Turn Old Jar Lids Into The Cutest Coasters For Your Coffee Table

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Do you cringe when your guests set their wet glasses on your coffee table? You probably need more coasters. They're one of the best ways to protect a table from water rings. Although you could pocket some flimsy cardboard ones at your local brewery or splurge on an expensive set, making them yourself is surprisingly easy. Old glass jar lids are the perfect size and thickness for DIY coasters. To create ones that last, you'll need to thoroughly clean your lids, decorate them with pictures or small found objects, and fill them with waterproof resin. 

If you're obsessed with easy ways to make your home more sustainable, you already know the thrill of raiding your recycling bin. Start there, selecting glass jar lids that are large enough to hold the base of your favorite bottles or glasses. Although you can spray paint them any color you like, it's a good idea to skip any weirdly rusty or bent lids. Moreover, adding a thin piece of cork will keep your coasters from sliding around as the party gets going. Consider investing a few dollars in a pack of KITLAB Self-Adhesive Backed Cork Rounds from Amazon that you'll simply stick on top of your lids (and inside them, too, if you're not feeling terribly crafty.) Could you simply place your bevvy inside the lids without further ado? Yes. But with a little more effort, creativity, and a two-part product like the Puduo Epoxy Resin Crystal Clear Kit, the design possibilities are practically endless. 

Minimalists may love the look of solid lids simply lined with cork, but like a Shirley Temple with no cherries, we think that's a mistake. Old jar lids aren't that thick, but they can fit plenty of little trinkets inside. Vintage pictures or postcards cut to shape and scrapbooking ephemera are good places to start. Add sparkle with tiny beads or gemstones like the JOHOUSE Crushed Betta Fish Quartz Crystals. You could lean into the irony of bottle caps, the natural texture of wood chips, or the sophisticated appeal of gold flakes. Fabric scraps? Tinsel? Seashells? As long as it stays below the lip of your jar lid, you can use practically anything. 

The trick is to carefully arrange your selected elements inside each old lid before coating them in resin. You may have seen jar lid coasters made with Mod Podge on TikTok. Despite being a must-have medium for certain crafts, it isn't waterproof enough to stand up over time the way resin is, so we don't recommend it. Plus, you can easily add pigments or glitter to resin, whereas decoupage formulas are trickier to customize.

Once you're satisfied with the arrangement of your elements, carefully pour your prepared epoxy inside the lid to cover them. Use a toothpick to pop any bubbles that form on the surface. Epoxy stinks for a few days until it cures, so work on this craft in a well-ventilated space where your coasters won't be disturbed until the resin has fully hardened. Once you get the hang of the process, try your hand at making an epoxy resin table top.