ReadyMade: Instructions for everyday life

Issue 43
The Small Spaces Issue
Buy Your First Home
Southern BBQ, City Style
A-Frame House
Bikes of Portland
Check out the RM Photo Gallery

Think Outside the Bottle 2: Boat Trays

How to use cork to re-create your dining room

by Donna Piacenza and Jody Work

Photos by Garry McLeod

Cut it, stack it, sculpt it, glue it, stitch it, paint it—with its endless opportunities for customization, it’s no surprise that cork is quickly becoming the go-to material for designers and crafters. Bonus: Since it’s derived from the outer bark of cork oak trees, the supple stuff is entirely natural and renewable.

    1. We dyed one side of the cork by brushing on three coats of beet juice. Allow to dry between coats. You can also add stripes of color by blocking off areas with masking tape and painting with bright acrylic colors.

    2. Cut sheet to desired length and width.

    3. To create the bowed ends of the trays, make a cut down the center of the short ends. Place one corner over the another and adhere with wood glue. We used masking tape and binder clips to hold the shape in place until it dried.