Scrabble Coasters have been popping up on my Pinterest feed lately and I decided it’s finally time to try them myself. I loved thinking of four different themes for the coasters and coming up with words that would fit within each. These Scrabble coasters make for an easy, customized gift for any holiday: birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, weddings, anniversaries, Christmas, graduations, etc!
You’ll need:
- 1 large package of Scrabble Tiles (Double check on the picture that the package includes every letter you are planning on using!)
- E-6000 glue
- 1 thin cork board or pre-cut cork coasters
- Sharp scissors or an X-acto knife
- Clear Polyurethane spray (like this or this)
It’s time to craft:
First chose 16 four-letter words (four words for each coaster). I decided to theme each coaster: Coffee, Tea, Beer and Wine.
After you’ve chosen all your tiles, use leftover letters to test the polyurethane spray. Some people have reported back their wooden tiles reacted to the spray causing the letters to dissolve. Spray a couple of the leftover tiles with the polyurethane and watch to see what happens. If the tiles have a reaction, you may need to try a different kind of sealing spray to be sure the coasters do not get ruined!
Using the E-6000, glue each letter by row to cork. I tried to get a little glue in between each letter so they would adhere together neatly. Align top of first word to top of cork square.
Continue glueing for each letter on each coaster, trying to keep letters in line and straight.
Once each coaster is done, stack under a heavy book to ensure they dry flat. As you can see, the pre-cut cork coasters I bought were larger than my planned square size, but it helped for aligning the letters first to the top. It was simple to trim cork after drying.
Allow coasters to dry for 1 hour. Using sharp scissors or an X-acto knife, carefully trim excess cork from square.
Place tiles on paper bag or newspaper. Follow directions on spray bottle of polyurethane to coat tiles. I coated mine with one layer, let dry for 10 minutes and then coated again. The spray sealed the tiles from water damage and gave them a semi-glossy sheen.
I love the way the coasters turned out and am having a hard time with the thought of giving them away. Maybe I’ll make a second set for a gift and keep this one for myself!
How did your coasters turn out? What words did you decide to use? Tag your pictures on Instagram with @Gourmet_Gab or #gourmetgabDIY. I can’t wait to see them! Happy crafting.
Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela
*Update: After several years of using these coasters, the polyurethane coat has begun to peel off the letters due to liquids repeatedly resting on them. I just want to forewarn you this may happen overtime. When I created this DIY tutorial, I was not sure the longevity these would have, but I think getting four+ years out of the coasters is a great turnout!
