DIY Coaster Kits: How to Choose a Paint-by-Number Set Worth Painting

Apr 24, 2026

Studio guide from Sylvia Levy, founder of Tree Art Studio (Miami, est. 1995). First published April 24, 2026. Last updated May 23, 2026.

A DIY coaster kit is a paint-by-number set that includes blank or pre-printed coasters, paint, and brushes, so you can paint your own coasters at home and use them on a table afterward. Tree Art Store sells 6 studio-designed paint-by-number coaster kits, each producing a set of four sealed ceramic coasters with cork backing. The kit is the activity AND the finished tabletop object, in one purchase.

If you are deciding which DIY coaster kit to buy:

Want a calm evening project that produces something you will use daily? A 4-piece ceramic kit is the right size, finishes in 2 to 4 hours, and the coasters live on your coffee table afterward.
Buying as a gift? A DIY coaster kit is an unusually thoughtful gift because the recipient gets to make it themselves before using it.
Wanting coasters that match a specific room palette? Choose a kit palette aligned with your interior. Tree Art Store has 6 studio palettes from mid-century geometric to soft floral.
First time painting? Paint-by-number is designed for non-painters. Every coaster comes pre-printed with the number-coded design. You match paint to number.

→ See all 6 DIY coaster kits at Tree Art Store · Free shipping on orders over $65

The 6 paint-by-number coaster kits at a glance

Palette	Style	Best for
Geometric Harmony	Clean geometric lines	Mid-century and modern interiors
Fruity Palette	Citrus and fruit motifs	Kitchens, bright dining spaces
Wine and Wonder	Wine bottle and glass motifs	Bar carts, dining rooms, wine lovers
Lotus Bloom	Soft floral, lotus motifs	Calm interiors, bedrooms, soft palettes
Retro Blocks	Retro color blocking	Mid-century and 70s-inspired rooms
Kinetic Rhythm	Energetic abstract movement	Modern, art-forward homes

→ Browse the full collection

In this guide

What is a DIY coaster kit (and other names you may see for it)
Why coasters are the right object for a paint-by-number kit
What to look for in a paint-by-number coaster kit
What makes a Tree Art Store DIY coaster kit different
How the painting process works, step by step
All 6 designs at Tree Art Store
How to choose a kit for your home
DIY coaster kits as gifts
Paint-your-own coasters as party favors
Paint-by-number coasters vs other adult craft kits
Care after painting
Three painting tips from 30 years of art teaching
Frequently asked questions

What is a DIY coaster kit (and other names you may see for it)

A DIY coaster kit is a complete set that lets you paint your own coasters at home. The kit includes blank or pre-printed coasters, paint, brushes, and the finishing materials needed to seal the finished design so it can hold up to daily use under a glass or mug.

The category has a few names in shopping searches, all referring to the same thing:

DIY coaster kit
Coasters kit / coaster kits
Paint by number coaster kit
Paint your own coaster
Paint coasters
Craft kit for adults
Art coasters
Coaster making kit / coaster making kits
Make your own coasters kit
Resin coaster painting kit

The category sits at the intersection of three things: a creative adult activity, a usable tabletop object, and a thoughtful gift. The right kit delivers all three at once.

Why coasters are the right object for a paint-by-number kit

Most paint-by-number kits produce a flat canvas that ends up framed on a wall or, more often, in a drawer. The activity is meaningful in the moment, but the finished piece often does not earn a permanent place in the home. Coasters solve that problem in a specific way.

Coasters are used. A finished coaster lives on a coffee table or dining table under a mug, a glass, a candle. Every time the coaster gets used, the time spent painting it is visible again.

A set of 4 is the practical scale. Single coasters look incidental. Larger sets feel like a craft project that took over the kitchen. Four is the right number for a coffee table, an end-table pair, or as a small dining accent.

The artwork suits the format. A 4-inch ceramic round is a small, contained design surface. Even first-time painters produce coasters that look polished, because the scale is forgiving. A 16-inch canvas is much less forgiving of a beginner's brush.

Coasters give as gifts well. A painted coaster set is an unusually personal gift, because the person who painted it spent real time on it. Unlike a candle or a bottle of wine, the gift cannot be replicated.

The category exists for a specific reason: coasters are the rare object where the act of making becomes part of how the object is used afterward.

What to look for in a paint-by-number coaster kit

A quick checklist for evaluating any DIY coaster kit on the market:

The number of coasters in the kit. 4 is the practical scale for a coffee table or end-table pair. Larger sets (6, 8) work if you have a larger table or want spares. Tree Art Store kits include 4.
The coaster material. Ceramic is durable, has a clean paint surface, and holds up under hot or cold drinks. Wooden coasters absorb moisture over time. Cork coasters look casual but cannot be sealed cleanly. Tree Art Store kits use ceramic with cork backing.
Whether a sealing system is included. A painted coaster without sealing is not actually usable, because moisture from drinks will eventually damage the artwork. Look for kits that include some form of cover or sealant. Tree Art Store kits include transparent acrylic covers plus silicone rings to hold them in place.
The paint quality. 12 paint colors is the standard for a kit that produces a rich finished design. Fewer than 8 colors limits the artwork. Look for non-toxic acrylic with high pigment concentration. Tree Art Store kits include 12 non-toxic acrylic paints.
The brush count and quality. 2 brushes (thin and standard tips) is the minimum for paint-by-number. Single-brush kits make detailed sections difficult. Tree Art Store kits include 2 brushes.
Whether the kit is pre-printed or blank. Pre-printed (numbered design already on the surface) is the paint-by-number standard. Blank kits require you to design and trace your own pattern, which is a different activity. Tree Art Store kits are pre-printed.
The design quality. Generic kits use stock pattern libraries (the same designs sell across many brands). Studio-designed kits use original artwork from a named studio. Every Tree Art Store kit is drawn in Tree Art Studio.
Suitability for adults. Most paint-by-number coaster kits are marketed for kids' crafts, with simple designs and limited paint counts. A truly adult kit has design complexity and finish quality that holds up as adult home decor.

What makes a Tree Art Store DIY coaster kit different

The paint-by-number coaster category is mostly stock-design kits using wood coasters and basic paint. Tree Art Store takes a different starting point: every kit is designed in Tree Art Studio by working artists, with the assumption that the finished coasters will live on a real coffee table for years.

Specifically, what separates a Tree Art Store kit from a generic paint-by-number coaster kit:

Original studio artwork. Every design is drawn in Tree Art Studio. The collection has a coherent point of view across 6 palettes, instead of the generic mandala-or-animals approach most kits default to.
Ceramic coasters with cork backing. Ceramic gives a smooth paint surface and durability. Cork backing prevents slipping and protects furniture from scratches.
12 non-toxic acrylic paints. High pigment concentration, smooth and creamy consistency, water-based and easy to use. The 12-color palette is enough for rich finished artwork.
2 brushes included. One thin tip for detail, one standard tip for fills. Both included in every kit.
Acrylic cover and silicone ring sealing system. Transparent acrylic covers fit over each finished coaster to shield the painted surface from moisture and use. Silicone rings hold the covers in place. This is the part most discount kits skip, and it is what makes the coasters genuinely usable.
Pre-printed paint-by-number design. Every coaster ships with the numbered design already printed on the ceramic surface. You match paint to number.
4-inch round coasters with 3/8-inch thickness. The right scale for a glass, a mug, or a small candle. Thick enough to feel substantial, not so thick it dominates the table.
One free online art class included. Every purchase includes access to a Tree Art Studio online art class, on the studio's own teaching curriculum.

The result is a paint-by-number coaster kit that produces a set you would happily put on a coffee table, not a craft project that ends up in a drawer.

How the painting process works, step by step

Most adults completing a Tree Art Store coaster kit finish in 2 to 4 hours, in a single sitting or across two evenings. The process:

Set up a flat painting space. A kitchen table or a desk with good light works. Lay out the four coasters, the 12 paint pots, and the two brushes.
Start with one coaster at a time. Each coaster has a printed paint-by-number design with each section labeled with a paint color number. Match the paint to the number, fill the section, move to the next.
Work from one color across all sections, then the next color. This is faster than switching colors per section. You also avoid cross-contaminating brushes.
Use the thin brush for small detail sections, the standard brush for larger fills. The included brushes are sized for this scale.
Let each coaster dry fully before sealing. Acrylic paint dries to the touch in about 30 minutes. Full cure takes a few hours.
Place the acrylic cover and silicone ring on each finished coaster. The transparent cover sits over the painted surface, the silicone ring holds it in place around the edge. The coaster is now sealed and ready for use.

The full kit produces 4 finished, sealed, usable coasters in a single evening or weekend afternoon.

All 6 designs at Tree Art Store

Every DIY coaster kit at Tree Art Store is drawn in Tree Art Studio. The 6 palettes in the collection:

Geometric Harmony, clean geometric lines, tuned for mid-century and modern interiors
Fruity Palette, citrus and fruit motifs, bright kitchens and dining spaces
Wine and Wonder, wine bottle and glass motifs, bar carts and dining rooms
Lotus Bloom, soft floral and lotus motifs, calm interiors and bedrooms
Retro Blocks, retro color blocking, mid-century and 70s-inspired rooms
Kinetic Rhythm, energetic abstract movement, modern and art-forward homes

For households building a unified design language across rooms, the coaster kits pair naturally with our hangable acrylic puzzles for wall art and our studio-designed paper placemats for the dining table.

How to choose a kit for your home

The most useful question is not "which palette is prettiest?" but "which palette will the finished coasters look right in, on the table where they will live every day?"

A few practical rules:

Match the palette to the room temperature. Warm-toned rooms (wood, cream, brass, terracotta) suit warm palettes like Wine and Wonder, Retro Blocks, or Fruity Palette. Cool-toned rooms (white, grey, marble, painted cabinets) suit cooler palettes like Geometric Harmony, Lotus Bloom, or Kinetic Rhythm.

Match the palette to the room style. Mid-century and modern rooms suit Geometric Harmony, Retro Blocks, and Kinetic Rhythm. Soft cottage or traditional rooms suit Lotus Bloom. Wine-forward dining rooms or bar carts suit Wine and Wonder. Bright family kitchens suit Fruity Palette.

Match the palette to where the coasters will sit. If they will live on the coffee table in the living room, choose a palette that complements (not competes with) the existing throw pillows, rug, or art. If they will live on a desk or bar cart, choose a palette that suits the work area or hosting area's mood.

If you are uncertain, pick the most neutral palette. Geometric Harmony works in the widest range of homes because its geometric lines and balanced color suit both modern and classic interiors.

→ See all 6 palettes and pick the right one for your home

DIY coaster kits as gifts

A DIY coaster kit is an unusually thoughtful gift because it arrives unfinished. The recipient does not just unwrap it. They get to spend an evening painting it, and then keep the finished set for years of use. The gift includes the experience of making it.

Common gift occasions:

Housewarming gifts. A new home almost always needs coasters, and a kit that produces 4 ceramic coasters sized for a coffee table is genuinely useful. Geometric Harmony and Lotus Bloom are the safer neutral picks if you have not seen the new home yet.

Wedding and shower gifts. A DIY coaster kit reads more thoughtfully than another set of generic coasters from a registry. Paint the kit yourself before gifting, or give the kit unpainted so the couple can paint it together.

Birthday gifts for the creative adult. For friends or family who enjoy making things, a paint-by-number coaster kit is the kind of gift that produces a finished object they will keep on display.

Recovery and rest gifts. For someone recovering from illness or navigating a major life transition, a calm evening creative project produces a tangible reminder of time spent on themselves. The 2 to 4 hour scale fits the energy level.

Holiday gifts for the adult who already has everything. The combination of activity plus permanent object lands differently from another candle or kitchen gadget.

For wine lovers: Wine and Wonder is the dedicated pick.

→ Browse all 6 designs to find the right gift

Paint-your-own coasters as party favors

Beyond one-to-one gifting, a paint-your-own coaster kit makes a memorable group activity and take-home favor, especially for milestone birthdays where guests appreciate something more lasting than a trinket. Set out kits at the table and let guests paint their own coaster to take home, the activity entertains the party and the finished coaster becomes the favor.

It works particularly well as 60th birthday party favors, and just as nicely for 50th, 70th, and 80th birthday celebrations, where the crowd skews toward adults who would rather make something than collect another keepsake. The same idea suits bridal showers, craft nights, and retirement parties. Because each Tree Art Store kit makes four coasters, one kit can supply favors for several guests, or give each guest their own kit to finish at their own pace.

For a coordinated table at the party itself, the coaster palettes pair with our artist-designed paper placemats in matching tones.

Paint-by-number coasters vs other adult craft kits

How a DIY coaster kit compares to the closest alternatives:

Vs. paint-by-number canvas kits. Canvas kits produce a flat framed piece that ends up on a wall, if it does not end up in a drawer. Coaster kits produce a usable tabletop set. The activity is similar; the outcome is different.

Vs. diamond painting coaster kits. Diamond painting uses thousands of small resin beads pressed onto a sticky canvas. The result is a flat framed image, not a sealed coaster. Paint-by-number coasters are also more cognitively engaging than the repetitive bead placement.

Vs. resin coaster painting kits. Resin kits use epoxy resin to seal the artwork. Resin is messier, requires longer curing times (24 to 72 hours), and has a steeper beginner learning curve. The Tree Art Store acrylic-cover-plus-silicone-ring system delivers the same sealing result without the resin complexity.

Vs. acrylic puzzles. The closest neighbor in our own catalog. Our hangable acrylic puzzles occupy the same single-evening sweet spot but produce a wall piece instead of a tabletop set. Many households own both and switch by mood.

Vs. pottery painting at a studio. Studio pottery painting requires firing, which means a multi-day gap between painting and using. A DIY coaster kit is fully self-contained: paint, seal, use the same day.

Care after painting

Once your coasters are painted and sealed:

Daily use. The acrylic covers protect the painted surface from condensation, drink spills, and normal wear. Hot mugs, cold glasses, and candle bases all sit comfortably on the sealed coaster.

Cleaning. Wipe the top with a damp cloth. The acrylic cover is non-porous and does not absorb spills. Avoid harsh abrasives that could scratch the cover.

Storage between uses. A finished coaster set lives on a coffee table or in a small ceramic tray. They do not need to be stored away, since the painted artwork is sealed and protected.

Long-term durability. A well-cared-for set lasts years of daily use. The ceramic base and sealing system are designed for permanence.

Three painting tips from 30 years of art teaching

Three principles Sylvia Levy brings from teaching art and color theory at Tree Art Studio for over 30 years:

Work from light colors to dark. Paint the lightest sections first, then move to medium tones, then to darks. Light over dark requires multiple coats and often shows brush strokes. Dark over light covers cleanly in one pass.

Use the thin brush for outlines, the standard brush for fills. The two-brush setup is built around this division of labor. Outline a section first with the thin brush, then fill the inside with the standard brush. The result reads cleaner than trying to fill and outline with the same tool.

Take a break before sealing. Painted acrylic looks dry to the touch in 30 minutes, but the paint continues to cure underneath for several hours. Sealing too early traps moisture under the acrylic cover. Wait until the painting session is fully done, then seal. Better still, seal the next morning.

Frequently asked questions

Are these DIY coaster kits designed for adults?
Yes. The Tree Art Store collection is designed entirely for adult painters, with studio-quality original artwork and a sealing system that produces coasters worth keeping on a coffee table.

What is included in each kit?
Four ceramic coasters with cork backing, 12 non-toxic acrylic paint pots, 2 paint brushes (thin and standard tips), 4 acrylic coaster covers, silicone rings for edge protection, and one free online art class from Tree Art Studio.

Can the finished coasters handle hot drinks?
Yes. The acrylic cover protects the painted surface from heat, condensation, and spills from hot or cold drinks. Mugs, glasses, and candles all sit comfortably on the sealed coaster.

How long does it take to complete a full set?
Most adults finish a full 4-coaster set in 2 to 4 hours of painting, plus a short drying period before sealing. Fits in a single evening or a weekend afternoon.

Do I need any painting experience?
No. Paint-by-number is designed for non-painters. Every coaster ships with the numbered design pre-printed on the ceramic surface. You match the paint number to the section number.

Is the paint non-toxic?
Yes. The 12 acrylic paints included are non-toxic, water-based, with high pigment concentration and smooth consistency.

What size are the finished coasters?
4-inch diameter and 3/8-inch thick (10.2 cm × 1.0 cm). The right scale for a glass, mug, or small candle.

How does the sealing system work?
A transparent acrylic cover sits over each finished coaster to protect the painted surface from moisture and daily use. A silicone ring fits around the edge to hold the cover in place.

Do paint-your-own coasters work as party favors?
Yes. They are a popular activity and take-home favor for milestone birthdays such as 60th, 50th, 70th, and 80th celebrations, as well as bridal showers and craft nights. Set out kits for guests to paint, or give each guest a kit. Each kit makes four coasters.

Are they suitable as gifts?
Yes. Common gift occasions include housewarmings, weddings, birthdays for creative adults, recovery and rest gifts, and holiday gifts for the adult who already has everything. You can also paint the kit yourself before gifting.

How is a Tree Art Store kit different from a generic paint-by-number coaster kit?
Original studio-designed artwork (not licensed stock patterns), ceramic coasters with cork backing (not wood or cork alone), a sealing system with acrylic covers and silicone rings included (which most discount kits skip), 12-color non-toxic acrylic paint set, 2 brushes, and one free online art class included with every purchase.

Where can I see these in person?
Follow @bytreeart on Instagram for photographs of the full collection in real homes, or reach out via the contact form to ask about local Miami availability.

Most popular DIY coaster kits by use case

For mid-century, modern, or design-forward homes: Geometric Harmony. Clean geometric lines, suits the widest range of contemporary interiors.

For bar carts, dining rooms, and wine-loving households: Wine and Wonder. Wine bottle and glass motifs, the strongest gift pick for wine lovers.

For calm, soft-toned, or floral interiors: Lotus Bloom. Soft floral palette, works in bedrooms and calm living rooms.

For bright modern kitchens and dining nooks: Fruity Palette. Citrus motifs, energizes a clean palette.