Don’t throw those wine corks away! Save them and make a very easy and useful DIY Wine Cork Trivet by following this simple tutorial. All you need for this project are wine corks, an old picture frame, and a loaded hot-glue gun. You can make this project using any sized picture frame. I chose an 8×11 frame which required approximately 50 corks. If you don’t feel like polishing off 50 bottles of wine before starting this project (hiccup 😉 ), you can purchase your corks on eBay or Etsy or even at the craft store. To obtain free corks, try hitting up a local Italian restaurant.
I had an entire apothecary jar filled with wine corks and decided to put them to use!
Before you begin gluing your corks in place, play around with your cork pattern. Place your corks directly on the glass and create a pattern that you like. Once you find something that works for you, begin gluing your corks in place with your hot-glue gun. The corks will stick to the glass but can also be removed without damage to the frame if desired. I had to cut just one cork at the very end of my project to fill a small gap.
When you have glued all of your corks in place, you will have a beautiful trivet. I like to use mine on our coffee table to hold hot beverages. You could also use the cork trivet on your kitchen table to hold hot dishes. However, I would place felt tabs on the back of the frame’s corners to protect a wood table from any potential scratches. You can also hang the frame on the wall and use as a cork board or decorative display.
This is such an easy craft, but it looks great and is practical to boot!
For more easy crafts you might want to check out the Crafts section in my Project Gallery!
Donna says
Where do you find your frames? Are they extra deep?
Beth says
My frames weren’t extra deep and the corks are raised higher than the frame molding. I typically pick up frames at HomeGoods.
Silv says
I’m not much of a wine drinker, but I love this idea. One question, though. Since wine corks are tapered and the surface isn’t level, how do you keep your drink from tipping over?
Beth says
Well, like all crafts and DIY projects they are “try at your own risk”. That being said, since all of my corks are approximately the same size there are enough contact points on the bottom of each glass to keep them level. I can even set wine glasses down on the trivet without fear of them spilling. I mostly set mugs of tea or coffee on mine and it’s not a problem at all. If concerned though, I would recommend testing yours out before using to make sure you feel it’s safe to use.
Sue T. says
Hi!
Really cute idea but leaving the glass in makes me a bit nervous…I’d rather remove the glass and replace it with 1/4 ” plywood glued in place. Also would cut the corks in half so I wouldn’t have to drink so much waiting to finish my project. On second thought, maybe I’ll re-think that last part!
Dang, wish it wasn’t Sunday night so I could head to the wine store now that you’ve got me thinking about it. Thanks for another cute idea!
Beth says
Ha! Yes, you could absolutely cut the corks in half and replace the glass with plywood. Although I did find cork cutting to be tedious work. Happy imbibing!
Sue T. says
Have you ever tried using a scroll saw? I’ve done it before and as long as you have a safe way ( I used a large pair of pliers) to hold the cork it works fairly easy. Sue
Beth says
Great tip! Thanks for sharing.