Faux Agate Coasters

Amanda C, Hometalk Team
by Amanda C, Hometalk Team
4 Materials
$10
2 Hours
Easy
Who doesn't love a good gold gilded coaster? Agate coasters with a pretty gold side can get pretty pricey so I thought I would try and make my own. Did you know that you can make agate slices out of polymer clay? These faux agate coasters make for a great rainy afternoon activity. You can make loads of them in a matter of time and in whatever colors you want! By using a couple of polymer clay tricks you can create beautiful agate looking coasters for the whole family!




SUPPLIES:
-Polymer Clay Pack (I suggest getting this large pack from Amazon versus buying individual packs as the cost adds up... Just make sure it includes the colors you need and translucent)
-Mod Podge Dimensional Magic
-Cheese Grater
-Parchment Paper
*** I know glue and sparkles are pictured, but I didn't end up using them for the version I made, so you won't need them for this tutorial though they make a nice additive for a hollow slice if you want to make one.





STEP 1: Take a chunk of clay from the block and roll it in a ball.


Repeat this with several shades of the color of your choice (for instance 2-3 shades of blue). Also roll up a ball of white, one of translucent, and a pearl white.


Place these in the freezer for 10-30 minutes.







STEP 2: Take your rolled up clay from the freezer and use a cheese grater to shred each of them into pieces.


Make sure to keep them in separate piles as shown above.





STEP 3: Gather a bit of white, translucent, and pearl (shimmery) white and mix them together without mushing them together.


Roll them into a ball. (This will serve as the center ring of your agate)





STEP 4: Gather another pile of three colors and mix them without mushing them in the same manner as you did in step 3.


Roll these into a ball as well.


Repeat several times until you have about 8-10 ball combinations. You can also make several that are solid colors. *Be sure to keep a bit of translucent, white and pearl white shavings to the side for future steps.





STEP 5: Take your balls and place them between parchment or wax paper and roll them out into thin layers.





STEP 6: Grab the white mix center ball made in step 3 and press several translucent and white shavings around the sides without mushing them in.


Grab one of your rolled out layers and wrap it around the ball being sure to leave the top and bottom visible. You will be wrapping it around the circumference, but not completely covering the ball. *I found that I had to cut some excess clay away at times.





STEP 7: Grab another bit of your set aside shavings and press it on the outside of your first layer sporadically.


Grab another rolled out layer and wrap it around the ball.


Repeat this until all layers have been used up and you have a large hockey puck looking shape.





STEP 8: Grab a chunk of gold clay and roll it into a ball. Roll it out until nice and flat.


Wrap the gold around the "puck" you have created.





STEP 9: Grab a knife and cut through the "puck" to create 4-5 slices about 1/4" thick.


Place your slices between your paper and roll it out in all directions to create the shape you wish for your coasters.





STEP 10: Preheat your oven to 275°F and place your slices on a piece of parchment paper atop a tray. Bake your slices for 20 minutes.





STEP 11: Once your slices have cooled brush a layer of mod podge dimensional magic on the top for a nice "agate" like shine.





You can repeat the process with a variety of colors for some color. They are nice and thin so they stack up well, but they still are large enough to preserve your furniture from water rings.





Look at all those slices. I want to make some more natural looking ones, but these colors were fun to experiment with. I would love to make some that are sandstone and just white.




Glasses fit and sit great on top of these guys!



Suggested materials:
  • Mod Podge Dimensional Magic   (Michael's)
  • Polyform Premo Clay Sampler Pack, Assorted Colors, 24-Pack   (Amazon)
  • Cheese Grater   (Ikea)
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 7 questions
  • Shelley Shelley on Feb 09, 2019

    How translucent are these? If I were to make a project that included several of these and a light source behind them, how much light would shine through?

  • Donna Donna on Mar 28, 2019

    do they absorb glass sweat, or does it just gather on the coaster?

  • Mei52976487 Mei52976487 on Oct 03, 2021

    XSo excited about this post! I had seen this agate cheese Board in a beautiful boutique shop in Vancouver and wanted to buy it for my D-in-law for their sp smorgasbord parties but the price was exorbitant! So I forgot about it. But the picture of that aqua sea green white board never did I forget. Today I see the coasters tutorial that seems So doable. It was a pretty large board exactly the shape of the coaster. I have never attempted crafts so can u please let me know if I a 71 yr young lady can attempt this feat? Can u please send me some more tips of how big the balls shd be for my cheese board🙏🙏🙏🙏👌👍✌️Maya

Comments
Join the conversation
3 of 24 comments
  • Jil32168593 Jil32168593 on Feb 21, 2018

    i think you can make similar with cornflour and glue homemade clay. i did something slightyly more abstract and used old beads and glass preloved items in them.

    • Sherry Sherry on Aug 04, 2021

      Can you bake homemade clay in the oven?

  • Kay Kay on Sep 06, 2019

    Cleaning wood table to remove scratches and heat circles

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