How to Build Cork Boats

Children can let their imaginations sail away on cork boats.

Cork is made from cork oak that takes 25 years to mature. Cork is harvested by removing the bark of mature trees, which only happens once every nine years. Although it is a slow and steady process, cork is worth the wait. Cork is a porous material that floats on water. Building a cork boat is an activity that the whole family can enjoy. Children can build a majority of the boat with a little help from adults during the cutting process.

Things You'll Need

• Wine or bottle cork
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Toothpick
• Tape

Instructions

1. Place a cork on a cutting board. For safety reasons, an adult should cut the cork length-wise with a knife to make two pieces.

2. Cut a triangle shape from construction paper, using scissors. Each side of the triangle should be approximately 2 inches.

3. Squeeze a 1-inch segment of glue toward one side of the triangle.

4. Place on toothpick onto the glue segment. Place a piece of tape over the toothpick and glue. The tape holds the toothpick in place while the glue dries.

5. Insert the toothpick into the flat side of the cork. Insert it in the center toward the end of cork with the paper sail hanging over the body of the tooth pick. If the boat tips over, remove and reinsert the toothpick to properly balance it.

References

• Cork Facts: Natural Cork Production
• You Tube: How to Make a Cork Boat

Resources

• University of California at San Diego: Cork Boat