How to Make Bookends From Ceramic Tile

For a fun and easy craft on a rainy or snowy day, get your glue gun, some old, recycled, reusable, or even new 3 or 4 inch tiles and make a pair (or more) of bookends. The tiles are very dense materials so the bookends are quite heavy and able to support large books.

All you really need is the tile and a glue gun.  Embellishments and or decorations are optional, and these can be unlimited as you will see.

Clean tiles, if recycling them, or if new, simply pick four tiles to use. If making the bookends from three inch tiles, use eight tiles for each bookend.

Using the hot melt glue gun, glue tiles together as shown.  My tiles were cold so I had to act fast to get the tiles lined up properly.  Glue one pair of tiles together, then the other. Butt one pair together as shown to make the book end.  For one bookend, I taped it as shown to ensure it would remain in place.

I made a template out of yellow paper I had on hand. I wanted to cover them with decorative paper(s) so made the template. That way I could cut as many pieces of paper as needed to make several bookends if desired. I would include a pdf of this pattern, but undoubtedly your tiles are different sizes than mine.  And, a template is not necessary. Just lay out paper and measure and cut to cover areas of the tiles. See pictures and image notes.

Bookends at this stage can be decorated with paper of choice; paint your bookend with craft paint or tempura if you choose.  Glue on articles like small statues, vehicles, marbles, flowers, sea shells, or any small object ad infinitum.  For papers, choose decorative papers, fabrics, magazine pictures, pictures you have, maps you no longer need, etc.  As you can see the possibilities are endless. Have fun!