How to Add Tile to a Coffee Table With a Raised Border

If your coffee table is just a frame then the first thing you will have to do is add a plywood or osb piece to the underneath to have a base for your tile.

If your table is just missing the glass or marble or other material but has a border then you are set to begin.

Make sure the surface of your table is clean and dry.

Before you begin you should have selected the types of tiles you wish to use and decide if you want the tiles to be interchangeable or permanent.

If you want the tiles to be interchangeable then all you have to do is place them within the edges of the raised border that your coffee table has. (The reason there is a raised border is because the material that was once there is missing.) If the tiles don't fit exactly you can have the tiles cut at your home improvement store or purchase a tile cutter for about $20.

If you want the tiles to be set permanently then you should lay out the tile pattern on top of the table and cut your tiles as necessary. This should be a dry fit with no glue. Then once you have the pattern you want you should clear off the table top and apply construction adhesive to the table and the backs of the tiles in zig zag beads about an eighth of an inch in thickness. If you're going to want to add grout for a finished look then you will need to use tile spacers that are tiny little white crosses that are available at your home improvement store.

Once you have applied the construction adhesive your going to want to let it dry for about 24 hours. Once it's dry remove the tile spacers and prepare your grout according to the directions on the bag or box.
After you clean the extra grout off with a sponge and then give one last cleaning after it's dry you're done.