DIY Trivet

Recycle wine corks into attractive and functional trivets.

The next time you serve a delicious homemade meal to your friends or family, you can impress them with your homemade trivets too. Use recycled materials and entertain your guests with the story of the trivet's origins. Cork is an ideal material for trivets. It's waterproof, heat-resistant and soft so it won't scratch a wooden tabletop or counter. It also has an interesting texture and color and is attractive in its natural state.

Things You'll Need

• 24 wine corks
• Clear drying glue
• Craft knife
• Cutting board
• Pliers
• Ruler
• Pencil

Instructions

Measure and Cut

1. Measure and mark the corks at 1/2-inch intervals. Each cork will yield three pieces, for a total of 72 pieces, enough for a trivet with an 8-inch diameter.

2. Use a cutting board to protect the counter or tabletop. Grip a cork with the pliers and slice through it with the craft knife at the pencil marks to make three cork discs. Repeat with the remaining corks.

3. Turn the pieces on end and inspect to make sure they're level; trim if necessary.

Assemble and Glue

1. Cover the cutting board with wax paper or plastic wrap to catch any glue drips. Set the cork pieces on end and arrange them into different shapes until you find one you want for your trivet. It can be round, square, triangular or free form. If you are using several different lengths of cork, make sure the tallest pieces are evenly distributed throughout the trivet to create an even surface for the pots to rest on.

2. Glue the pieces together, starting in the middle to maintain the shape of the trivet while gluing. Cover the sides of each piece with glue and put it back into position, making sure the piece fits snugly next to the neighboring pieces.

3. Continue gluing and replacing each piece. When you reach the outside row, apply glue to the inside only so glue will not show on the outside of the completed trivet. Wipe off any excess glue with a damp cloth.

4. Move the trivet on the cutting board to a quiet area where it can sit undisturbed for several hours, until the glue is clear and completely dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Save corks from bottles of wine served on special occasions to make a trivet with added sentimental value. Use this same technique to make an interesting cork memo board for your kitchen or office. You can also make trivets or corkboards by laying whole corks on their sides instead of slicing them. Glue corks inside a wooden frame for a more finished look. Make plant coasters with leftover pieces.

• Used champagne corks are irregularly shaped and unsuitable for this particular technique.

References

• Crafters Love Crafts: Wine Cork Crafts
• Care 2 Make a Difference: Upcycling: DIY Wine Cork Trivet