How to Recycle Corks into Useful Items

Cork is a highly versatile material and is most commonly used to "cork" or seal bottles of wine. Sometimes when you pop open a bottle of wine, you will find that the cork is almost a piece of art of it's own-many people keep corks after opening a bottle. If you have a lot of corks lying around in your junk drawer, now is the time to take them out and put them to a good use. Besides, cork art is very fashionable-have you looked at a recent Pottery Barn catalog? They feature old corks displayed in jars and display frames.

So, here are some ides to put those corks to good use.

Cork Trivet: This is a useful and neat looking project that even kids can help make. You can use this trivet for display or in the kitchen.

For each trivet, you will need:

9-inch square of 1/8-inch board

two 9 inch long pieces of 1x1 trim

two 7 inch long pieces of 1x1 trim

approximately 32 one inch long corks (since the size may vary, you may need to trim or leave spaces in the finished project)

four panel nails

wood glue

hammer

Use the nine-inch board to form a base. If it unfinished, sand it before you use it. Use the trim pieces to form a square shape and use the wood glue on the joints before you nail them together. After the joints have dried, glue the square onto the base. After all the glue is dried, you can paint or finish the base if you desire. Now, use the corks to form a desired pattern inside the frame. It is a good idea to lay them out before you glue them in to make sure they fit properly. When you have them the way you want them, you can glue them into place.

Cork Memo Board:

You can use this same idea to make a cork corkboard. Simply use a larger base and longer trim pieces. You will need more corks to complete the project. Add a hanger on the back and you have a unique and useful piece to hang in your kitchen or near your bar.

Cork Picture Frame:

Do you have a great picture of you and your friends celebrating with a glass of wine? Make a suitable picture frame out of old corks! Start by selecting an inexpensive pre-made frame in the size you need. Use a hot glue gun to glue the corks around the outside of the frame in a desired pattern. You have an instant cork picture frame!