Awesome Tiles

Protect your tabletop the way the Space Shuttle was shielded on re-entry with these replica thermal tile coasters from Concord Aerospace. Each Astrocoaster is made from CNC-machined polymer, embellished with a serial number, and laminated to a Kydex base. On back, you’ll find felt pads and a strong magnet for fridge mounting. Price is for a set of four.

Jimmy DiResta wanted to see if he could make ceramic tiles while incorporating CNC tech. He started by using a desktop milling machine to cut designs into Corian, then used those to create plaster casts for the clay. He used an Evenheat kiln to fire the tiles. The voiceover provides a great glimpse into his learning process.

The art of making tiles from cement dates back to the 19th century. Unlike other tiles, they require no firing, but they are quite labor-intensive to make. Business Insider visited Egyptian tile artist Saied Hussain to see how he crafts each of his colorful cement tiles by hand.

A look at the time-consuming process of hand-making ceramic tiles from raw clay, carefully chipping away and cutting them, then assembling them into intricate mosaics. The end result of the laborious process is stunning.

If you’re really dedicated, you can create a copper penny floor by carefully arranging tons of individual coins. Or you could head over to Penny Tiles‘ Etsy shop and purchase some of their pre-fabricated tiles to expedite the process. They only come in British 1p coins though.

Graphic artist Matt W. Moore created this series of diagonally-illustrated ceramic tiles which can be rearranged into numerous configurations, allowing for a wide variety of eyeball-stimulating Op-Art patterns.