An Easy Trash To Treasure DIY: Cork Wine Bar Backsplash

Do you have a tile backsplash that you have been wanting to replace but you aren’t sure what tile to go with. This easy to make backsplash is inexpensive and it can be installed over drywall or an existing tiled backsplash. No special skills required! If you can use a hot glue gun you can make this backsplash in just a few hours. The best thing about it? It can be removed in just a few minutes if you want to change it up.

You may have a built in bar area similar to what I have. Perhaps you are lucky enough to have a tiled backsplash. For months and months I have tried to figure out how to dress up the built-in wine bar in my dining room. Honestly, there isn’t a thing wrong with it. It’s just kinda plain with boring drywall. There is no sink, so a backsplash isn’t really needed to protect the walls, but I want a backsplash more for the aesthetics than anything else.

Add the fact that the granite countertop is rather busy; it makes choosing a tile even more challenging. Plus, once a tile backsplash is installed, it’s there for a good long time. Then I had a lightbulb moment! What if I made an easily removable backsplash. One made with all the corks I have been saving for years?

I use them in my decor all the time, but honestly you can only display so many of them at a time. They have a nice organic feel to them and their neutral color works with just about any decor.

I finally had a project to use up all those corks I have been saving for years and years. WOO-HOO!!!

SUPPLIES:

• Measuring tape
• Backer board or paneling, cut to size
• Wine bottle corks
• Hot glue gun
• Hot glue sticks
• Velcro
• Scissors
• Sharp knife

Start by measuring the wall. I am lucky, there are no electrical outlets on the wall, the wall is just one big rectangle. If you have an electrical outlet be sure to note its placement in your measurements.

I picked up a 4×8 sheet of thin backer board at Lowe’s. It cost me just under $16 for the sheet. Look for something that is thick enough to stand up on its own. An ugly sheet of paneling would work just as well. There is no need to purchase an expensive sheet of plywood for this project. It will be covered with corks and you will never see the board once you are done with this project. Make it extra easy and have the hardware store cut it to size for you.

To start, apply velcro strips to the back of the board along the corners. You could skip this step and just set the board against the wall, but the Velcro strips will keep it from falling over and secure it in place. The board will get quite heavy once you have attached all the corks to it. I recommend securing it to the wall so it doesn’t fall over. Velcro strips make this an easily removable backsplash but you could also glue it in place for a more permanent installation.

Once you have attached the velcro strips, turn over the board and lay it out on a large flat surface. Then heat up your glue gun and start glueing corks onto the board until it is completely covered.

I used a basketweave pattern. I placed two corks horizontally and then two corks vertically. I repeated the pattern for each row, alternating the vertical and horizontal placement of the corks to create a pleasing basketweave pattern.

TIP: Use the prettiest corks in the center of the board where they will be most visible. Use the less attractive ones along the outer edges and along the top where they aren’t as visible.

Start glueing from the bottom of the board and work your way to the top and then across. Corks at the bottom will be more visible than the ones along the very top, so be more mindful of their placement along the bottom than along the top of the board.

Depending on the size of your board will determine how many corks you will need. I thought I had plenty of corks for this project but I ended up asking friends and family for corks. I was surprised at how many people collect corks, and like me, have no idea what to do with them. Until now…LOL ❤️

You could also purchase them in bulk at craft stores or from Amazon.

A HUGE shout out to my girlfriends Sabrina and Veronica for donating corks so that I could complete my project! I couldn’t have done it without their generous contribution! Thank you!!!

I ended up using just over 850 corks to completely cover the entire surface of the backer board. That’s a whole lotta corks…whew!

Using a sharp knife, cut corks to size to fit along the edges if needed and glue them into place.

I just LOVE how this project turned out!!! It has a lovely textural feel to it, and the neutral colors of the corks works perfectly with my decor. It’s the perfect wine bar backsplash. It pays homage to my love of wine without being too kitschy. It’s such a great project to recycle and reuse something that normally ends up in the trash. I must say that this has turned out to be one of my all time favorite trash to treasure DIY craft projects!

The total cost of this project came in at just under $20. Even if I had to purchase all the corks to make this backsplash it would have been less than $150 for all the supplies needed. That’s still a very affordable, textural, and unique backsplash for your home!

What I love most? If I get tired of it, or want to change it out, it’s easily removed in just a couple minutes! If you can use a glue gun, you can easily recreate this backsplash project for your home!

Did You Make This?

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