. That way I can always change up the design in the future.

As you can see, the mosaic table isn’t exactly perfect. I’m sure I could have made the “tiles” a little more evenly spaced, but I’m really happy with the results. More than anything, I’m extremely happy that I finally jumped in the deep end and finished this project.

If you have some craft that you’ve been reluctant to work on, I urge you to just go ahead and do it. I know it’s scary, but if you’re painting something, you can always paint over your mistakes. If you’re sewing – that’s what seam rippers are for! Seriously, just get out there and do it!

What craft project or DIY project have you been putting off?