For the Love of Wine

For the Love of Wine

Don’t judge! In my defense we’ve been saving wine bottle corks for years. Yes, years. I knew one day inspiration would strike. I’d eventually find a creative way to enjoy the corks I lovingly saved from the trash.

As it turned out, this wood plank project had two winning advantages. It used a bunch of corks and it makes a striking statement in our butler’s pantry where we pour the wine.

Watch the how-to video here!

Let’s get started!

You will need:

Wine bottle corks 60 -70 count
Wood 8 in. x 20 in. x ¼ in.
Light wood stain & dark wood stain
Wood block for the cutting jig
Right angle
Marker
Pencil
Ruler
Foam paint brush
Adhesive E6000
Saw tooth hanger & nails
Hammer
Power Tools
Orbital sander
Drill & drill bit
Bandsaw

Cut the ¼ in. thick wood to a 8 in. x 20 in. piece. Use an orbital sander to sand the wood plank to a smooth finish.

Use a foam paint brush to stain the wood. We used Golden Pecan stain on the entire surface including the edges and the back. We followed up with Red Mahogany around the perimeter. The two colors were blended with a dry paper towel. Set the wood aside and let the stain dry overnight.

Make a cutting jig for the corks. We took a scrap block of wood and drilled a hole slightly larger than the thickness of the corks. The hole is also slightly deeper than the length of the corks. Drill a second similar hole on the side of the block of wood.

Using a bandsaw cut guidelines through the holes. The first guideline is used to cut the corks in two length wise. The second set of guidelines is used to cut the corks into four even discs. Cut 60 – 70 corks in half using the wood jig and bandsaw.

Use a right angel and marker to draw a 45 degree angle line on eight corks. Match the best fitting pairs together to make four tight fitting corners for the outer border.

Draw the full size text pattern on paper with a pencil. I based the pattern on the width of the corks. The height is based on two corks laid out end to end. Trace the finished pattern with a black marker.

Match the corks to the full size pattern and draw cutting guidelines on the corks with the marker. Cut the corks to size and lay them on the paper pattern.

Turn the wood over. Attach the saw-tooth hanger in the center on the backside.

Back on the front side, use a pencil to draw a light center line on the board vertically. Draw a light line in the center horizontally.

Glue the border on the board. Apply a small amount of glue to the back of the cut corks. Continue adding corks working toward the middle line on the board. Custom cut a cork or two to fill any remaining space left in the middle.

Lay the word out in the center of the wood. Use extra corks as spacers. Glue the cut corks on the board. Let the glue dry overnight.

It’s time to celebrate your new creation! This rustic custom made piece of art makes a thoughtful, easy, and inexpensive gift for wine loving family and friends. But I totally understand if you want to keep it for yourself.