- 1). Cut a piece of 1/2-inch medium-density fiberboard (MDF) into the shape that you want for your tile. If you want your tiles thicker or thinner, use a different thickness of MDF.
- 2). Sculpt textural and artistic details onto the MDF with sculpting clay. You can have as much or as little detail on your tiles as you want, but the sculpted portion should be no more than 1/4-inch thick. Skip this step if you prefer flat, plain tiles.
- 3). Mount the tile onto a horizontal sheet of Plexiglas with hot glue. It must be securely attached to the Plexiglas.
- 4). Spray three thin coats of acrylic emamel spray to seal the tile's surface.
- 5). Cut four pieces of 1-by-4 lumber to assemble a box around the tile. There should be a 1-inch border of empty space between the tile and the sides of the box.
- 6). Assemble the box with hot glue. Smear glue over all seams to ensure that the box cannot leak.
- 7). Mix a batch of molding silicone with its catalyst in a clean bucket, following the ratio provided with the silicone. Most silicones have a ratio of 10:1 or 1:1. Stir the silicone and catalyst slowly to avoid adding air bubbles.
The amount of silicone depends on the size of your tile. If you are unsure, mix the batch slightly smaller than you think you will need. Silicone sticks to itself, so you can add more if needed. - 8). Pour the silicone slowly into the box, working from as high above the box as possible to allow any trapped air bubbles to break as the silicone drizzles down.
- 9). Fill the box until the silicone is 1 inch higher than the tile's highest point.
- 10
Allow the silicone to cure. This may take up to 24 hours. - 11
Disassemble the box and peel the mold off the tile. The mold will be thick enough to be filled with concrete without distorting.
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