x2Jiggy

During a thorough clean of my shed that was formerly a storage unit, I discovered several bags of wine corks. Not wishing to return them to a dusty shelf, they were put to use. Cork boards were an obvious solution. They're practical, simple to make and look good.

Materials:

• Many corks
• Suitable frame. I had a couple around the house but also picked up a cheap photo frame for $6 AUD from a discount store.

Tools:

• Hot glue gun and a healthy supply of glue sticks. My largest frame used a 12 pack.
• Ultility knife and cutting mat.
• I would recommend a can of clear gloss as this improves the finish.

Prepare the frame by removing any glass or additional layers until it's just the backing board. I ran a bead of glue around the perimeter of the board on the rear side to secure it firmly in place. Find a pattern you want to arrange the corks in. Most repetitive patterns will look good, whether simple or complex.

Start gluing the corks down, using a diagonal pattern and starting away from the edge tends to make the end result look more natural. Some like to cut the corks in half which is more economical if you don't have many.

I prefer to glue all the whole corks I can before having to cut them to match the edge of the frame. Pay attention to the size and shapes of the corks and pick ones which suit. It doesn't have to be perfect but it looks neatest to have the gaps and spacing as consistent as possible.

Cut corks to shape so they'll fit nicely along the edge. Obviously the neater the job, the better the finish so take your time.

The hot glue will leave strands and areas of spillage that need to be removed. A small pair of pliers help with the thicker areas.

Although not a necessity, a few coats of clear gloss brings out the colour and texture of the corks.

Allow to dry and your cork board is ready.