How to Make Decorative Coasters Out of Compact Discs

With soaring gas prices and a troubled economy, most Americans are looking for new ways to save money. The old money saving stand bys like pinching pennies and clipping coupons do not seem to help as much as they used to. One way to save money is to take old things and turn them into something new.

There are countless everyday objects that can be turned in to new useable and / or decorative objects for little expense. One everyday object that is suitable for turning into other objects is the good old compact disc.

Have some old, scratched compact discs you can not listen to anymore? Or did you go overboard and buy a value pack of 200 Cdrws that will last you until next year? Well, if you do then do not let them gather dust when you can quickly turn them in to a variety of different objects for very little money.

The first project that I attempted with CDs was to make a set of flashy coasters to match my coffee table. I decided to try this after seeing a cd, shiny side up, that had been left on my coffee table. I decided that the cd's shiny side was a great complement to my coffee table with the exception of the plastic ring in the middle. I knew that I could not easily break the ring out without damaging the cd. It would also be difficult to paint it without getting paint on the shiny part of the disc. So I eventually decided to paint the other side of the disc so I could color the plastic ring without damaging the discs shiny side. If you would like to undertake this project follow the instructions below.

First lay several discs shiny side down on a sheet of newspaper to protect your work surface. Rather than hand-paint the plastic ring I opted to spray paint the entire matte side of the disc. This gave me the ability to quickly paint several cds. I chose a metallic spray paint (cause I love sparkles!) but any kind of spray paint will suffice.

After thoroughly shaking the spray paint can hold it at a 90 degree angle and evenly spray the paint on the matte side of the discs. You will want a thin, even coat. If the paint is too thick it will easily mar and chip. To make this project even faster perform the next step while the paint on the discs is drying.

Next cut circles out of felt (you can mark around a cd on felt to make a template.) You can choose any color of felt that will complement your paint and table. After you have cut the appropriate amount of circles, and the paint on the cds has dried use superglue to affix the felt circles to the painted side of your cd. This will beautify the coaster and also protect your table.

Once the glue has completely dried your coasters are ready for use. If you would like a more challenging project you can use the microwave to change the cds shiny surface. Caution: This part is dangerous and should only be performed by a responsible adult. If you choose this method, please understand the risk and take appropriate measures to protect yourself.

To change the cds shiny surface place the discs, shiny side up in the microwave and turn it on for exactly three seconds. Any longer could damage your microwave or cause you injury. When done correctly this method will cause the cds shiny side to appear very modern and brick like.

After microwaving the cds you plan to use you can then follow the rest of the steps given for non-microwaved cds. For added variety you can microwave half the cds in your set and leave the other half shiny.

In addition to making coasters, this project is great for keeping children occupied provided they have adult supervision while making the coasters. As an added bonus children will also be eager to use the new coasters, particularly if they helped make them.