DIY Sublimation on Ceramic Tiles

Have you seen those tiles or Trivets when you are on vacation with beautiful pictures to remind you of your vacation? I picked one up in Hawaii to remember the turtles. Sublimation on ceramic tiles can be a great way to remember a precious moment in time!

The tiles that I have been using are relatively inexpensive, and I want to show you how easy it is to do when you have the right tools! If you have never done it before, I want to share a couple of hints I have learned in my short time working with Sublimation!

Hint # 1 for Sublimation:   Poly-coated

Whenever you think of Sublimation, you need to remember that the material you are applying a design needs to be coated with a Poly Coat. Sublimation only works on polyester or polyester coated substrates. I have found quite a few resources that sell sublimation blanks, and most sell tiles. The tiles I am using today are from Coastal Business . I have also discovered a poly spray that you can apply to a tile purchased at Home Depot. This method has a couple of extra steps but could be less expensive in the long run. Just remember, if the tile is not poly-coated, they will not work.

Hint # 2 for Sublimation: Heat Press

Double-check your heat press and make sure it can heat up to 400—degrees. Also, I hear that a clamshell press may cause uneven pressure because of the tile’s thickness. I have a swing arm heat-press, or you can even use your EasyPress 2.

 For more ideas on getting started with Sublimation you might want to checkout one of my recent post on HERE!

Supplies

• Sublimation Ready Ceramic Tile – I used a 6×8 tile
• Sublimation Paper
• Printer
• Sublimation Ink
• Heat Press
• Silicon Pad
• Parchment Paper
• Cork Backing
• Heat Resistant Gloves

Here’s a short video on how to make a Sublimation Ceramic Tile with your favorite picture. You can watch it here, or you can scroll down for the step by step instructions.

Designs

I love to use pictures that I have taken. A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I went for a drive and took all kinds of pictures. Once I got home, I printed them on my sublimation printer. Depending on your tile size will depend on the size of the print you want. Keep in mind that you want the image to be a little larger than the tile. I have a 6″ x8″ tile, so I like to make sure I have an extra ¼” to ½” on all sides. Remember, you always want to print in mirror image and use either sublimation paper or laser paper. Here is the picture I started with for today’s project.

Sublimation Stacking and Pressing Technique

Preheat your press to 400 degrees and set the timer for 9 minutes or 540 seconds.

Now, for how to stack your paper and tile on your press! I have tried so many versions of stacking that I found my best results using this method.

1. Start with a heat resistant soft pad as your first layer. My heat press came with a sponge pad and a felt pad.I like to use my felt pad for tiles.
2. Lay a silicone pad over your pad
3. Lay a piece of parchment paper over the silicone pad
4. Put your printed image face up on the parchment paper
5. Put your file face down on the printed image.
6. Lay a piece of parchment paper over your silicon pad

Now, press with good medium-heavy pressure, enough to push the tile down into the lower pad. This method takes a little extra time, but I have found that it sublimates so much better with this method. You get a great sublimated image all over the face of the tile and even beveled edges.

The timing on your press may be different, and if you are using a larger tile, you will want to increase the time. I have found that with an 8×10 tile, I press for 10 minutes or 600 seconds.

Once the time is up, it is time to put on your heat resistant gloves. Remember, your tile has been in a heat press at 400 degrees! Remove the tile from the press, and I like to have a hot pad ready on my workstation to place the tiles. Remove the paper and let the tile cool. Make sure you remove the paper right away. If you leave your paper on while it is cooling, it will cause ghosting on your image.

Finish

Once your image is completely cool, it is time to add the backing. You can choose from a wood frame of a cork backing. I like to add cork backing. I use my tiles as trivets in my kitchen. The cork backing protects my surface and adds a clean finish to the back.The trivets are dual purpose as a decoration piece and a hot plate trivet!

Just think of all of the fun designs and pictures you can add to your tiles. I hope you try sublimation on ceramic tiles! I have a realtor friend that has asked me to make a tile as a housewarming gift. The holidays are right around the corner. Just think of the possibilities of a unique and memorable present you can give!

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