How to Make Drink Coasters From Vinyl Album Art
Vinyl record albums are fun to collect, even if you do not listen to them. The artwork on the cover alone is worth having on some albums, but storing so many records can become cumbersome. If you have old records that are taking up space and you want to save the artwork in a creative way, these drink coasters will be a functional way to display beautiful, bygone art.
Things You'll Need
- 12x12 sheet of thin cork board
- Vinyl album cover
- Ruler
- Craft glue
- Paintbrush
- Marker
- Box cutter
- Wax paper
- Polyurethane spray
- Heavy books
- Cutting surface (piece of wood, old table or clipboard)
Instructions
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1
Cut album front away from album back and measure it to the piece of cork board; cut off any extra album sides that may overlap the cork.
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2
Measure out a 3x3 grid (for nine coasters) with the ruler and marker on the back of the cork. This will be approximately 4 inches for both the length and width of each coaster.
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3
Spread crafting glue on the back of the album cover with the paintbrush and glue the album cover to the cork board (grid side showing). Make sure to press down the corners and use heavy books to keep the pieces together while they dry. Drying time is approximately one hour.
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4
Cut out all nine of your coasters with the box cutter on your cutting surface; follow the grid on the back of the cork.
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5
Set out some wax paper in a ventilated area and place all the coasters down. Spray the polyurethane on the surface of each coaster.
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6
Allow each coaster to dry for about two hours and then apply a second coat of polyurethane. After coaster fully dry, arrange them on your table to look like an album and use as needed.
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Tips & Warnings
If you want to make this project but do not have old albums around the house, a thrift store has cheap records with interesting and retro artwork.
Although it tends to be expensive, epoxy clear coating will work just as well if not better than polyurethane.
Pair the coasters with a record bowl to make a great gift.
Make sure you use glue and polyurethane in a ventilated area.
Allow at least 24 hours for coasters to fully dry before using them.
