Sandstone is often used to make home furnishings, such as lamps, tiles and coasters. As an igneous rock with a sandy grain, sandstone is light in color and gives items a natural presence that references the beach or the desert. Sandstone is durable, but when it is cut thinly to make items such as coasters, it becomes susceptible to breaking. Repair broken coasters with clean breaks by gluing them back together and replacing the cork bottoms.
Things You'll Need:
- Adhesive Remover
- 1/4-Inch Cork Sheet
- Razor Blade Scraper
- Rag
- Toothpick
- Compass
- Craft Knife, Utility Knife Or Circle Cutter
- Sand
- 2-Part Clear Epoxy
- Can Of Soup
Scrape off the original cork from the underside of the broken coaster. Point the blade away from you and your other hand to prevent accidental cuts.
Dissolve any residual adhesive from the bottom of the broken coaster by saturating it with an adhesive removal product, then rubbing it off with a rag.
Dry-fit the broken pieces together and measure the diameter of the coaster.
Lay out a sheet of 1/4-inch-thick cork. Open a pencil compass to create a diameter that is 1/8 to 1/4 inch smaller than the diameter of the coaster. Draw a circle on the cork sheet.
Cut out the cork circle with a craft knife, utility knife or circle cutter.
Depress the plunger on a two-part epoxy system to extrude a small amount of resin and a small amount of hardener. Mix the two parts together using the small, plastic spatula that comes with the epoxy system.
Pick up the largest piece of the broken coaster. Apply a thin layer of epoxy to the bottom side using the plastic spatula.
Set the piece, glue-side down, in the correct orientation on the cork circle so the outer edge hangs 1/8 to 1/4 inch over the edge of the cork. Gently press it down.
Continue to adhere the remaining pieces in the same manner, fitting them together to reform the whole coaster.
Weigh down the coaster with a can of soup and let the epoxy cure for the time indicated in the directions.
Squeeze out and mix another small amount of epoxy. Mix clean, light-colored sand into the epoxy to match the color and grain of the sandstone. Fill any remaining gaps where the break lines are with the epoxy using a toothpick. Let the epoxy dry for the required time.
Writer Bio
Mason Howard is an artist and writer in Minneapolis. Howard's work has been published in the "Creative Quarterly Journal of Art & Design" and "New American Paintings." He has also written for art exhibition catalogs and publications. Howard's recent writing includes covering popular culture, home improvement, cooking, health and fitness. He received his Master of Fine Arts from the University of Minnesota.
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