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Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Rhoderic on February 04, 2008, 07:29:28 AM

Title: Any good, cheap ideas for floor tiles?
Post by: Rhoderic on February 04, 2008, 07:29:28 AM

I need to model lots of floor tiles, and I'd like it to look good without costing me a fortune. I've checked Antenociti and I'm not sure their textured sheet materials are quite right for my project. I've considered Hirst Arts also, but I'm afraid it'd be rather expensive (regardless whether I buy the mold itself, or just the casts) and I'm not keen on the 1/4" thickness of the tiles. My experiments with scratchbuilding out of various materials have been unsatisfactory.

So, I'm wondering if anyone can suggest a good way to scratchbuild the tiles, or a good source for cheap, ready-made ones (either separate tiles, or sheets of tile-textured material). I need them for quite a fancy, palatial-looking interior board so they need to look good.

Title: Any good, cheap ideas for floor tiles?
Post by: spacelord on February 04, 2008, 12:27:46 PM

would you consider actual ceramic tiles? You can get sheets of mosaic tile that come fixed on a mesh backing ready to grout- if you peeled them off and glued them onto mounting card or thin mdf, they would probably pass for marble floor tiles. You can get them for less than £2.00 a sheet.

here's a vinyl self adhesive option-
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9415278&fh_view_size=6&fh_start_index=18&fh_sort_order=1&fh_sort_by=_price_rrp_min&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=mosaic&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1202128165727&isSearch=true

or the real deal (though they can be found much cheaper- this is a pack of 4)-
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9277308&fh_view_size=6&fh_start_index=36&fh_sort_order=1&fh_sort_by=_price_rrp_min&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=mosaic&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1202128219076&isSearch=true

Paul

Title: Any good, cheap ideas for floor tiles?
Post by: Col.Stone on February 04, 2008, 06:06:45 PM

I was looking around for something similar a while back and i think ikea made some that could fit for 28mm flooring.

Title: Any good, cheap ideas for floor tiles?
Post by: Spong on February 04, 2008, 06:16:29 PM

some of these might be useful:

http://www.expotools.co.uk/1723_1.html

http://www.envisioncraft.co.uk/plasticard%20textured.htm

http://www.barrule.com/Workshop/scratch%20builders%20paradise/sheet%20materials.html

hope this helps.

Title: Any good, cheap ideas for floor tiles?
Post by: Cory on February 04, 2008, 07:05:45 PM

I used a marble texture and photoshop to print out several marble floors onto cardstock. I then painted them over with a clear gloss varnish for protection and to give a polished marble sheen.

To keep the whole thing from warping I glued the cardstock to a larger piece of matte board before varnishing. Then I could place weights on the exposed matte board to keep the whole thing from warping when varnished. After all was dry I just trimmed it down to size.