Use An Easy Wine Cork Hack To DIY A Unique Rustic Decor Piece For Your Home

Rustic decor is characterized by simple presentations with natural wood tones and a worn finish. Using rustic pieces embracing the farmhouse aesthetic sprang to popularity in the early 2000s, but thanks to the simplicity of this type of decor, it's timeless and much more than a forgettable trend. You can head to one of those big box retail stores to find a piece of decor for your space, or there's the option to get creative and DIY your very own items. If you've got extra wine corks lying around, you can reuse them to design a cork ball that's truly one of a kind. This repurposing DIY involves using a hot glue gun to attach the wine corks to a Styrofoam ball base to build this decoration.

You don't have to spend hours sifting through rustic decor guides to learn how to make a wine cork ball, as this project is beginner friendly! Be sure to have a hot glue gun and glue sticks on hand, as well as the wine corks. While it will depend on the base, you'll want to have around 60 corks for a medium size (4") ball. You'll also need a Styrofoam ball, like the TFARC FOAM Balls for Crafts, and acrylic paint in your choice of color. Pick one close to the color of the corks if you want them to seamlessly blend in with the base, or go for a contrasting color for a unique appearance.

To get started, you may need to clean your wine corks if they are visibly soiled. You can do this by briefly boiling them in water as a way to kill bacteria. Let dry before reusing. Next, decide whether you want to paint your base. If so, use a sponge or paintbrush to apply acrylic paint to the Styrofoam, using as many layers as needed to cover the bright white color. It can be helpful to place the ball into a bowl when painting it to keep it in place. Be sure to let the paint dry completely before proceeding.

Now it's time to attach the wine corks to the base. Heat up your hot glue gun and start by adding a small drop of glue to the bottom of a cork. Press the cork firmly against the Styrofoam and hold in place for a few seconds, or until the glue starts to set. Continue this process, trying to apply them as close to one another as possible, which will help to hide the base. It can also be helpful to work with the base in the same bowl used while painting, as well as applying the corks in a line around the ball. Once the entire surface is covered, it's important to let the glue fully dry before moving to display.

Repurposing household items into DIY home decor doesn't mean you have to sacrifice on style, especially when it comes to building a wine cork ball. There are ways you can add a one-of-a-kind touch to your new decor piece without sacrificing those traditional rustic features. For example, you can dye the corks a new color if you're using this decor for specific holidays, or if you want it to match your existing pieces. One way to achieve this is to boil the corks with fabric dye, like Tulip Permanent Fabric Dye in Black, to keep the neutral color palette typically found in rustic designs.

Another way to switch up these repurposed wine cork decor balls for a special occasion like a party or the holidays is to give the corks a fun touch of glitter. The easiest way to achieve this is to use a product like Rust-Oleum Specialty Glitter Spray Paint, to coat the corks in a shimmery finish. Want to enhance the sparkles even more? Update old fairy lights by weaving the thin wire through the corks and then place anywhere you want a cozy glow.