Ever wonder what to do with that leftover tile from your renovation or that small batch of amazing tile you saw on discount. Well, look no further. I’ve got some great ways to use leftover tile.
Remember that time you grabbed the Thanksgiving leftovers from the fridge and made what you thought was the most excellent sandwich known to man? Well, that’s my proof that remanent tile can be a great option. This argument is also an excellent example of why I was the wild card speaker on my high school debate team. Sometimes my analogies landed shy of the mark but, they always had an air of ‘truthiness‘.
When contractors order tile for a job, they always over order to account for cracked/chipped tiles, miscuts. In the end, there is usually a couple of leftovers. These tend to end up in storage stashed away in case one needs to be replaced in the future. Sometimes stores even have leftover tile, but not enough to complete an ample space. If you end up with excess tile, not just a few extra pieces, find a few beautiful tile patters in small batches, or are looking for ways to help recycle, here are some great examples of what you can do – none of which include cranberry sauce or stuffing.
The area between rooms, right in the doorway, is an often overlooked opportunity for adding a designer touch. If you have some leftover tile, why not throw down a strip of tile in this “no-mans” land and turn it into everybody’s favourite pass through.
Using remnant tile may seem imperfect, but sometimes embarrassing the imperfect is perfect – just like this beautiful example of modern tile in a rustic application.
The Inspiration
Making A Big Statement
Terrazzo has been making a come back, but it’s costly and challenging to create, but so worth it. It serves as my inspiration for what can be done with remnant tile. Terrazzo is a composite material, poured in place or precast. It’s made up of a variety of cuts of materials like marble, quartz, granite, and glass. After layout, a binder is poured over the cuts of material. Once it’s cured, it’s ground and polished smooth to reveal the pops off coloured material and produce an even-textured surface.
If you’re up for DIY, you could recreate this look in a more rustic fashion using remanent tile and a cement binding or grout. Smashing remanent tile like you’re at a Greek wedding could be fun. Opa! You could also cut them into a variety of shapes. This is a beautiful approach when using a monochromatic colour scheme.
