Don't Toss Your Old Wine Corks: Use Them To Craft A Unique Kitchen Backsplash

Planning a new look for your kitchen can make your eyes water when you see the cost of backsplash tile and consider all the time your kitchen will be out of commission during installation. There are plenty of stunning alternatives to tile for your kitchen, but a wine cork backsplash creates a unique look that really pops. On top of looking one-of-a-kind and reusing wine corks, this charming backsplash gives you a practical texture you can put to work by pinning notes or recipes, hanging art, and holding kitchen utensils.

Best of all, it's also very DIYable, as long as you've got the corks for it. Start collecting now (if you haven't already). A standard backsplash can take hundreds of corks. Save them yourself, ask friends, and check with local restaurants and wine bars. Most will be happy to give them away. If all else fails, you can break down and buy corks in bulk online fairly cheaply.

If you know you won't have enough corks to completely cover your kitchen backsplash, you can settle for a runner at the base or a more decorative piece for one end — perfectly fitting for a wine corner! Alternatively, you can cut your corks in half down the length, and voila! You now have double the corks. However, you may want to wait until you have enough whole corks. Cutting corks lengthwise is pretty tricky, and the older and drier the cork is, the harder it will be to cut.

Start by measuring your backsplash area. You'll need a piece of ¼-inch plywood to act as an underlayment so you're not gluing corks directly to the wall. You can skip the underlayment if you don't want a removable backsplash, but you'll probably damage your wall when it comes time to change it. If you don't have a table saw handy, take your measurements to Home Depot, and they can cut the plywood for you.

Once you have your plywood underlayment sized out, it's time to plan your design. This is where the project gets fun. Lay your corks out and test to see which pattern you like and, most importantly, fits well. You can go horizontal, vertical, or a mix of both.

Locate your studs and mount your plywood underlayment to the wall using drywall screws. You don't need a lot of screws; one in each corner should be stable enough. Using Liquid Nails or just regular old hot glue, start piecing your backsplash together. Sort of like a puzzle, start with the borders and work your way up. You'll be done before you know it and ready to pour a glass of wine to celebrate.