If you didn’t already know, this post will show you how inexpensive some materials for mosaic can be. I mentioned in a previous post that some of my favorite (inexpensive) sources for mosaic material are garage sales. This is included in “junking” all together. In this post I am going to show you how to get free (or close to it) high quality tile that can be used in mosaic art.
What you will need for this exercise:
- A phone
- Google (on your phone or the device that you are viewing this post from)
- A vehicle (to go collect your find)
- Pen and paper
- The willingness to ask for free tiles
(Google) First enter “tile stores” in the Google search. If your device has not already detected your location then click the “places” tap in the Google search results page. You will be able to tell if Google knows your location by whether or not it returns local results.
(Pen and Paper) Second you want to write down the names in numbers of all of the tile stores that are within driving distance. This will depend on how far you are willing to drive.
(Phone and willingness to ask for free tile) Third call each tile store one by one. When speaking to the tile store worker you want to be friendly and humble. You can start my informing them that you have funny question. I like to let them know that you are a mosaic artist. Ask them if they have any broken or unusable tile laying around. If you are able to pay, you can offer to buy them cheap. It is uncommon for a tile store to keep partial tiles. However, it in very common for them to have unusable tile. The thing is tiles are usually bought for an entire room. Often a style or color is discontinued. This results in any number of tiles that will never be bought. When you find some available tile at a store, make sure to mark it on the list.
(Vehicle) Lastly when you are done with your list drive to each store that has tile for you (I know you will find at least one) to collect your find.
If you are doing a mosaic as a back splash or part of a floor/wall then any tile will do. If you plan on using shards (like me) then you want to avoid porcelain. These are much harder to break with a hammer.
I recently did this exercise. After calling four tile stores I was given a large box of roughly 100 ceramic tiles made up of a dozen colors for free. In my case, I needed to employ my son to the list for carrying the tiles. I have not decided on a project for my new treasure yet. If you have a mosaic idea for me on how to use these tiles please leave it in the comment area. Subscribe to my RSS feed to make sure that you do not miss the post on what I create with my free tiles.
Here are some link parties that this post has joined (you can find all the places i party at on my link party page) :
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This is great. I just have to summon up my courage to ask! I’ll tell you how it goes.
Tried that at Lowe’s once. They had them, but would not let me have them. Guess it has to do with liability. There are some online sites that have discontinued styles which are priced low, but you have to move on them or they will be gone quick.
Hi Candyt,
Big Box stores such as Lowes and HD can either return their discontinued items to the vendor for credit or will sell them off at a discount so not a good source for free.
Individually owned tile stores are a better bet because they have no one higher up the corporate chain to report to. Also, they pay for trash disposal by the pound and are often restricted on what they can send to the dump.
Befriend someone at a medium to large individually owned tile store. Provide them with a sturdy box with your name and phone# on it labeled “culls”. You have just become a free disposal service for them. Call every week or two to see if your box needs to be emptied. A plate of fresh baked cookies now and then along with a big smile is a great motivator!
Habitat for Humanity has a chain of “Re-Stores” that always have tons (and I mean tons) of perfectly good tiles. Not free, but a reliable source of a wide variety of very low priced tiles. I have never seen any broken tiles so they must do something with them. Since they are really in to re-using and recycling, they might be a good source for broken tiles.
Thanks Carol!
What a great idea! I love your mosaics and I never thought to call and ask for the leftovers of tile (although I’ve occasionally done this for carpet scraps).
I just got boxes of free tile (along with a nearly new paint brush, roll of patching tape, clamps, maybe more. from Freecycle. Just go to Freecycle.org, look for your area, choose ones you want to follow. You can get daily email, digest or follow on website but you can get (and give what you want to get rid of) great stuff free and keep stuff out of the landfill, the group’s purpose. When I lay out my pattern and want more I’ll hit the tile store for sure!
Im responding to your add on November 26/2011.I was wonder if you still have those tile or not, if you do, are you still interest to give away so I can pick it up. thank you.
This is a great trick! I have a table I scrounged from someone’s trash and I was wondering how I would get the tiles to cover the top. I can see grabbing some intact tile for some coaster projects as well.
Great tip! Thanks for sharing!!
Great tip! Thanks for sharing!!
Great tip – thanks for sharing it! Saw you on linky party. Karima
Thanks for all the comments every one!
Thank you so much for sharing last week on Thingamajig Thursday.
Hope to see you again this week!
Alida
radcrafter.com
Tremendous issues here. I’m very glad to look your article. Thanks a lot and I am looking ahead to contact you. Will you please drop me a mail?