Colorful Aquarium Gravel Becomes Custom Coaster With This Easy DIY

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Keeping coasters in the living room or office is necessary if you want to protect wood furniture. It's an easy solution so you don't have to confine beverages to the kitchen. But coasters can do more than just stop annoying cup rings — they can also bring a touch of beauty and fun! Instead of shopping around to find the perfect set, you can actually create your own DIY coasters right at home. They incorporate aquarium rocks and other underwater elements, which add to their charm. When you have guests over, they will surely notice your unique and adorable DIY coasters, or you can give them as gifts.

For this project, you're going to need epoxy resin and hardener, like what's in the Promise Epoxy Resin Kit, along with a silicone mold, such as these Actvty Coaster Resin Molds. Pick any shape you like for your coasters, or consider using a variety. You'll also need a bag of aquarium gravel, which you can get at a pet store or online. If you prefer rustic-looking coasters, go with natural rock colors instead of bright and colorful ones. These are the main supplies, but you could incorporate miniature shells, glitter, and fish stickers as well.

Start by preparing your epoxy resin according to the instructions on the back of the package. It's typically a 1 to 1 ratio of resin to hardener. Mix it gently for a few minutes until it's combined, then add in glitter or dye if you want to make the coasters extra eye-catching. Pour the mixture into your molds.

Now's the part where you can start adding in your aquarium gravel. To ensure they turn out more even, drop the rocks in just a few at a time. This is also the point where you could add in a few teeny seashells if you want to play into the underwater theme. After a few minutes, quickly run a torch over the epoxy to remove some of the bubbles. Let it sit to dry for at least 24 hours. 

When you pop the dried epoxy out of the molds, each one will be a gorgeous coaster. The floating rocks and glitter might have you staring at them every time you go to take a drink! Don't forget to repurpose your old coasters when you change them out.

If you want to take your DIY coasters to another level, you could use glow-in-the-dark aquarium gravel. Or, grab some realistic fish stickers, such as these Jurxy 3D Koi Pond Resin Stickers, to make it look like you have actual fish swimming in your coasters. The only difference is that you'll want to use a layering method instead. Start by mixing a little bit of gravel in a cup with some of the resin blend. Then, pour it into the molds and set the fish stickers on top. Finish them off by pouring in another layer of resin. Once dry, you'll have adorable coasters to set in the living room, or give them to a friend who loves creative home decor.