Unique Stamping Techniques

Does this look like a fired piece of pottery to you? It's a faux tiled table top I created by using wrought iron home accessories, and outdoor tile mastic adhesive.

Here's a close-up of what this technique looks like.

Here's how you can make some yourself and what tools and supplies you will need and/or need to buy:

Using an outdoor adhesive for tiles spread the adhesive over the surface with a drywall knife. Spread it like you're applying a thick layer of icing to a cake (about 1/4 inch).
As soon as you get the surface covered evenly, but not perfectly smooth, use any wrought iron piece, or any heavy wire shaped object to stamp a design into it.
Lift off the stamp, and it will leave an impression in the adhesive.
As soon as it dries, paint it a solid color and then highlight it with a contrasting color.
When the paint dries coat it really well with durable water or oil based polyurethane that is used for flooring.

There are all kinds of ways to do this, and different kinds of materials you can stamp into. Below I used Durabond, which is a thinner substance. When you lift the stamp off, it actually leaves a raised mark, and when you highlight these areas with a contrasting paint or metallic, you have a beautiful work of art!

I made these faux tiles by cutting pieces of dry wall to custom fit down into this antique window. I used Durabond (you can buy this at Lowe's).

I mixed the Durabond with water, according to the directions, and then spread it out like I did the table above. The difference the Durabond makes is when you lift off the stamp; it suctions the material upwards to form a ridge. The one where I used the tile adhesive mastic made a groove where the wrought iron piece was.

I used an old twin head board and footboard as a base to set the top on. I screwed it in really well all around and filled in the holes with wood putty. I then used old wooden slats on the bottom to make a shelf. I recycled these slats from an old wooden umbrella I found in someone's garbage.

I did this stamping technique on an old trunk I purchased at Goodwill for only $15.00. The lid was broke and very thin, so I fixed it and glue on a thick piece of plywood to the original 1/4 inch top. It is a beautiful functional piece that I use in my studio to store supplies.