Corks are one of the classiest pieces of garbage that can be made into something nice. Rather than throw them away, people fill ornate jars with them, make walls and bulletin boards with them, and even make trivets. But you can also make trays with them.
See, a friend of mine used to work in a restaurant, so he scored bag upon bag filled with corks for me, which were further compounded with the corks I was collecting myself. It bothered me to think of how many went in the trash, so I wanted to get crafty. My bright idea: Make cork trays. They're pretty, they've unique, and they provide a foodie double-service -- making the most of your waste while also making something new to present your food on.
What could be more appropriate for a wine and cheese gathering than cork trays?
First, I made a small one, lining up a few same-winery corks along the bottom, and slicing a bunch lengthwise to make a rim. I glued them together with a hot glue gun, then poured a little resin in to make sure it all set properly and that the corks held together. But that was too small.
Next, I made the tray you see above. I once again cut corks for the sides, but layered cork for the front and back rims, and filled the inside with rows of same-winery corks. It took a little more resin, of course, since it was so much bigger, so I opted to not over it completely, letting some of the cork's curves stretch through. It takes some time, but the result is worth it.
Cork Tray Tips:
- Organize your corks first, grouping them by vineyard and shape. This way, you know just how many you have in each size, and can determine how big your tray can me, and how you should organize them.
- Use an exacto knife to cut corks in half, but be sure to do so in a way that retains the winery's brand.
- Lay out your corks before attaching, and then carefully glue together with hot glue. (I've entertained the idea of sticking pins in the ends for added strength, but haven't played around with it yet.)
- Make sure to seal any holes you see in the bottoms and lower sides with hot glue. For added security, run lines of glue along the seams in the bottom as well.
- Do not pour the resin into your finished tray until you have put a resin-proof and non-stick surface underneath. I like to use wax, so I can lift up and check for leakage. You will most likely have at least a few leaks to fiddle with and stop us, but since it's the bottom, it won't do any damage. It'll just make some of the bottom corks resined.
- Make sure to lift and move your tray enough times so that the wax paper or other surface underneath doesn't become permanently affixed to your tray if it leaks.
- When dry and hard, put it to use!
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