corkplacematpinboard thumb1


Hi Infarrantly Creative friends! It’s Sarah from Sarah M. Dorsey Designs and today I’m sharing how to transform cork placements into a huge pin board! Buying cork by the roll can be pricey for a large pin board – so instead we used placemats! We were able to purchase all the cork for a 66.5″x38″ pin board for only $12.

Read on to see how we did it!

Make a huge pinboard out of cork placemats from IKEA



Materials + Tools:

Cork Placemats (I used Ikea Avskild (pack of 4) qty 3 packs) *Note: since the cork isn’t thick enough for standard pins, you have a few options. 1. double up the cork, use standard pins (cost would be $24 instead of $12 for the cork) 2. one layer of cork, insert standard pins at an angle 3. one layer of cork, clip the tips off of standard pins so they firmly grab)

Trim: qty 7 – 8′ pieces (I used synthetic 3/4″ white molding, it’s a good bit cheaper than real wood, about $2 for an 8′ piece)

3M 77 Super Adhesive

Liquid Nails

1/4″ Luann sheet (or any plywood) (4’x8′)

Wood Veneer Edge

Jig Saw or Circular Saw

Miter saw (optional, if you want trim edges to be mitered)

1. First we laid out the luann and prepped the cork placemats. *Note: my placemats were a different color on the front and back, make sure that your colors match prior to adhering them to the plywood.

On a drop cloth, we sprayed one side of the cork placemat and then adhered it to the luann.

3m 77 spray

We started in the upper left corner and laid them flush, 4 across and 3 down.

cork placemat board
2. Then we cut the luan out with the jigsaw. *Note: Most home improvement stores will make a few cuts for free, so you could get it pre cut in store.
DIY corkboard
3. Apply trim around the outside.
how to make a large corkboard
We used an all purpose Liquid Nails Adhesive. Make sure it is fairly even and not too thick so it doesn’t  come out the edges.
corkboard tutorial
4. Next, start covering the seams in between the placemats. Find the center and place the horizontal pieces.
DIY corkboard

Secure sections with adhesive.

create a large corkboard

Finish covering the seams by measuring and cutting the vertical sections and securing with adhesive.

5. Cover the outer edge of the luann, cork, and trim with veneer edging. My edge measured 1/2″, but my veneer was 3/4″, so I trimmed it down to 1/2″ with an X-ACTO Knife .

applying veneer edging to corkboard
Measure each side and cut 4 pieces of veneer. Apply to the sides with an iron, following instructions on the package.  Paint the edging white to match molding.
corkboard tutorial

This makes a clean edge and only takes are few minutes!

creating a large corkboard with cork placemats

This would be perfect for organizing inspiration in an office/studio, a command center in a kitchen/entry or to display family photos in a family room!

cork pin board

This project was super easy, only taking a few hours in an evening! There are also endless opportunities for customization, so get creative!

Finally, here’s what I’ve been up to over the past month:

How to make a mitered stripe pillow with cording, here

DIY Serena & Lily inspired mirror,  here and tips for painting furniture and polishing brass, here

A free printable, here

Geometric pencil cups, here

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