Make Painted Cork Coasters - DIY Coaster Project

I use any excuse to try a new project or make something for myself. I didn't want to spend too much money on coasters for my new apartment, so I opted to make my own.

Cork is pretty cheap, and you can easily cut it to any shape or size, which is why I chose to make cork coasters. I opted for the basic 4" square coaster, but you may want to cut your coasters into circles or other shapes.

You can buy craft paint, or you can use paint that you may have on had. Craft paint is pretty cheap, about $1 a bottle if not cheaper if the craft store is offering a sale. I recently painted my screened in porch a sage color, so I saved my $1 and used the sage wall paint.

I bought a cheap $1.99 fabric stamp, but there are plenty in the scrapbooking department that you may like better. If you can't find a stamp you like or if you have better attuned skills that I do, you may want to freehand your design. Or, you can make your own eraser stamp, carving out the design with a blade.

Once you have your supplies, the overall process of making your own cork coasters is pretty simple.

1. Cut the cork into 4"x4" squares. You may have to smooth the edges.
2. Paint your stamp.
3. Line your cork to your stamp and press down.

The paint will soak into the cork and dry within hours. You may want to take a small art brush to touch-up or add more fine details to your coasters.

I opted not to seal my cork coasters, but you can use an all-purpose craft sealer to protect your design. If you choose to use a sealant, make sure that the paint has fully dried.

These coasters are water resistant, but not waterproof.

When cleaning coasters, make sure that you spot clean. Do not put them in the dishwasher, and don't scrub them, as you may scrub off the design.

When stamping the cork, you can choose one of two methods.

1. The first method, is placing the stamp directly onto the cork square. Personally, I did not like this method.
2. The second method, is placing the cork onto the stamp. This method allows more control of where you want the imprint placed on the cork.

I've found that you can't make every coaster perfect, which adds to the fun of the project.

In order to hide the imperfections and the inability to make each coaster exactly alike, I purposely off-centered the stamps on each coaster. This makes each cork coaster unique.