Turn Old Wine Corks Into A Smart Solution That Protects Your Countertops

Something about the unique look and intricate design of wine corks makes them more than just trash. They can serve as mementos from special occasions, or as a souvenir from a limited edition bottle of wine. The unique appeal of wine corks means that sommeliers and wine-lovers alike often end up with a collection of old corks that they don't know what to do with. One could show them off in a decorative glass jar, use them in a DIY project, or even toss the leftover wine corks into the compost pile. One fun way to give old wine corks a new life is to glue them together into a trivet, a decorative pot holder that will protect your countertops in style.

DIY-er Liz Fenwick shows how to pull off this project on her TikTok page, @lizfenwickdiy. She starts with 25 old wine corks that are all about the same size (ones made of real cork are preferred). If some are longer than the others, you can cut the corks down; give them a bath in boiling water first so that the corks become soft and won't break apart as you shape them. Once you've chosen your corks, it's a simple matter of hot-gluing them all together. Fenwick does so by putting dabs of hot glue on either end of a cork, then sticking each end to the side of another cork. This creates a pattern of vertical, horizontal, and then vertical corks. When the row is five corks long, Fenwick adds four more rows, alternating the pattern in each row and ensuring every cork is securely attached to the others. The final product is a one-of-a-kind trivet with a rustic, cross-stitched pattern.

In the video, Fenwick uses 25 corks, arranging them in a five-by-five grid. While this is the perfect size for teapots and smaller saucers, you will need something larger to hold big cooking pots and pans. That's what's so great about this DIY: The size and shape of the trivet is totally customizable. For instance, you could easily make Fenwick's design bigger by adding more corks to each row or column. Hold on to any corks leftover after this project — you'll need them for the clever wine cork DIY that keeps messy shoes off the floor.

@lizfenwickdiy

DIY wine cork trivet! 😍 Do you have a cork collection? If so, you might want to try this DIY! 🍷 Check out more thrift store DIYs in my ✨NEW✨ video! #thriftstorefinds #thriftflip #diyhomedecor #diyhomeprojects #winecorkcrafts #winecorks

♬ original sound – Liz Fenwick | DIYs & Decor

Part of what makes this project so worthwhile is that cork is a common material for commercially produced trivets, and for good reason. Cork is excellent at protecting countertops from all types of damage, including burns from hot cookware, condensation from cold drinks, and nicks or scratches. Plus, cork is unlikely to develop mold or mildew, and won't slip and slide around the countertops. Keep in mind that many of these properties will only apply to corks made from natural cork, so look out for those as you're sorting through materials for this project. Still, even a synthetic wine cork trivet can act as a nice centerpiece to hold room-temperature dishes or drinks, and is an excellent way to repurpose wine corks around the house.