I'm in the process of putting in a new bathroom and I'm really interested in creating my own concrete tiles for most of the walls. My idea is to use a mix of simple clay for a few basic tiles and make some 3D printed custom tiles as blanks. From there, I plan to create silicone molds for pouring the concrete. I understand that I'll likely need ceramic tiles for the shower area, which is totally fine. The bathroom measures about 2203mm x 1425mm x 2200mm, and it won't get much foot traffic since it won't be used by kids right away; we'll be using it as an office/studio for a while. Have any of you done this before? I'd love any tips or warnings about things that could go wrong or be super costly. Ask me anything; I'm here to provide more details!
2 Answers
I've tried something similar and can share a few tips! A few years back, we created tiles for an outdoor project. We designed our own tile, 3D printed a master, and then made molds to cast multiple copies. We had a homemade vibration table to get rid of air bubbles, which really helped. One key thing we found is that a good mix is important; we used Portland cement with sand and a bit of plasticizer. Be careful during demolding as they were pretty fragile right after casting. The polyurethane for the molds was the biggest expense, and the whole process took a lot more time than we anticipated, so make sure you're prepared for that. It was worth it in the end, though!
Don't forget to apply some sort of surface coating to your tiles. It'll help waterproof them, prevent mold, and add strength. Just a heads-up: concrete is made from cement, not clay, so make sure you get that sorted to avoid confusion with your materials!
Sounds like an incredible endeavor! Do you have any pictures of your tiles? I'd love to see how they turned out!