Easy DIY Cork Coasters Using Heat Transfer Vinyl And Free Templates

Laura
by Laura
3 Materials
$20
2 Hours
Easy
These DIY cork coasters would make a beautiful wedding gift, Valentine’s Day gift or neutral home decor. They are easy to make and you can personalize them. Add a monogram to them, Mr. and Mrs. with marriage date or cut them into the shape of the state you call home. I originally created these for Valentine’s Day, but with the neutral color and texture I now plan to keep them out most of the year.
I chose to make the hearts from cork tiles. However, if you would like to skip this step, the coaster hearts and rounds are available to purchase.
Trace the heart template onto the cork tile. I used a micron pen, but you can use any fine tip marker. Don’t make your line too dark or it will be difficult to remove in the sanding process.
Next, using your large handle shears cut out the heart shape. These scissors will help to make an accurate cut in this thick material without hurting your hand.
Cut in small sections. Start at the tip of the heart and work your way around until it begins to curve. Then remove that section. Cut a little further and remove the section. This will help you stay on your guide line and keep your cut smooth and accurate.
When you finish cutting the cork, use a fine grit sanding block to remove any loose particles and smooth the edges. Sometimes a piece of the cork will crumble on the edge. I just rounded those sections over with the sanding block. It’s not perfect, but as you can see in the image above, they came out pretty uniform and smooth.
Place your heat transfer vinyl on a cutting mat and load it into your cutting machine (e.g. Silhouette or Cricut). When cutting words on heat transfer vinyl, always mirror your image. After cutting your project, you will need to weed out the extra vinyl. I created boxes around the words to make the weeding easier. Also, please keep in mind that the instructions for using heat transfer vinyl vary by manufacturer. Please refer to the instructions included with your HTV before you begin.
Place each saying on a coaster, sticky side down. I used a ruler to keep them all the same distance from the top. I centered them left to right by eye.
Preheat your iron or Cricut Easy Press to 305 degrees. Then cover your project with the Teflon sheet that came with your heat transfer vinyl. If you do not have a Teflon sheet, you can cover it with a piece of parchment paper. Be sure you are working on a heat resistant mat or surface.
Next, press your image at 305 degrees for 15 seconds. Pressing down on your Cricut Easy Press with two hands and medium pressure.NOTE: You can use an iron for this part of the project. All irons are different. Be sure there is no water/steam in your iron. You will want to start just below the cotton setting, try it, and slowly increase your heat until the vinyl sticks. Once cooled, your carrier sheet should remove easily.
Let the coaster cool and then peel off the carrier sheet. At this point, I usually cover the words again with the Teflon sheet or parchment paper and press it once more without the carrier sheet. This just helps it bond to your project a little better.
I am so happy with the way the coasters turned out. They make a great conversation piece, have a positive message and protect my furniture.
I hope this project inspires you to make your own custom DIY cork coasters. For a more detailed tutorial and to snag your heart template and cut files, visit this post. If you'd like to see other projects using heat transfer vinyl, I have a list here.Have a blessed day!Laura
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Laura
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Jessica Jessica on Feb 16, 2020

    These are magnificent! LOVE them! Defs need to create my own- such a special project.

    • Laura Laura on Feb 16, 2020

      Thank you Jessica! I'm glad you like them and hope you get a chance to make some.

  • Sharon Sharon on Jan 26, 2021

    Thank you for sharing this. I really like the way they turned out. I don't have a Cricut machine, but you've given me a great idea to try cork with perhaps permanent marker or stencils. I personally love the look of cork.

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