DIY: How To Make A Charming Home Office Tack Board

Who says the practical items in our homes have to be plain and boring. Take a very utilitarian item like a tack board. They are typically made of basic cork and framed with a simple unfinished pine frame. Very utilitarian, but oh so boring. When a good friend (thank you, Mish!) gifted me with some extra squares of cork that she wasn’t using I decided to use them to make a tack board with a little pizzaz.

If you have some basic woodworking skills, this is an easy project that can easily be completed in a couple days. You could easily complete the project in just one day, but it takes a while to let the spray painted finish dry.

Supplies:

• (9) 12″ x 12″ cork tiles
• duct tape
• (2) 8 ft lengths – 1 inch wide wood moulding
• (2) 8 ft lengths – 2 inch wide wood moulding
• 4 wood rosettes
• 4 metal “L” brackets
• wood glue
• clamps
• wood screws
• tape measure
• drill or screwdriver
• chop saw or miter box
• spray paint
• spray adhesive
• 38″ x 38″ wall paper or fabric
• picture hanging hardware

Start this project by taping the cork tiles together on the backside using duct tape. Measure out the 1 inch wide moulding and cut it to fit along the outside edges of the cork tiles.

Hubs has a chop saw that makes it easy to make 45 degree cuts. This moulding will serve as the base of the frame so if it’s easier for you, just make straight cuts instead. Once the tack board is complete you will not see this frame, it’s just the base we are going to build upon.

Use metal “L” brackets at each corner to secure the frame together.

Once the base frame is assembled and screwed together it’s time to add the corner rosettes.

Use a generous amount of wood glue to attach the rosettes at each corner of the frame.

Secure rosettes in place with clamps until the wood glue dries.

Once the wood glue has dried and the rosettes are attached to the base frame, measure out the distance from corner to corner and cut the 2 inch wide trim moulding to size. I chose a moulding with a basket weave pattern, but you could use any moulding that you love. Just be sure that it is wider than the moulding you used for the base frame.

Attach moulding to the base frame using more wood glue. Clamp in place until glue dries.

Once the glue is dry spray paint the frame in the color you desire.

If you’re ok with the neutral look of the cork tiles, just run a bead of glue along the outer edges of the cork tiles and press them onto the back of the frame. Screw the cork tiles to the base frame, from the backside using screws. This will ensure the frame and tack board stay together in one piece.

TIP: check to make sure the screws aren’t too long or the tips will pop through and show on the front side of the frame. Not a good look.

If you want a different look, something that matches your decor, cover the cork tiles with either fabric or wall paper using a spray adhesive. Spray both the surface of the cork tiles and the back of the fabric or wallpaper, being sure to smooth out the wallpaper or fabric for a nice flat surface. Wrap the edges and use duct tape to secure the fabric or wall paper along the back of the cork tiles.

I chose a textured grass cloth wall paper with a dark frame to match my office decor. The nice thing about the grass cloth wallpaper; the texture will hide any tiny holes made by thumbtacks.

Screw picture hanging hooks to the backside of the frame at two corners and hang your tack board.

I’m so pleased with how this little project turned out. I spent a weekend working on it. I now I have a spot for all those pieces of paperwork that would normally clutter up the surface of our office desk. My husband is a visual kinda guy, he leaves things out so he doesn’t forget about them. With a tack board he can pin it up and once he’s handled his business it can be removed and either filed or tossed in the trash. No more piles and piles of paperwork covering the top of the desk! WOO-HOO!

Let me know if you have any questions about this project and I am more than happy to provide clarification and give you pointers. I hope you decide to give this project a try and share photos of how it turns out. I would love too see what you create! Bulletin boards don’t have to be boring and utilitarian, only to be found in classrooms. Use some vertical wall space in your home to keep yourself organized and keep your home office desk clutter free.

Did You Make This?

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And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

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